Scariff’s title after high scoring thriller

Scariff Community College 7-12 Ennistymon CBS 5-16

(after extra time)

A cracking Munster colleges under 15 D hurling final at Clarecastle on Friday morning ended in victory for Scariff over their fellow Clare outfit, Ennistymon CBS.

Martin Walsh of Scariff Community College celebrates a goal against Ennistymon CBS during their Munster U-15 D final at Clarecastle. Photograph by John Kelly.

A high scoring affair, this tie produced some great hurling and there were a number of superb individual performances, notably from Aidan McCarthy, Marc and Tom Barry, Mark Rodgers and Michael Hynes to mention some

The lead changed hands throughout the tie and the result was in doubt right to the final whistle. Scariff’s greater fitness proved decisive in the end but few would have complained if the tie had gone to a replay.

The game was just twenty seconds gold when Mark Rodgers goaled for Scariff but Ennistymon were in front by the fifth minute thanks to a Tom Barry goal. Within seconds Rodgers struck for his side’s second major but this was quickly cancelled out by an Aidan McCarthy effort. Further Scariff goals from Conor Downes and Shane Quinn-Tuite suggested that the East Clare side were about to take control but Ennistymon had other ideas and a goal from Jason Devereaux and points from McCarthy helped the North Clare side to a two point half time lead, 3-8 to 4-3.

Half a minute after the resumption of play Scariff were in front again thanks to a Shane Quinn-Tuite goal but back came Ennistymon for three unanswered points

Scariff captain Michael Hynes brought the teams level with eleven minutes to play and two minutes later they were back in front with a goal from Henry McGrath. Points were exchanged twice but Scariff held a one goal lead as the full time whistle approached. . With the game in the first minute of injury time Ennistymon won a free just outside the 20m line. Aidan McCarthy’’ effort for goal was saved but his team mate Tom Barry won possession and blasted to the net to tie up the scores again (Scariff 6-8 Ennistymon 4-14)

The eventual winners had the aid of the wind for the first period but struggled for scores. Three converted frees from Michael Hynes had them three ahead as the short whistle approached but just before referee Ritchie Moloney brought the first period to a close, Scariff struck what proved to be a vital blow when Martin Walsh goaled.

It left them 7-11 to 4-14 ahead going into the second period. Points from Tom Barry and Aidan McCarthy cut the margin to four with six minutes remaining, Michael Hynes had a point for the winners who were five clear as the game went into injury time. Aidan McCarthy blasted a 20m free to the net to keep Ennistymon hopes alive but time ran out and Scariff held on for a narrow victory.

Scariff C.C.;–Jack Minogue (Bodyke); Patrick Ryan (Scariff) ,James Hannon (Broadford), Ciaran Quinn (Whitegate); Fionn Slattery (Bodyke ) 0-1, Adam Sheedy (Ogonnelloe), Ronan Hayes (Whitegate); Henry McGrath (O’C. Mills ) 1-0, Kevin Drost (Bodyke); Conor Downes (Scariff) 1-0, Michael Hynes (Whitegate), Captain. 0-11, Shane Quinn-Tuite (Broadford) 2-0; Mark Rodgers (Scariff) 2-0, Martin Walsh (Scariff) 1-0, Darren McNamara (Broadford);

Ennistymon CBS;–Darragh McNamara (Ennistymon); Dean Lynch (Inagh-Kilnamona), Declan Brennan (Corofin), Shane Vaughan (Inagh-Kilnamona); Cian O’Loughlin (Corofin), Marc Barry (Inagh-Kilnamona) Captain, Cormac Devitt (Inagh-Kilnamona); Aidan McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona) 2-10, Eoin Fitzgerald (Corofin); Michael Vaughan (Ennistymon), Tom Barry (Inagh-Kilnamona) 2-3, Cian Shannon (Inagh-Kilnamona) 0-1; Liam Callinan (Inagh-Kilnamona), Kealan Guyler (Inagh-Kilnamona (0-1), Jason Devereaux (Inagh-Kilnamona) 1-1

Subs—Seamus Hurley (Ennistymon) for Callinan; Ryan Barry (Inagh-Kilnamona) for Vaughan

Referee—Ritchie Moloney, Limerick

By Seamus Hayes