SENIOR HURLING C/SHIPS: Sharper Cratloe always in control

Cratloe 2-17   Siximilebridge 1-12

SHARPER and livelier throughout the pitch, Cratloe were full value for their eight-point win over neighbours Sixmilebridge in their first-round game at Cusack Park on Saturday evening.

It may only have been round one of the campaign but Cratloe have been promoted to the top of the favourites’ list following their performance.
While they deserve to be in the shortlist, one must consider the disappointing performance by a fancied Sixmilebridge side. Having contested the final last year, they were expected to be strong contenders for the title this year but, on this display, they have a lot of work to do.
Cratloe were clearly pleased with the win over their neighbours. “Any day we play Sixmilebridge, whether at underage or adult level, and come out the right side, we really appreciate it. Obviously it’s not the end of the road for us but it’s a good start to the campaign,” said their manager Joe McGrath.
“We got off to a good start and a good start in any campaign is a great boost for any team. We got a few points ahead and we held on to it. After half-time we got another few points and stretched out the lead. The last 10 minutes were relatively easy, although we did concede a soft goal. This is a job well done but if we lose either of the next two matches we are in trouble again.
“The way the campaign is organised this year, it’s nearly a knock-out competition. I wouldn’t like to be Clonlara or St Joseph’s the next day because there will be a sting in Sixmilebridge’s tail. They are a good team,” the Cratloe manager added.
Sixmilebridge mentor Sean Chaplin noted, “You have to give Cratloe credit. They came, they performed and they got the result because they performed. We came and we didn’t perform and we go home now knowing that we have two games to stay in the championship and seven weeks to get it right. If we are not right I suppose what we did in 2011 counts for nothing and 2012 will be a very short summer.”
According to Chaplin, the ’Bridge “needed a good start and for the first two or three minutes we had a few chances. We didn’t take our opportunities. Credit to Cratloe, the first chance they got they took it.  Credit to our lads, they battled on and we got a very fortunate goal but we couldn’t capitalise on that and fell further behind. Their two goals were costly errors.”
Level twice in the opening minutes, a Conor McGrath free in the ninth minute gave the winners a lead they would hold to the end. They hit for their first goal at the end of the opening quarter when Cathal McInerney got the vital touch after Damian Browne’s shot had been saved. This goal helped them to a five-point half-time lead when the score was 1-8 to 0-6.
Sixmilebridge needed to step up a gear for the second half but it was Cratloe who struck first. A great catch by Conor Ryan saw him pass to Sean Collins, who struck a great point and Damian Browne quickly followed with another.
Sixmilebridge were thrown a lifeline at the midpoint of the second half when Declan Morey’s effort dipped over a diving Sean Hayes, who had just pulled off a fine stop from Niall Gilligan.
However, they were unable to build on that and poor defence by the ’Bridge led to a Damian Browne goal with 10 minutes remaining, when there were eight points between the teams.
Liam Markham, Enda Boyce, Barry Duggan, Conor Ryan, Sean Collins, Damian Browne and Conor McGrath were always prominent for the winners. Derek Fahy, Seadna Morey, Shane Golden and Tadhg Keogh did best for Sixmilebridge.

Cratloe: Sean Hayes; John O’Gorman, Barry Duggan, Martin ‘Ogie’ Murphy; Michael Hawes, Liam Markham, Enda Boyce; Conor Ryan, Sean Collins; Sean Chaplin, Paudge Collins, Damian Browne; Cathal McInerney, Conor McGrath, Aidan Browne.
Subs: Shane Gleeson for A Browne and Aidan Browne for Duggan.
Scorers: Conor McGrath (0-8, 5f, 1 65), Damian Browne (1-4), Cathal McInerney (1-1), Sean Collins (0-2), Conor Ryan and Enda Boyce (0-1 each).
Frees for: 11; wides: 2; 65s: 1
Bookings: None.

Sixmilebridge: Derek Fahy; Tadhg Keogh, Páidí Fitzpatrick Paul Fitzpatrick; Noel Purcell, Seadna Morey, Kevin Lynch; Robert Conlon, Shane Golden; Pa Sheehan, Niall Gilligan, Declan Morey; Danny Morey, Caimin Morey, Jamie Shanahan.
Subs: Rory Shanahan for Sheehan (half-time), John Fennessy for Lynch (38 minutes), Alan Mulready for Danny Morey (45 minutes) and Trevor Purcell for R Shanahan (inj, 58 minutes).
Scorers: Caimin Morey (0-6, 5f, 1 65), Niall Gilligan (0-5, 4f); Declan Morey (1-0) and Shane Golden (1-0).
Frees for: 15; wides: 8; 65s: 3
Bookings: Jamie Shanahan (32 minutes) and Caimin Morey (54 minutes).

Referee: Ambrose Heagney, Corofin.