Cratloe edge past Tones
County senior hurling championship rd 4
CRATLOE.................0-15
WOLFE TONES...............0-14
By Michael O Connor (Clare Courier).
Cratloe on the verge of the quarter finals with Wolfe Tones on the verge of elimination bar results suiting their needs is the story from this round 4 tie played in Cusack Park on Saturday evening. The power and aerial advantage of the tones versus the pace, imagination and youthfulness of Cratloe were the contrasting styles also on show for the sizable attendance at headquarters.
The sunlight that permeated headquarters was in the eyes of the Shannon forwards in the opening half that was slightly more entertaining than the dull lifeless encounter between Kilmaley and Corofin that ended in qualification for Kilmaley to the last eight with a (0-13) to (0-10) win over Corofin. The need for both sides to win was paramount suggesting a contest to the last second and the exchanges began early with Damian Browne on target from a long range free only for Gary Leahy to respond after three minutes. Bobby McPhillips who power was unsettling for the lighter Cratloe players set up Barry Loughnane for an excellent score after five minutes.
Sean Collins hit back for Cratloe but received a knock that had the county under 21 dynamo on the ground requiring attention. After 11 minutes free flowing action Wolfe tones scored three of the following four scores with Declan O Rourke, David Reidy and Bobby McPhillips (both frees) on target for the 2006 champions. Damian Browne kept the under 21A football champions in touch, (0-5) to (0-3) with a second free as Cratloe were unable to this juncture to contest in the air with Shannon. Damian Browne levelled matters, (0-5) each with a brace of frees in the 20th and 22nd with the second free harshly awarded against Barry Loughnane. Daithi O Connell was under the watchful eye of Philip Gleeson as little freedom was being afforded to either set of forwards.
Bobby McPHillips entered the referee’s notepad for a late tackle on Gearoid Ryan but made up for this indiscretion with a well struck free from his own 65 two minutes late to retake the lead by the minimum as the quality of fare on offer withered away alarmingly. The umpires were confused in the 29th minute when a narrow angled effort from Declan O Rourke was debated before being awarded. Daithi O Connell finally got free he made no mistake added to by younger brother Gary from all of 80 yards Shannon had streaked four clear. Cratloe depending close to solely on Browne for points cut the deficit in half with another brace of scores from the Cratloe midfielder as the game was deep into injury time.
At the break in the game that was now becoming less competitive resembling a Clare cup game on a balmy summer evening Wolfe Tones were (0-9) to (0-7) ahead. The first scoring opportunity of the second half fell to a McPhillips 65 that swerved wide of the Cratloe goal. The first score though went to the inform McGrath who twisted and turned John Coen before popping from an acute angle. The equaliser came moments later from Damian Browne for his seventh and his sides ninth score. Bobby McPhillips restored the lead from another successfully converted free but missed another free as Cratloe fouls were keeping Shannon in the game.
Once again the stop start nature of the game ruled out the promise of quality play. David Reidy and Sean Collins swopped scores to leave Cratloe behind by the minimum before David Reidy once again from a free left Shannon two clear. This was shortlived as Damian Browne from play either side of wasteful wides from Cratloe left Shannon shaky one point leaders entering the final 15 minutes. the expected equaliser from Cratloe came from Aidan Browne with 11 minutes remaining as once again the intensity of the game was diluted by the intercession of the whistle. Oige Murphy was inches wide on his own side from play.
As the game entered the final ten minutes Aidan Browne and Gary Leahy kept the sides on level terms, (0-13) each as Oige Murphy continued his battle with the posts hitting his third wide from play in the second half as Cratloe people feared that these wides might prove fatal. David Reidy hit straight into Sean Hawes from a 70 metre free that Shannon needed to go over the bar. Championship fervour did materialise for the final minutes. Firstly Sean Chaplin out on the wing sent Cratloe ahead, Declan O Rourke scored a huge lobbing effort to equalise before Chaplin once more under pressure from 3 Shannon defenders scored once more. Sandwiched into this was Gareth McPhillips’s effort that hit Sean Hawes on its way to deny Shannon a goal.
The final act in the short drama came in the last minute as Philip Gleeson pulled down Gareth McPhillips and Ger Hoey awarded a penalty that was cannoned off the crossbar by McPhillips from the resulting effort.
With that the game was over and Shannon now hang for dear lives requiring a win against Clarecastle as Cratloe at worst will be in a play off. Best for the winners were Sean Hawes, Barry Duggan, Philip Gleeson, Michael Hawes, Sean Collins, Conor McGrath, Damian Browne, Aidan Browne. Bobby McPhillips was the star turn on show in this tie and without him the Tones would have had little to fight for in the last ten minutes. Others to do well were Gary O Connell, Barry Loughnane, Declan O Rourke and Frank Lohan.
WOLFE TONES: Ray Carley, Gary O Connell (0-1), John Coen, Frank Lohan, Barry Loughnane (0-1), Bobby McPhillips (0-4), Stephen McInerney, Brian O Connell, David Reidy (0-3), Brendan Hughes, Patsy Keyes, Gary Leahy (0-2), John Guilfoyle, Declan O Rourke (0-2), Daithi O Connell (0-1). Subs: Alan Hehir for Guilfoyle, Gareth McPhillips for McInerney
CRATLOE: Sean Hawes, Philip Gleeson, Barry Duggan, David Ryan, Cathal McInerney, Michael Hawes, Liam Markham, Martin Murphy, Damian Browne (0-8), Sean Collins (0-2), Padraig Chaplin, Sean Chaplin (0-2), Gearoid Ryan, Aidan Browne (0-2), Conor McGrath (0-1) Subs: Jonathan Reidy for G Ryan, James Enright for P Chaplin,
REFEREE: Ger Hoey (Killanena).
