St Flannan’s secure top spot

St Flannan’s  1-20    Blackwater  2-13
Already through to the play-offs in the race for the Dr Harty Cup, Munster Colleges Senior A Hurling Championship, St Flannan’s made sure of top spot in the group with an impressive victory over Blackwater Community School at Tipperary on Wednesday.
The Waterford outfit needed to win to stay in the title race but the writing was on the wall for them at half-time when they only led by two points after playing with the aid of the wind.
Conditions were difficult and this was particularly true of the second half, which was played in heavy rainfall.
Shane O’Donnell returned after injury and following his introduction, he scored the all-important goal for his side on a day when corner-back Shane Kelleher was outstanding, blotting out the highly rated Stephen Bennett. The half-back and half-forwards trios also impressed for the winners.
St Flannan’s: Anthony Griffey (Clarecastle); David Clancy (Doora-Barefield), Jack Browne (Ballyea),  Shane Kelleher (Newmarket); Gearóid Ryan (Clarecastle), Tony Kelly (Ballyea), Aidan McGuane (Kilmaley); Conor Cleary (Miltown), David Conroy (Doora-Barefield); Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin), Mark McGuane (Clarecastle), Stephen Ward (Clarecastle); Bobby Duggan (Clarecastle), Cian Moloney (Kilmaley), David Reidy (Éire Óg).
Subs: Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg) for Moloney; Joe Barry (Clarecastle) for Reidy; Robbie O’Loughlin (Ruan) for Conroy; Darragh McMahon (Kilmaley) for Clancy.

Midleton  3-13   St Caimin’s   0-7
There was nothing at stake when Midleton and St Caimin’s clashed in this Harty Cup tie at Charleville on Wednesday. Midleton were already through to the play-offs and St Caimin’s were out of the title race.
The Clare side, the majority of whom will be eligible for this competition again next season, provided stiff competition for the favourites, with Alex Morey at centre-back and full-forward Conor Deasy doing particularly well.
St Caimin’s: James Hickey (Cratloe); Dominick Costigan (Cratloe), Evan Keogh (Newmarket), Barry Fitzpatrick (Sixmilebridge); Shane Gleeson (Cratloe), Alex Morey (Sixmilebridge), Stephen Mulready (Sixmilebridge); John Mulready (Sixmilebridge), James Warren (Newmarket); David Murphy (Sixmilebridge), Shane O’Leary (Cratloe), Gavin White (Sixmilebridge); Brian Corry (Sixmilebridge), Conor Deasy (Sixmilebridge), Oisín Pender (Newmarket).
Subs: Oisín O’Connor (Newmarket) for Murphy; Jamie Arthur (Newmarket) for Pender; Owen Kelly (Cratloe) for Hickey; Andrew Shanagher (Wolfe Tones) for Fitzpatrick.

Ard Scoil Rís  4-11   Charleville CBS   0-11
Title holders Ard Scoil Rís, who are chasing their third championship in succession, proved too strong for Charleville CBS in this repeat of last year’s final, played at Bruff on Wednesday.
Sixmilebridge and Clare star Jamie Shanahan, who has been a leading light in their last two successes, lined out at midfield for the winners. Colin Crehan from O’Callaghan’s Mills was introduced during the course of the game.
The eight quarter-finalists are St Flannan’s, Thurles, Midleton, Waterford Colleges, Ard Scoil Rís, De La Salle, Nenagh and Castletroy College. The quarter-final pairings will be decided at a meeting of the colleges council early in January and the games are scheduled for January 18.

Clonmell  1-11   St Joseph’s Tulla  0-10
St Joseph’s Tulla bowed out of the senior B hurling championship title race (Corn Phadraig) when they went under to Clonmel at Ballybrickan on Wednesday.
With a loss to Dungarvan and victory over Glanmire from their opening two games in the competition, the Clare side needed to win this week to progress.
They were ahead by three points at half-time, 0-7 to 0-4, after playing with the aid of the breeze but the decisive score came midway through the second half when the Tipperary outfit struck for a goal
St Joseph’s: Daniel Vaughan (Tulla); Oisín Donnellan (Feakle), Niall Bolton (Tulla), James Noonan (Feakle); Gareth Bleach (Whitegate), Aidan O’Gorman (O’Callaghan’s Mills), Owen McInerney (O’Callaghan’s Mills); Shane Taylor (Broadford), Owen Tuohy (Feakle); Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin), Diarmuid Moloney (Broadford), Stephen McMahon (Broadford); John O’Brien (O’Callaghan’s Mills), Colin Corbett (Tulla), Sean Shanahan (Clooney-Quin).
Subs: Mark Lynch (Tulla) for J O’Brien (inj); Ciaran Cooney (O’Callaghan’s Mills) for S McMahon; Con Smyth (Feakle) for  Shanahan. 

