The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
By Seamus Hayes
Cratloe 1-18 Sixmilebridge 1-15
Clare senior hurling champions, Sixmilebridge, are out of the running for the 2014 title. At Cusack Park this Saturday evening, they suffered a three point defeat at the hands of their neighbours and great rivals Cratloe, a result that ended their hopes of holding onto the title they won impressively last year.
Having already lost to Crusheen in the opening round, the Bridge had to win this one to remain in the race. To their credit, they put in a strong performance but, they just could not break down a stubborn Cratloe outfit.
The winners played with the aid of the wind in the opening half and were five points up at half time when the score was 1-10 to 0-8, the goal coming from Conor McGrath midway through the half.
That the defending champions were not going to go down easily was evident in the opening two minutes of the second half when Niall Gilligan fired home their goal, cutting the lead to the minimum. From here to the finish it was tit for tat but try as they did, the title holders failed to get back to level terms.
At the three quarter stage they had the lead back out to four points but with five minutes remaining the margin was down to two. Two minutes from the end Cratloe goalie Gearoid Ryan pulled off a superb save from Shane Golden before Cathal McInerney sealed Cratloe’s victory and their place in the quarter finals.
In the curtain raiser at Cusack Park, O’Callaghans Mills scored a comfortable 4-13 to 1-8 win over St. Josephs. The win keeps the Mills in the race for the title while St. Josephs are now in a battle to save their senior status
