Scariff college through to Clare final

Scariff Community College 4-8   St Anne’s Killaloe 1-15

SCARIFF Community College booked their place in the final of the Clare Senior A Hurling Championship with a two-point win over neighbours St Anne’s of Killaloe on Monday.

Played in ideal conditions in Ogonnelloe, the Scariff team put their recent Munster semi-final disappointment behind them to emerge victorious after an enthralling hour’s hurling. Indeed, that cruel one-point loss to Cork side Carraig na Bhfear seemed to spur the Scariff team on, especially in the dying minutes of the tie.

St Anne’s started the game brightly, taking an early three-point lead after the opening five minutes. Scariff joint captain Eoin Quirke settled his side’s nerves, registering their first score with a well-taken free in the seventh minute. Killaloe, who had dominated the early proceedings, began to wane somewhat with Scariff clubmen Martin Cunningham and Niall Minogue beginning to exert more influence at midfield. Scariff were growing into the game and began to exert more pressure in the middle third of the field, directly leading to goals from Quirke (two) and current Clare minor hurler, Colin Burke.

Whitegate native Burke proved to be a thorn in Killaloe’s side throughout the game, scoring 1-3 from play. In the closing minutes of the first half, St Anne’s rallied and reduced the deficit to three points after some well taken scores from Caimin Quigley and Seamus Downey, leaving Scariff with a slender 3-3 to 0-9 lead at the interval.

Scariff began the second half at a whirlwind pace, increasing their lead to seven points after Luke Solon struck for goal following some excellent team play. However, this lead was short lived as, once again, Killaloe rallied and in a frantic five-minute period amassed 1-3 without reply, leaving the minimum between the sides. Ogonnelloe’s Aaron Bradley, who came on as a substitute, made an instant impact, scoring the goal.

The Killaloe side continued to threaten the Scariff goal and only two fine saves from Ricky Power prevented them from taking the lead. However, Scariff increased their advantage to three points following a Quirke free and a Paddy McNamara score. With four minutes of injury time remaining, a pointed free from Quigley cut the deficit to two points and a dramatic conclusion was in store.

Only 12 days earlier, Scariff had let such a lead slip in their Munster semi-final. Killaloe laid siege to the Scariff goal but failed to find the net, due in no small part to some last-ditch defending from the Scariff backline.

The final whistle was greeted with a mixture of joy and relief on the part of the Scariff hurlers, as they booked their place in the final for the first time in eight years. There they will meet neighbours and recent Munster B Championship finalists Tulla, in what should prove to be another intriguing fixture. The game is fixed for next Tuesday in Bodyke with a 1.30pm throw-in.

Best for the winners were: Eanna Doyle, Cathal Madden, Martin Cunningham, Eoin Quirke and Colin Burke, while Killaloe were ably represented by Clonlara brothers Seamus and Ciarán Downey, Caimin Quigley and Daniel Kinnane.

Scariff Community College: Ricky Power (Scariff); Luke Patterson (Whitegate), Eanna Doyle (Bodyke), David McGrath (O’Callaghan’s Mills); Diarmaid McNamara (Scariff), John Scanlan (Scariff), Cathal Madden (Scariff); Martin Cunningham (Scariff), Niall Minogue (Scariff); Jack O’Brien (Broadford), Eoin Quirke (Whitegate), Reuben Noyes (Whitegate); Paddy McNamara (Killanena), Colin Burke (Whitegate), Luke Solon (Whitegate).
Sub: Eoin Patterson (Whitegate) for Luke Solon.
St Anne’s, Killaloe: Adrian Power (Ballina); Mark Connolly (Clonlara), Jack Orme (Ogonnelloe), Ronan Burke (Ballina); Andrew Duggan (Portroe), Peter English (Ogonnelloe), Daniel Cunnane (Ogonnelloe); Sean Kikkers (Ogonnelloe), Ciarán Downey (Clonlara); James Murtagh (Ballina), Seamus Downey (Clonlara), Eoin Mason (Broadford); Caimin Quigley (Smith O’Brien’s), Aaron Bradley (Ogonnelloe), Stiofán McMahon (Broadford).
Subs: Eamonn Healy (Ballina) for Bradley, Declan Power (Smith O’Brien’s) for Orme, Tomás Conway (Ballina) for Kikkers and Shane Moloney (Smith O’Brien’s) for Conway.

 

Scariff Community College 4-15   Pallaskenry 0-15

SCARIFF Community College advanced to the next round of the Munster U-15C Hurling Championship when they scored a comfortable win over Pallaskenry on Monday.

A brace of goals from Ian Murray helped the East Clare school to a half-time lead of six points, 2-5 to 0-5.

Murray completed his hat trick in the second half when Michael Hynes was their other goalscorer. As a result of this win, they will play Castletroy in the next round.

Scariff Community College: Jonah Gaine (Whitegate); Martin Vaughan (Ogonnelloe), Tobias O’Meara (Killanena), Cian Minogue (Bodyke); Cathal Burke (Whitegate), Conor Apsel, (Whitegate), Darragh McNamara (Killanena); Conor Maloney (Scariff), Sean Perrill (Bodyke); Oisin Slattery (Bodyke), Shane Corry (Scariff), Thomas Hogan (Whitegate); Michael Hynes (Whitegate), Ian Murray (Bodyke), Liam O’Donnell (Bodyke).
Subs: Tomás McNamara (Scariff), Ronan Doyle (Broadford), Oran Treacy (Bodyke), Ciarán Keenan (Whitegate) and Danny Hynes (Whitegate).

Scariff are also into the Clare final after beating St Caimin’s 3-4 to 0-10 last week.

In the same competition, Rice College scored a two-point win over St Anne’s, Killaloe in a game that required extra time. The Killaloe side went into the extra period without both midfielders, who picked up injuries during the course of the game.

Intermediate School, Killorglin 2-14   West Clare Colleges 3-8

WEST Clare Colleges’ dream of a Frewan Cup (Munster Colleges Junior A Championship) title this season ended at Askeaton on Wednesday afternoon but not without a tremendous battle.

Intermediate school, Killorglin, finished strongly and scored the final three points of the game to get through to the semi-final.

The Clare side had the aid of the wind in the first half and they led by two points at half-time, 1-5 to 0-6, with the goal coming from Kilrush player Liam Madigan.

Madigan was the star of the Clare team, scoring 3-4 of their total. His third goal put his team three points clear with 10 minutes remaining. The winners got a goal back, somewhat against the run of play but a Colm Pyne point levelled the game again with five minutes remaining.

A strong finish saw the Kerry side edge ahead and claim victory.

In addition to Madigan, the Clare side had good performances from Colm Pyne, Pierce Lillis and Gary McMahon.

West Clare Colleges: Cian Culligan (Kilrush); Gary McMahon (Kilmihil), Keelan Cunningham (Kilrush), David Kelly (Kilmihil); George Bradley (Kilrush), Colm Pyne (Kilrush), Eoin Callinan (Kilmihil); Pierce Lillis (Kilrush), Shane O’Connor (Kilmihil); Gary Stephens (Kildysart), Niall McCarthy (Kilmihil), Seamus Collins, (Kilmihil); Ben Cleary (Kildysart), David Egan (Kilmihil), Liam Madigan (Kilrush).
Subs: Cian Murphy (Kildysart) for Stephens.