U-21 titles for Kilmaley and Tulla

Kilmaley 3-17 Eire Og 2-5

A well drilled and well balanced Kilmaley bridge a forty year gap to their only previous success in the competition when they accounted for Eire Og in the under 21 A hurling championship final at Cusack park on Saturday afternoon.

In the opening game of this double bill, a physically stronger Tulla side claimed the B title when they had a one goal victory over Cratloe.

When Eire Og went a goal clear in the seventh minute of the A final, there were some anxious faces amongst the Kilmaley following in the attendance of 1,527.

The anxiety was shortlived as the favourites stormed into the game and hit nine unanswered points to lead by six with seven minutes still to play in the half.

With little ball going into their inter county star Shane O’Donnell, the town side’s mentors moved the UCC student to midfield which weakened their challenge in front of goal.

At half time it was 0-12 to 1-2 in Kilmaley’s favour but they would have to face the strong wind in the second half so a six point gap didn’t appear too great. They made two changes in personnel at the interval bringing in David McNamara and Liam Lynch in place of Eimhin Courtney and the injured Einne O’Connor.

A Shane O’Donnell point after just eighteen seconds suggested that they would make like difficult for their neighbours but a Sean O’Loughlin goal after the outstanding Aidan Kennedy had created the opening, made Kilmaley’s intentions quite clear.

By the mid point of the half the winners were 1-15 to 1-5 in front and well in control throughout the field. A Kieran Malone goal gave a glimmer of hope to the Ennis side but goals from Eamonn Bracken and Kennedy in a two minute spell killed this tie as a contest.

Outstanding for the winners were Aidan McGuane, Conor Finnucane, Conor Cleary, Brian Cahill, Cian Moloney and Aidan Kennedy while Tadhg Connellan, Liam Corry, Kieran Malone and Shane O’Donnell tried hard for Eire Og

***After the game Clare GAA secretary Pat Fitzgerald presented the cup to the winning captain Conor Cleary.

Kilmaley;–Conan Fitzgerald; Darragh McMahon, Shane Lynch, Aidan McGuane; Conor Finnucane (0-1) Conor Cleary, Brian Cahill; Sean Kennedy, Michael O’Malley (0-1); Cian Moloney (0-9), Padraic McNamara (0-1) Eamonn Bracken (1-1); Sean O’Loughlin (1-0), Darragh Gregan, Aidan Kennedy (1-3);

Subs—Barry Lynch (0-1) for Gregan; Cian O’Ceallaigh for A. Kennedy; Joe Carmody for Finnucane; Shane O’Malley for O’Loughlin; Sean Murphy for S.Kennedy

Eire Og—Sean Smyth; Jack Keating, David Neylon, Tadhg Connellan; Liam Corry, Dara Walsh, Michael Moloney; Kieran Malone (1-0), Cian Darcy; Nathan Murray, Conor Brennan, Eimhin Courtney; Einne O’Connor (1-0), Shane O’Donnell (0-3), Conor O’Halloran (0-2)

Subs—David McNamara for Courtney; Liam Lynch for O’Connor (inj); Martin Darcy for Brennan; Ciaran Mac Mathuna for Murray; James Woods for Smith (inj);

Referee—Jim Hickey, Cratloe

Tulla 1-11 Cratloe 0-11

Extra time looked likely in a hard fought under 21 B final until the game’s only goal which came with six minutes remaining and which proved to be the final score of the tie.

Two of Tulla’s second half substitutes made telling contributions. Diarmuid Murphy was introduced with thirteen minutes remaining and with his first touch he scored a point which levelled the game at 0-10 each. Colm McGrath was sent in with seven minutes to play and with his first effort he scored the winning goal.

Cratloe will, understandably, be disappointed with the concession of what was a ‘soft’ score with McGrath’s low strike from 20m deceiving all and ending up in the net

With the game in injury time Cratloe came close to equalising but Shane Gleeson’s first time effort was just inches wide with the Tulla defence.

Overall, Tulla were that bit stronger and deserved their victory on a day when Niall and Cathal Bolton, Daniel Vaughan, Colin Corbett and Brian Fahy impressed. For Cratloe Aaron Gaule, Shane O’Leary, Caimin Deegan, Shane Gleeson and David O’Brien tried hard.

Tulla;–Conor Dinan; Kevin Conlon, Daniel Vaughan, Conor O’Dwyer; Emmet Gleeson, Niall Bolton (0-3), Ian McNamara; Mark Lynch, Mairtin Torpey; Evan Corbett, Padraig Mulconry, Cathal Bolton; Brian Fahy (0-3), Colin Corbett (0-4), Matthew Culloo;

Subs—Shane Hunt for Torpey; Diarmuid Murphy (0-1) for E. Corbett; Colm McGrath (1-0) for Culloo; Joseph Vaughan for Mulconry; Fergal Conlon for K. Conlon

Cratloe;–Eoin O’Kelly; Richard Murray, Aaron Gaule, Aaron Costigan; Caimin Deegan, Shane O’Leary, Dominic Costigan; Jamie Arthur, Daithi Collins (0-2); David O’Brien (0-1), Conor Crosbie (0-1), Michael Danaher (0-1); Jack McInerney, Shane Gleeson (0-6), Ciaran O’Connor;

Sub—Billy Connors for D.Costigan;

Referee—Rory McGann, Newmarket

By Seamus Hayes