Share of the spoils a fair outcome in tight game

Cratloe and Kilmaley will have to do it all again after this entertaining draw at Clarecastle in a quarter-final tie in the race for the Canon Hamilton Trophy.

Both will point to missed opportunities in Saturday’s game in which they were level on six occasions. Another tight affair is expected in the replay to determine who will go through to play Inagh-Kilnamona in the semi-final.

“Before the game, I said there wasn’t any more than a puck of the ball between the eight sides through to the quarter-finals. We are now in the last five in the title race and we are delighted to be there,” Cratloe manager Joe McGrath said.

“We showed great character in the last five minutes to come back against the wind and we are very happy to be still in the competition. There is nothing between any of the teams still in the race. It’s good to get Cathal [McInerney] back from injury and hopefully he will be able to play next week.”

Kilmaley’s John Carmody also expressed delight at the character they showed to claw their way back but he warned there was plenty room for improvement. “Cratloe put the guy on the ball under pressure all the time and it is an advantage to them now. They will be well over their recent exertions in another seven days.”

The Kilmaley mentor expects another tight contest. “We will regroup during the week and hopefully it will be another good game,” he concluded.

Points were exchanged three times in the opening 10 minutes, with Paudge Collins to the fore for Cratloe and Michael O’Neill impressing for Kilmaley. Cratloe had a goal chance in the 10th minute but Kilmaley’s goalie, Kieran Dillon, the team captain, saved Aidan Browne’s effort.

With the assistance of the wind, Cratloe had the upperhand in the middle 10 minutes of this half and they hit five points without reply.

Just when they looked like building up a good lead before half-time, Kilmaley came storming back and four points in as many minutes saw them cut the South-East Clare side’s advantage to the minimum.

When the half-time whistle sounded, two points separated the sides, with the score at 0-10 to 0-8 in Cratloe’s favour. With wind assistance to come, Kilmaley supporters were the happier of the two at this stage, despite the fact they had struggled in a number of areas in that first half.

Cratloe scored first after the resumption through Sean Chaplin but by the 12th minute, Kilmaley had levelled at 0-12 each. Cratloe responded impressively with points from Sean Collins, Conor McGrath and Paudge Collins in the next five minute and Kilmaley looked to be in trouble but they responded to the promptings of Colin Lynch and three points from midfielder Kenneth Kennedy had the game level, 0-15 each, with five minutes remaining.

Cratloe sent in Cathal McInerney, who had been out with a hamstring injury for 10 days following the football clash with Liscannor and he looked to have hit the winning score when he pointed a minute from the end of normal time.

A minute later, a loose clearance by Cratloe was picked up by John Cabey in midfield and he made no mistake from 60m.

Barry Duggan, Ogie Murphy and Enda Boyce got through a lot of good work in the Cratloe defence while, up front, Paudge and Sean Collins caused some problems for the Kilmaley defence and hit seven points between them.

Colin Lynch, Eoin Enright and Martin O’Connor were prominent in the Kilmaley back line, John Clohessy did well at midfield, especially in the opening half, while Michael O’Neill and John Cabey hit some good scores.

Because of a clash of colours, both teams changed for this outing, with Cratloe wearing the saffron and blue of Clare, while Kilmaley lined out in the maroon and white of Lissycasey.

Cratloe: Sean Hayes; John O’Gorman, Barry Duggan, Martin ‘Ogie’ Murphy; Michael Hawes, Liam Markham, Enda Boyce; Conor Ryan, Gearóid Ryan; Damien Browne, Sean Collins, Sean Chaplin; Conor McGrath, Paudge Collins, Aidan Browne.
Subs: Shane Gleeson for A Browne (43 minutes), Cathal McInerney for D Browne (56 minutes) and David Ryan for G Ryan (56 minutes).
Scorers: Conor McGrath (0-4, 3f), Paudge Collins (0-4), Sean Collins (0-3), Sean Chaplin (0-2), Damian Browne, Gearóid Ryan, Cathal McInerney (0-1) each.
Frees for: 11; wides: 10; 65’s: 1.
Kilmaley: Kieran Dillon; Martin O’Connor, Anthony Cahill, Sean Talty; Eoin Enright, Colin Lynch, Colin McGuane; Kenneth Kennedy, John Clohessy; Michael O’Neill, Diarmuid McMahon, John Cabey; Niall McGuane, Daire Keane, Conor Neylon.
Subs: Brian McMahon for N McGuane (23 minutes) and Cian Moloney for Neylon (52 minutes).
Scorers: John Cabey (0-5, 4f), Kenneth Kennedy (0-4, 3f); Michael O’Neill (0-4), Conor Neylon, Eoin Enright, Colin Lynch (0-1) each.
Frees for: 12; wides: 11.
Bookings: Diarmuid McMahon (20 minutes) and Conor Neylon (46 minutes).
Referee: Ger Hoey, Killanena.