Superior Clarecastle take title

U-12A HURLING FINAL

Clarecastle 3-10
Clonlara 1-8

A superb individual haul of 2-5 from Jack Murphy propelled Clarecastle to their second U-12A hurling title in four years when they finally overcame Clonlara’s challenge at Cusack Park on Sunday evening.

While Murphy naturally grabbed the headlines with his scoring prowess, there were also significant contributions from Jack Hayes, Kevin Hartigan, Hayden Starr, Ronan Garvey, Adam Cassidy and Cian Donnelly in moulding the Clarecastle victory.
After an even start, Jack Murphy’s 18th-minute strike from distance, after full-forward Brandon Greene had unsighted the goalkeeper, gave Clarecastle the edge. That goal was the difference between the teams at the break, when the score stood at 1-4 to 0-4.
Jack Moriarty was majestic at midfield and he pointed three times for Clonlara in the first half, with Kieran Galvin getting their other score.
Indeed, Galvin became a hugely influential figure for Clonlara as the game wore on. Just after the break, he banged home a goal to level but that goal only served to inspire the Magpies to greater efforts as they entered their most fruitful period of the game.
In the succeeding 10 minutes, Clarecastle hit 1-5 without reply, with Murphy cleverly finishing a flowing move involving Hayden Starr, Brandon Greene and Niall Galvin by batting the ball to the net from close range.
Now leading 2-9 to 1-6 at the turn of the final quarter, Clarecastle appeared to have the title in their grasp and managed to weather an inevitable late rally from Clonlara, with substitute Eoin O’Hara’s flick to the net from a Jack Murphy free sealing a memorable win.
Cian Moriarty, Kieran Galvin and Stephan Cullen turned in impressive displays for Clonlara, with Galvin hitting 1-5.
Clarecastle: Lee Brack; Stephen Kelliher, Jack Hayes (capt), Mark McCabe; Marc McAuliffe, Hayden Starr, Kevin Hartigan; Ronan Garvey, Adam Cassidy (0-1); Cian Donnelly (0-1), Stephen Barry (0-1), Jack Murphy (2-5 2f); Sean Egan, Brandon Greene (0-1), Niall Galvin (0-1).
Subs: Cillian McDermott for Egan; Eoin O’Hara (1-0) for Greene and Mark O’Loughlin for Galvin.
Clonlara: Conor Fahy; Bobby O’Connell, Stephan Cullen, Micheál Stritch; Brian McLeish, Kevin Madden, Arron Dillon; Paraic Campbell, Cian Moriarty (0-2f); Jack Keogh, Colin Slater, Michael Clancy (0-1); Seaghan Hickey, David Fitzgerald, Kieran Galvin (1-5, 1f).
Subs: Jack Cleary for Keogh.
Referee: Pat Gavin (Ogonnelloe).