Sharper Clarecastle secure final spot

Clarecastle  2-21

St Joseph’s  3-12

CLARECASTLE will play Feakle-Killanena in the final of the U-21B hurling championship, following their win over St Joseph’s in a very competitive and hugely exciting semi-final replay at Ruan on Sunday evening.

This was a tie in which both sides enjoyed periods of dominance but the all-round balance of Clarecastle and their greater scoring potential proved decisive.
After the sides had exchanged points, the Magpies struck for the first goal of the game, with Stephen Ward finding the net after receiving a pass from Mark Foley in the sixth minute. Mikey Casey and Bobby Duggan followed with points to open a five-point lead with just 11 minutes played.
Points were then exchanged four times by the 20th minute, when the score was 1-7 to 0-5. A brace from Bobby Duggan saw the winners go seven clear with as many minutes remaining in the half.
Two minutes before the half-time whistle, St Joseph’s, last year’s beaten finalists, were right back in contention when Alan O’Neill crashed a 20m free to the net for what proved to be the final score of the half, leaving the score at 1-9 to 1-6 in Clarecastle’s favour.
Just before the half-time whistle sounded, St Joseph’s goalie Mikey Roseingrave made a fine save from Mark McGuane.
Within two minutes of the resumption, St Joseph’s had turned a three-point deficit into a three-point lead, thanks to a brace of goals from O’Neill.
To their credit, Clarecastle didn’t panic and after the teams had exchanged points twice, the Magpies closed the gap to the minimum with points from Stephen Ward and a Bobby Duggan free.
At the turn of the final quarter, Stephen Ward put them back in front with his second goal, following a good run by Mark McGuane.
Points from a David Conroy free and Jarlath Colleran had the game level, 3-11 to 2-14, with 13 minutes to play.
Five unanswered points from the Magpies through Duggan (2), Conor O’Gorman (2) and Ward left St Joseph’s with a lot to do with five minutes remaining. They could only manage one reply from substitute Cathal Duggan, while Clarecastle sealed victory and a place in the final with a brace from Bobby Duggan. The margin could have been greater but St Joseph’s captain Roseingrave made a fine save with three minutes to go.
Stephen O’Halloran, Tommy Howard, Conor Clancy, Stephen Ward, Mark McGuane, Mikey Casey and Bobby Duggan were always prominent for the winners.
Mikey Roseingrave, Brian Clancy, Jarlath Colleran, David Conroy, Niall DeLoughrey and substitute Eoin Hanrahan gave most help to Alan O’Neill in the St Joseph’s line-up.

Clarecastle: Jamie Coughlan; Dylan Broderick, Stephen O’Halloran, Joe Barry; Pat Tuohy, Conor Clancy, Tommy Howard; Gearóid Ryan, Aaron Greene; Mikey Casey, Bobby Duggan, Mark McGuane; Stephen Ward, Conor O’Gorman, Mark Foley.
Sub: Conor Galvin for Greene (45 minutes).
Scorers: Bobby Duggan (0-11, 8f), Stephen Ward (2-2), Mikey Casey (0-3), Mark McGuane, Conor O’Gorman (0-2) each and Aaron Greene (0-1).
Frees for: 16; wides: 8.
Bookings: Conor Clancy (26 minutes).

St Joseph’s: Mikey Roseingrave; Darragh Murphy, Brian Clancy, Kevin Meaney; Conor Lyons, Jarlath Colleran, Eamonn Clohessy; David Conroy, David Clancy; Leo Duggan, Niall DeLoughrey, Donal O’Halloran; Seamus Nugent, Alan O’Neill, Brian Guilfoyle.
Subs: Eoin Hanrahan for D Clancy (24 minutes), Cathal Duggan for Nugent (40 minutes) and Jack Murphy for Lyons (50 minutes).
Scorers: Alan O’Neill (3-5, 1-4f), David Conroy (0-3, 2f), Niall De Loughrey (0-2), Jarlath Colleran and Cathal Duggan (0-1 each).
Frees for: 12; wides: 9.
Bookings: Eoin Hanrahan (28 minutes), Brian Clancy (52 minutes) and Mikey Roseingrave (60 minutes).
Referee: Ambrose Heagney, Corofin.