Scoring spread wins it for Inagh-Kilnamona

inagh-Kilnamona  0-16

Whitegate  3-9

Nine minutes from time Inagh-Kilnamona led by just two points (0-11 to 0-9). Briefly, it looked as if Whitegate were about to rouse themselves for a thundering closing ten minutes. Instead Inagh-Kilnamona reasserted their authority and put over five successive points as Whitegate wilted.

In what was a fairly tepid hours of hurling in Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon, nine Inagh-Kilnamona men managed to split the posts. Just four Whitegate men did the same, with George Waterstone hitting six, five from frees.
Three of his team-mates put over a point apiece and therein lay the primary difference between the sides. Although the winners didn’t hurl particularly fluently, they had several players who were capable of putting over a score from frees or play. Whitegate couldn’t match that scoring spread.  
Having played with a reasonably strong wind, Whitegate didn’t avail of it sufficiently in the opening half. The teams were tied at 0-6 each at half time. Waterstone struck five of Whitegate’s scores, four from frees, with John Minogue adding the remainder from distance.
Ger Arthur, Damien Lafferty, Cathal Lafferty, Eoin Vaughan and Conor Tierney, with two late points, scored their sides first half total.
One of the few highlights of the first half was Tomás Kelly’s searing run through the Whitegate defence to set up Tierney’s first score. The other source of some fleeting excitement was when Ger Arthur was deemed to have scored a point by the umpire at the town side only for referee Seánie McMahon to rule it wide.
Whitegate brought Eoin Quirke on for Trevor Kelly after half-time. Centre forward John Minogue was moved to corner-back and did well there. Yet the winners made much the better start to the second half. Tomás Kelly hit two points from play, the first in a move started by full back Brian Glynn.
Niall Arthur also pointed from play in this period as Inagh-Kilnamona established a 0-9 to 0-6 lead.
George Waterstone and Shane O’Rourke pointed for the East Clare club but the winners responded with scores from Ger Arthur and goalkeeper Patrick Kelly. Tomás McNamara’s 21st minute point could have signalled a Whitegate revival but instead Inagh-Kilnamona kicked on and closed out the game, with five unanswered points.
Inagh-Kilnamona will have plenty of time to reflect on this game. They won’t be playing championship hurling again for three months. Round three is on the weekend of August 6 and they have a bye in round two. Remember, this is Clare and the county’s GAA club players are free of the stresses of championship hurling every summer.
Whitegate play Tubber in their next game on the weekend of May 28.
Tomás Kelly played some great hurling for the winners, while Brian and Eamon Glynn were very solid in defence. None of their forwards played consistently for the full hour but Ger Arthur put over some nice scores, as did Conor Tierney and Damien Lafferty.
Whitegate defended reasonably well but they were very short on scoring options in attack.

Inagh-Kilnamona: Patrick Kelly; Milo Keane, Brian Glynn, Dermot Lynch (C); Ronan O’Looney, Eamon Glynn, David Hegarty; Tomás Kelly, Colm Pilkington; Damien Lafferty, Cathal Lafferty, Eoin Vaughan; Conor Tierney, Niall Arthur, Ger Arthur.
Subs: Shane Griffin for Colm Pilkington (58), Dermot Gannon for Niall Arthur, Cathal Griffin for Cathal Lafferty.
Scorers: Ger Arthur (0-5, 0-3f), Damien Lafferty, Conor Tierney, Tomás Kelly (0-2 each), Eamon Glynn, Cathal Lafferty, Eoin Vaughan, Patrick Kelly (0-1f each), Niall Arthur (0-1 each).
Wides: 12

Whitegate: Andrew Fahy; Cathal Mulvihill, John Bugler, Trevor Kelly; Jason Malone, Brendan Bugler, Patrick Minogue; Tomás McNamara, John O’Brien; Ian Fahy, John Minogue, George Waterstone; Michael O’Brien, Stephen Malone, Shane O’Rourke.
Subs: Eoin Quirke for Trevor Kelly (half time).
Scorers: George Waterstone (0-6, 0-5f), John Minogue, Shane O’Rourke, Tomás McNamara.
Wides: 10; 65s: 1
Yellow cards: Jason Malone, George Waterstone.

Referee: Seánie McMahon (Newmarket on Fergus).