Scariff and Ennis set for first big battle

CLARE Junior sides Ennis and Scariff both tasted defeat in last week’s league action, results are likely to add to the interest in their meeting on this Sunday.
Currently, Scariff are just ahead of Ennis on the league table and will be keen to maintain that position in what will be the first meeting of the clubs in competitive action at junior level.
Whatever the result of this week’s tie, they will meet again on Sunday week at the same venue, this time in the Munster Junior Cup.

Ennis 3   Newcastle West 8
ENNIS paid the penalty for a slack first half in this league tie at Ennis and were fortunate not to be more that 8-0 in arrears at half-time.
The visitors scored a try midway through the half but they missed the conversion. They increased their lead with a penalty before half-time.
In the second half, Ennis dominated throughout the field but they made costly mistakes when they came near the visitors’ line. Dylan Tynan O’Mahoney kicked a penalty 15 minutes into the half and came close on a few occasions. Enda Galvin was held up near the line, while Tynan O’Mahoney also came close.
This week, Ennis entertain Scariff in the league in a first competitive meeting of the Clare clubs.
Currently, the East Clare outfit are just ahead of Ennis on the league table.

Ennis: Saren Butler; Damien O’Connor, Brandon Grant, Niall Nevin, Paul Finnucane; Shane O’Connor, Dylan Tynan O’Mahoney; Paul Lynch, Keelan Flynn, Enda Galvin; Frank Holly, Jason Considine; Michael McInerney, Liam Ryan, Kieran Reid.
Subs: Joe Molony for  Ryan; Frank Coffey for Finnucane; Derek Farrell for Considine.

Presentation 31   Scariff 3
SCARIFF went down 31-3 to Presentation on Sunday but the final score did not reflect the match, however.
Scariff took the lead early on with a penalty from James Kelly. Presentation responded and after some great Scariff defence finally broke through, leaving the score 5-3 to the Limerick side at half-time.
The Clare club went on the attack in the second half but were undone with two intercept tries, finished off under the posts. That left the score 19-3 mid way through the second half. Scariff continued to battle through the remainder of the second half but the winners went over for a further two tries leaving the final score 31-3.

Scariff: Joe McGrath, Colin Bugler, Bernard McGrath, Dara McNamara (captain), Rory Slattery, Conor Minogue, Darren McNamara, Robbie Madden, Tom Cronin, James Kelly, Trevor Kelly, Steven Madden, Kenny Mason, Seamus Noonan, Conor McNamara.
Replacements: Marcus O’Neill, Michael Madden, Paul O’Sullivan, Joe Brody, Tyrone Elliot, David Harte.

St Senan’s 13   Clonmel 10

ST Senan’s put Clonmel on the back foot right from the kick-off in this Division 1 league tie on Sunday.
Noel Hoban started the game with a deep kick into the visitors’ half, the ball was returned by Clonmel giving Declan Collins of Senan’s an opportunity to return the ball long and high. Jaime Keogh caught well before passing to Barry Murphy who moved the ball out wide to Fergal Lawlor for him to run in a try with the game barely a minute old.
Declan Collins’ conversion attempt drifted just wide of the post.
Clonmel reacted to this early setback and pushed Senan’s deep into their own half, forcing them to concede a penalty, which they easily converted, to bring the score to 5-3.
A period of strong defence by Senan’s followed as the visitors sensed they could turn over the slim lead held by the home side. On 22 minutes, Senan’s turned defence into attack and pushed Clonmel deep into their own half forcing them to concede a penalty on their 22m line.
Declan Collins made no mistake with this kick, judging the cross wind to perfection, to give Senan’s an 8-3 lead.
The second half started with Senan’s again forcing Clonmel to defend their lines and in doing so, they won a penalty in the fourth minute but despite a strong kick by Collins, the ball drifted wide of the target.
Clonmel took a strong foothold inside Senan’s half, eventually running in a try and when the conversion kick found the target, they opened up an 10-8 lead.
Both sides found it difficult to break through tight defences to create clearcut opportunities but it was Senan’s strength in the scrums that would be the deciding factor. With just a few minutes to go, the Shannon club won a scrum just 5m short of the Clonmel try line and drove the visitors back only for the referee to adjudge that the ball was not grounded and award another 5m scrum. Another strong scrum saw Senan’s push Clonmel back over their try line again and this time, Ian Fitzgerald made no mistake in grounding the ball. The conversion kick drifted wide but Senan’s had opened up a 13-10 lead.
As Clonmel attacked from the restart, Senan’s defence held firm for what seemed an eternity of stoppage time for the home side to take a well-deserved 13-10 victory.
Next week, St Senan’s travel to third placed Cobh with a 2.30pm kick off.

St Senan’s: Pa Ryan, Fergal Lawlor, Tony O’Brien, Aaron Skerritt, Aidan O’Callaghan, Jamie Keogh, Ian Fitzgerald, Mike O’Connell, Darragh McCoy, Noel Hoban, Fernando Gallant, Neil McDonagh, Dylan Sonneman, Barry Murphy, Declan Collins.
Replacements: Michael Cusack, David Webb, Duane Horkin, Eamonn O’Donoghue, Eoghan McNeill, Brian Collins.