Scariff hurlers book semi-final spot

Scariff Community College 5-18   Ennistymon CBS 1-22 (AET)

Scariff Community College booked their place in the semi-final of the Clare Senior A Hurling Championship with a hard fought win over Ennistymon CBS in Bodyke last week.

Despite the tricky underfoot conditions both schools produced an enthralling encounter that required extra time to decide the final outcome.

Ennistymon were fastest out of the blocks, taking a four-point lead within the opening ten minutes. Scariff attempted to rally but the North Clare school continued to dominate proceedings for the rest of the half, leading on a scoreline of 0-11 to 0-5 at the interval.

Scariff edged their way back into the game once play resumed, reducing the deficit to four points once again. Yet they suffered what seemed a fatal blow in the 42nd minute when Ennistymon goaled following some impressive team play.

To their credit, the Scariff students refused to panic and began to assert their authority on the game, outscoring their opponents by seven points in the final 15 minutes. Indeed Scariff seemed to have won the tie when Whitegate’s Colin Burke raised a green flag deep in injury time to give his side a one-point lead, the first time that Scariff had led the game. However, Ennistymon responded immediately winning a free on the Scariff 45m line. Inagh-Kilnamona player Barry Keating held his nerve to take the game to extra-time on a scoreline of Scariff CC 3-12 Ennistymon 1-18.

The frantic pace that characterised the fixture continued in the first period of extra time with both sides refusing to wilt.

At the break in extra-time, the sides were once again level. It would take something special to separate these teams and so it proved when the Scariff students goaled for the fourth time to take the advantage. Ennistymon pushed forward in an attempt to cut the deficit but were caught on a quick break when Eoin Quirke scored his side’s fifth and final goal after some excellent forward play.

Scariff saw out the remainder of the game and in doing so took their place in the penultimate stage of the Clare competition. Considering the time of year and the somewhat difficult playing conditions, both sides deserve praise for what was an exceptional game of hurling. The game will no doubt stand to Scariff Community College as they continue their preparations for their upcoming Munster semi-final against Cork side, Carraig na Bfear.

Scariff CC: Ricky Power (Scariff); Luke Patterson (Whitegate); Eanna Doyle (Bodyke); Diarmuid McNamara (Scariff); Cathal Madden (Scariff); John Scanlan (Scariff); Cian Foley (Scariff); Michael Barrett (Scariff); David McGrath (O’Callaghan’s Mills); Luke Solon (Whitegate); Eoin Quirke (Whitegate); Reuben Noyes (Whitegate); Seán Minogue (Scariff); Colin Burke (Whitegate); Liam Corry (Scariff).
Subs: Jack O’Brien (Broadford) for Reuben Noyes; Martin Cunningham (Scariff) for Luke Solon; Shane Corry (Scariff) for David McGrath; Ian Murray (Bodyke) for Liam Corry; Eoin Patterson (Whitegate) for Cian Foley.
Ennistymon CBS: Cathal Frawley (Ennistymon CBS); Jack Hayes (Corofin) Michael Duffy (Corofin) Michael Greene (Inagh-Kilnamona); Jason McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona), Kevin Hehir (Inagh-Kilnamona) Liam Devitt (Ennistymon); Dan Fitzgerald (Corofin), David McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona); Keelan Sexton (Kilmurry-Ibrickane) Jamesie McConigley (Inagh-Kilnamona) Adam Ralph (Ennistymon); Sean Connolly (Ennistymon) Barry Keating (Inagh-Kilnamona) Damian O’Loughlin (Corofin).
Subs: Diarmuid O’Loughlin (Corofin) for Sexton; Simon Ralph (Ennistymon) for A Ralph.