Rice College  3-14   Pallaskenry   2-5
Rice College Ennis progressed to the semi-final of Corn Iognaid Rís, Munster Colleges U-16½ C Hurling Championship when they accounted for Pallaskenry at Rathbane in Limerick on Monday.
In the semi-final, they will play Cashel and this game is set for Tuesday next at Rathbane.
St Augustine’s from Dungarvan and Coláiste an Spiorad Naomh from Cork will meet in the other semi-final, which is set for Killeagh in Cork this Friday. In Monday’s game, Rice College were well on top throughout. They played with the aid of the breeze in the opening half and were 1-9 to 0-1 in front at half-time, with the goal coming from Nicky Twumasai.
Second-half goals from Michael O’Malley and Ritchie Hennessy sealed a comfortable win for the Ennis outfit.
Shane McInerney, Lee Brady and Conor Finnucane impressed in the winner’s defence. Ritchie Hennessy, who scored 1-3, dominated matters at midfield while Michael O’Malley, who finished with 1-6, was the best forward on view.
In earlier rounds Rice College beat Kilmallock and St Munchin’s.
Rice College: Conor Harkin (Ballyea); Lee Brady (Ballyea), Shane McInerney (Inagh-Kilnamona), Colm Rice (Ruan); Michael Lyons (Ruan), Conor Finnucane (Lissycasey), Fionn O’Carroll (Doora-Barefield); Ritchie Hennessy (Clooney Quin), Conor O’Brien (Doora-Barefield); Eanna Barry (Clooney Quin), Nicky Twumasai (Éire Óg), Liam Lynch (Éire Óg); Paddy O’Malley (Éire Óg), Michael O’Malley (Kilmaley), Evan McNamara (Inagh-Kilnamona).
Subs: Colm Fitzgerald (Doora-Barefield); Diarmuid  Cleary (Corofin); Conor McInerney (Doora Barefield); Seamus Foudy (Inagh-Kilnamona).

Scariff Community College   3-16   Rice College   2-9
Scariff Community College booked their place in the semi-final of the Munster C Colleges Hurling Championship with a hard-earned win over Clare rivals Rice College in Clooney-Quin last week. The final score fails to provide a fair reflection of what was an enthralling contest and somewhat flatters the victors, who were only two points ahead with 12 minutes remaining.
Played in ideal conditions for November, Ennis CBS elected to play with the strong wind in the first half and raced into a four-point lead, scoring a goal with their first attack. To their credit, the East Clare students’ response was swift with a great goal from Colin Burke and points from Martin Cunningham and Eoin McMahon. Indeed, McMahon looked particularly sharp in the first half, raising a green flag in the 18th minute. Ennis CBS scored some superb long-range points, with Richie Hennessy excelling. In an attempt to counteract the elements, Scariff deployed an extra defende r in the first half, at the end of which they were ahead, 2-5 to 1-7.
In the first 15 minutes of the second half both sides refused to yield. The intensity level and exceptional tackling from both sides was a characteristic of the tie, with Bodyke’s Eanna Doyle particularly prominent for the East Clare school. His fellow clubman Patrick Walsh began to dominate affairs at midfield, while centre-back Eoin Quirke was also coming to the fore. The Scariff defence, ably marshalled by Quirke, Ronan Corry and Cathal Madden, began to repel each CBS attack. Seven minutes from the end Patrick Fitzgerald raced through the Ennis defence and blasted to the net, giving his side an unassailable lead. At the final whistle there was a sense of relief for many of the East Clare contingent, with seven of the starting 15 tasting defeat in the Minor B Championship semi-final only days previously against Kilmaley.
Having defeated Scoil Mhuire & Íde, Newcastle West and Tramore CBS in previous rounds, Scariff can now look forward to the prospect of facing Limerick or Waterford opposition, with the Clare side set to play either Killmalock or Kilmacthomas. Scariff Community College are coached by Seán McNamara (O’Callaghan’s Mills), Andrew Fahey (Whitegate), Colm Madden (Bodyke) and Liam Clancy (Newmarket). The Munster semi-final is pencilled in for February 1.
Scariff Community College: Noel O’Donnell (Whitegate); Luke Patterson (Whitegate), Ronan Corry (Scariff), Eanna Doyle (Bodyke); John Scanlon (Scariff), Eoin Quirke (Whitegate), Cathal Madden (Scariff); Martin Cunningham (Scariff), Patrick Walsh (Bodyke); Adrian O’Grady (Scariff), Eoin McMahon (Killanena), Reuban Noyes (Whitegate); Colin Burke (Whitegate), Colin McNamara (Killanena), Patrick Fitzgerald (Bodyke).
Subs: Liam Sugrue (Whitegate) for Noyes; Aidan McCarthy (Whitegate) for Scanlan; Conor McDermott (Whitegate) for O’Grady.

Crucial Corn Uí Mhuiri tie
St Flannan’s and Killorglin meet in a crucial Corn Uí Mhuiri Munster Colleges Senior A Football Championship game on Thursday next. The game will be played at Croagh in Limerick at 2.30pm and the winning side will go through to the quarter-finals of the championship.
Killorglin had a five-point win over West Clare Colleges in the opening round while St Flannan’s easily accounted for the West Clare outfit last week. Flannan’s were unlucky to lose to Rochestown from Cork in the opening round. The Cork side converted a last-minute penalty to secure a one-point win.
St Flannan’s will be without the injured Martin O’Leary, who is recovering from a broken collar bone suffered in a Harty Cup tie with the school. He is a huge loss to the football team, who will be looking to captain Conor Cleary to lead them to victory. 
West Clare Schools, who cannot qualify for the knockout stage having lost two games, will play Rochestown in their final group game next Wednesday and this game is scheduled for the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick at 2.30pm.