Quilligan shines as Feakle-Killanena win

Feakle-Killanena 1-13   Whitegate 1-8

BEATEN finalists last year, Feakle-Killanena are back in the U-21C Hurling Championship final but only after a strong finish against East Clare neighbours, Whitegate at Scariff on Friday.
An outstanding performance from goalkeeper Eibhear Quilligan was key to the victory. Last year’s Clare minor goalie was outstanding and produced a number of excellent saves.
Leading by eight points, 0-11 to 0-3, after playing with the aid of the breeze in the first half, they found themselves under great pressure when play resumed, as Whitegate fought back to level with only five minutes remaining.
A Keelan McNamara goal five minutes from the end suggested that Whitegate would win the tie but almost immediately Feakle-Killanena launched, an attack which ended with an Oisín Donnellan goal, a score that turned the tie back in their favour.
Whitegate will be disappointed, as they had dominated the second half exchanges up to that point. Indeed, they would surely have been in front at that stage but for the brilliance of goalkeeper Quilligan, who made a number of excellent saves.
They played the final few minutes without their top scorer, Shane McGrath who contributed 0-7 on the day, after he picked up a second yellow card. Gary Guilfoyle, Colin McNamara and Todd Kelsey were the other scorers for the winners, who will now play Tubber in the final.

Feakle-Killanena: Eibhear Quilligan; Martin Glynn, Owen McMahon; Eoin Tuohy, Gary Guilfoyle, Eoin McGuinness; Michael Noonan, Shane McGrath; Oisín Donnellan, Cillian Bane, Colin McNamara; Padraig Brady, Todd Kelsey.
Sub: James Noonan for Michael Noonan.
Whitegate: Noel O’Donnell; Gareth Bleach, Tomás McNamara; Paul O’Rourke, Eoin Quirke, Michael Minogue; Michael Dooley, Liam Sugrue; Keelan McNamara, Colin Bleach, Conor McDermott; Paddy Burke, Colin Burke.
Sub: Luke Petterson for K McNamara.
Referee: Johnnie Healy, Smith O’Brien’s.