County senior hurling championship rd 4
CRATLOE.................0-15
WOLFE TONES...............0-14
By Michael O Connor (Clare Courier).
Cratloe on the verge of the quarter finals with Wolfe Tones on the verge of elimination bar results suiting their needs is the story from this round 4 tie played in Cusack Park on Saturday evening. The power and aerial advantage of the tones versus the pace, imagination and youthfulness of Cratloe were the contrasting styles also on show for the sizable attendance at headquarters.
The sunlight that permeated headquarters was in the eyes of the Shannon forwards in the opening half that was slightly more entertaining than the dull lifeless encounter between Kilmaley and Corofin that ended in qualification for Kilmaley to the last eight with a (0-13) to (0-10) win over Corofin. The need for both sides to win was paramount suggesting a contest to the last second and the exchanges began early with Damian Browne on target from a long range free only for Gary Leahy to respond after three minutes. Bobby McPhillips who power was unsettling for the lighter Cratloe players set up Barry Loughnane for an excellent score after five minutes.
Sean Collins hit back for Cratloe but received a knock that had the county under 21 dynamo on the ground requiring attention. After 11 minutes free flowing action Wolfe tones scored three of the following four scores with Declan O Rourke, David Reidy and Bobby McPhillips (both frees) on target for the 2006 champions. Damian Browne kept the under 21A football champions in touch, (0-5) to (0-3) with a second free as Cratloe were unable to this juncture to contest in the air with Shannon. Damian Browne levelled matters, (0-5) each with a brace of frees in the 20th and 22nd with the second free harshly awarded against Barry Loughnane. Daithi O Connell was under the watchful eye of Philip Gleeson as little freedom was being afforded to either set of forwards.
Bobby McPHillips entered the referee’s notepad for a late tackle on Gearoid Ryan but made up for this indiscretion with a well struck free from his own 65 two minutes late to retake the lead by the minimum as the quality of fare on offer withered away alarmingly. The umpires were confused in the 29th minute when a narrow angled effort from Declan O Rourke was debated before being awarded. Daithi O Connell finally got free he made no mistake added to by younger brother Gary from all of 80 yards Shannon had streaked four clear. Cratloe depending close to solely on Browne for points cut the deficit in half with another brace of scores from the Cratloe midfielder as the game was deep into injury time.
At the break in the game that was now becoming less competitive resembling a Clare cup game on a balmy summer evening Wolfe Tones were (0-9) to (0-7) ahead. The first scoring opportunity of the second half fell to a McPhillips 65 that swerved wide of the Cratloe goal. The first score though went to the inform McGrath who twisted and turned John Coen before popping from an acute angle. The equaliser came moments later from Damian Browne for his seventh and his sides ninth score. Bobby McPhillips restored the lead from another successfully converted free but missed another free as Cratloe fouls were keeping Shannon in the game.
Once again the stop start nature of the game ruled out the promise of quality play. David Reidy and Sean Collins swopped scores to leave Cratloe behind by the minimum before David Reidy once again from a free left Shannon two clear. This was shortlived as Damian Browne from play either side of wasteful wides from Cratloe left Shannon shaky one point leaders entering the final 15 minutes. the expected equaliser from Cratloe came from Aidan Browne with 11 minutes remaining as once again the intensity of the game was diluted by the intercession of the whistle. Oige Murphy was inches wide on his own side from play.
As the game entered the final ten minutes Aidan Browne and Gary Leahy kept the sides on level terms, (0-13) each as Oige Murphy continued his battle with the posts hitting his third wide from play in the second half as Cratloe people feared that these wides might prove fatal. David Reidy hit straight into Sean Hawes from a 70 metre free that Shannon needed to go over the bar. Championship fervour did materialise for the final minutes. Firstly Sean Chaplin out on the wing sent Cratloe ahead, Declan O Rourke scored a huge lobbing effort to equalise before Chaplin once more under pressure from 3 Shannon defenders scored once more. Sandwiched into this was Gareth McPhillips’s effort that hit Sean Hawes on its way to deny Shannon a goal.
The final act in the short drama came in the last minute as Philip Gleeson pulled down Gareth McPhillips and Ger Hoey awarded a penalty that was cannoned off the crossbar by McPhillips from the resulting effort.
With that the game was over and Shannon now hang for dear lives requiring a win against Clarecastle as Cratloe at worst will be in a play off. Best for the winners were Sean Hawes, Barry Duggan, Philip Gleeson, Michael Hawes, Sean Collins, Conor McGrath, Damian Browne, Aidan Browne. Bobby McPhillips was the star turn on show in this tie and without him the Tones would have had little to fight for in the last ten minutes. Others to do well were Gary O Connell, Barry Loughnane, Declan O Rourke and Frank Lohan.
WOLFE TONES: Ray Carley, Gary O Connell (0-1), John Coen, Frank Lohan, Barry Loughnane (0-1), Bobby McPhillips (0-4), Stephen McInerney, Brian O Connell, David Reidy (0-3), Brendan Hughes, Patsy Keyes, Gary Leahy (0-2), John Guilfoyle, Declan O Rourke (0-2), Daithi O Connell (0-1). Subs: Alan Hehir for Guilfoyle, Gareth McPhillips for McInerney
CRATLOE: Sean Hawes, Philip Gleeson, Barry Duggan, David Ryan, Cathal McInerney, Michael Hawes, Liam Markham, Martin Murphy, Damian Browne (0-8), Sean Collins (0-2), Padraig Chaplin, Sean Chaplin (0-2), Gearoid Ryan, Aidan Browne (0-2), Conor McGrath (0-1) Subs: Jonathan Reidy for G Ryan, James Enright for P Chaplin,
REFEREE: Ger Hoey (Killanena).
 |
