Quarter-final place for Cratloe in historic victory

Cratloe 3-6 Ennistymon 1-10

HISTORY was made at Cusack Park on Saturday evening when Cratloe qualified for the senior football championship quarter-final for the first time in the club’s history with a two-point win over Ennistymon.
In a game which ebbed and flowed, they finished strongly to book their last eight place and send Ennistymon crashing out of the title race.
In the end, it was the ability of the South-East Clare side to score goals, which proved decisive in an entertaining game that produced some good passages of play.
The winners had early points from Conor McGrath on a day when Ennistymon were forced into a change in personnel as early as the fifth minute, as Michael O’Loughlin was forced to retire due to injury to be replaced at centre-back by David McInerney.
Having suffered this early setback, they were given a huge boost in the 11th minute when Danny Rouine’s effort from 30m slipped through the hands of Cratloe goalie Jamie Joyce for the game’s opening goal. The winners came storming back for Cathal McInerney to level before Seán Collins raced through for their opening goal 11 minutes from the break.
This was to prove to be their final score of a half, the remainder of which Ennistymon had the better of matters. However, they will regret a number of missed frees from Danny Rouine on a day when they went to the break on level terms at 1-3 each.
Cratloe struck early in the second half and Conor McGrath goaled after being put through by Cathal McInerney. Just as in the opening half, the goal brought an immediate response from the losers who hit back with points from Lawrence Healy, Seán McConigley and Brian Conway (free) to level the game for the third time.
At the start of the final quarter, Cratloe went back in front when Cathal McInerney landed a point from a 13m free before scoring his side’s third goal when he first timed the ball low to the new after Conor McGrath’s effort had been saved by Shane Keane.
For the third time in the game, Ennistymon bounced back impressively and points from Danny Rouine, David Murphy, Brian Conway (free) and substitute Michael McDonagh made the teams level again with five minutes remaining.
Play swung from end to end before Cratloe regained the lead with an excellent kick by Conor McGrath a minute from the end of normal time. Cathal McInerney doubled his side’s lead a minute later but there was still some time to play. In the three minutes of injury time that followed, Ennistymon tried hard to get through for scores but the Cratloe defence held firm.
Barry Duggan, Michael Hawes and Liam Markham were always prominent in defence. Conor Ryan won some great possession at midfield while up front, Seán Collins and the full-forward trio of Paudge Collins, Conor McGrath and Cathal McInerney caused a lot of problems for their opponents.
Brian McDonagh, Wayne Griffin, Laurence Healy, David Murphy and Brian Conway tried hard throughout for Ennistymon.

Cratloe: Jamie Joyce; Seán Chaplin, Barry Duggan, David Ryan; Martin ‘Ogie’Murphy, Michael Hawes, Liam Markham; Conor Ryan, Seán Hynan; Wesley De Loughrey, Seán Collins, Padraig Chaplin; Paudge Collins, Conor McGrath, Cathal McInerney.
Subs: Barry Gleeson for P Chaplin (32 minutes), Robert Conlon for De Loughrey (50 minutes), Damian Browne for Conlon (60 minutes).
Scorers: Cathal McInerney (1f); Conor McGath (1-3 each); Seán Collins (1-0).
Frees for: 19; wides 7; 45s: 1.
Bookings: Seán Chaplin (29 minutes).
Comment: “It’s a massive bonus. After the last outing, our status was secure and that was where we wanted to be as we didn’t want to be in relegation trouble. We will have to give it a rattle. It was a cracking game between two clubs with emphasis on youth. Ennistymon were very unlucky. Goals are proving important for us,” Colm Collins, Cratloe manager.

Ennistymon: Shane Keane; James Murphy Brian McDonagh, Oisín Vaughan; Wayne Griffin, Michael O’Loughlin, Willie Murphy; David Murphy, Ronan Linnane; Joe Dowling, Brian Conway, Kevin Scales; Danny Rouine, Seán McConigley, Lawrence Healy.
Subs: David McInerney for M O’Loughlin (inj, five minutes); David Davenport for Scales (43 minutes), Michael McDonagh for Rouine (52 minutes).
Scorers: Danny Rouine (1-2, 0-2f); Brian Conway (0-4f), David Murphy, Lawrence Healy, Seán McConigley, Michael McDonagh (0-1) each.
Frees for: 21; wides: 8; 45s: 3.
Bookings: David Murphy (15 minutes).
Comment: “We have trained hard and we knew that Cratloe are capable of getting goals. We struggled early on and we had to change our tactics a bit. They caught us for a few goals. They are a good team and if they can stay fresh, they will cause an upset in the championship yet. It’s back to the drawing board and see how we can improve,” Brendan Rouine, Ennistymon manager.

Referee: Michael Talty, Kilmurry-Ibrickane.