Nirvana for Cratloe in historic title success
County senior hurling final
CRATLOE………………..3-5
CLONLARA……………..1-9
By Michael O Connor. (Clare Courier)
A new champion, a new beginning, symbolised by youthful carefree pace and abandon. Hail Cratloe our new champions after a determined campaign that culiminated in a historic first county final success and indeed the first new champion since Kilmaley in 1985.
What more can be said about Cratloe. A game a week, no complaints. Football and hurling living together in harmony despite a stormy AGM last winter that saw moves to end the involvement of the club in football. Heady days for the club as a trip to Limerick for a mere matter of munster intermediate football championship and the week later Ballygunnar await in the Waterford citadel for a Cratloe side that will as they have done all season shrug their shoulders and get on with the job in a low key way.
The odds and the pundits (2/5 Clonlara, 5/2 Cratloe with 33/1 freely available earlier in the year) saw nothing bar a comfortable success for Clonlara who were the side buoyed by the Under 21 sextet as Cratloe yet had improved with every game after a shaky start to the campaign. Broadford will wonder, Sixmilebridge will go for youth, Kilmaley will ponder and Newmarket will regroup whilst every side that sees themselves as the equal of Cratloe will ensure perhaps another different winner in 2010.
Storm clouds as well as the normal ones hung over Cratloe after ten minutes as Clonlara had stormed into a four point lead not by any individual brilliance but more so by a nightmarish start to freetaking by Damian Browne who hit nearly half a dozen wides from placed balls before being moved off the task.
Nicky O Connell who was his sides best performer over the hour hit the first score in the opening attack and Browne hit two frees wides from scorable positions by the 6th minute. Donal Madden who had no such issues converted a brace of frees within two minutes and when Darach Honan scored a truly stunning effort it looked as if the pundits would be proved right. Shades of Crusheen v Tulla 2007 were there as the freetaking malaise continued before Sean Chaplin who since the replay of the quarter final has been his sides star performer in the middle of the field opened the scoring. Damian Browne and Donal Madden exchanged frees as Clonlara went (0-5) to (0-2) clear after 16 minutes.
Worringly for Clonlara and it was most evident that Cratloe had tied down John Conlon with surprising ease tackling him like a pack of wolves around an injured animal. With him neutralised the ball winning ability of Clonlara was dissembled. Luck is the greatest unquantifiable in sport and it would be proper to acknowledge that Cratloe were in receipt of a few dollops along the way in this final. Damian Browne’s effort for a point came off the post into Conor McGrath’s zone and he doubled to the net as now the sides were level, (0-5) to (1-2) after 22 minutes. Clonlara alarmed by this attacked with a new found determination and Honan’s goal effort in the 25th was initially stopped by Sean Hawes but the rebound was bundled over the line by 17 year old CIllian Fennessy to restore a three point lead for the champions.
However within 60 seconds supporters from all sides, colours and hues were acclaiming a moment of stunning hurling magic. Sean Chaplin sent in a ball from under the shadow of the tunnel, Conor McGrath ran on and in a second the rain soaked net was billowing as one of the truly great goals was scored to level the game once again. Clonlara now knew that a game was on and that they had to deliver with the big guns under pressure. Thomas O Donovan who lives on the edge was probably their key hard man as he kept them in the game as Damian Browne and John Conlon with his only score rounded off the first half action with the sides deadlocked on a (2-3) to (1-6) scoreline. William Slattery replaced the ineffective John Barry as Cratloe defenders were dominant and the Clonlara full back line looked as all had whispered throughout the campaign to be shaky to say the least.
Cormac O Donovan so often the talisman up front for Clonlara managed only one score coming in the 32nd minute as only (1-5) in total was scored in the second half by both sides. Conor McGrath (34th) and Sean Chaplin (42nd) now taking the frees hit scores to leave Cratloe a point clear. Seven minutes elapsed as neither side looked likely of scoring before Donal Madden drew the sides level (2-5) to (1-8) with another free in the 49th minute. A long range free from Nicky O Connell that appeared to be nailed on for a lead score hung up in the breeze into the grateful clutches of Sean Hawes. Tommy Lynch who makes a habit of delivering big scores in county finals appeared to have secured the crown for Clonlara with a point in the last minute of normal time but the drama was only unfolding with the final act to be experienced.
The ball was sent deep into the Cratloe full back line out by the courthouse corner. Donal Madden was in possession and in his attempt to keep possession hit it back out but misjudged fatally the distance his teammate was away. Sean Collins saw the move made the hard yards took possession and set up down the river Fergus side in his trademark determination. A low hard hit ball across the bows of a stretched Clonlara defence saw recently introduced sub Padraig Chaplin all on his own and he possessed boundless amounts of convinction to blast past the helpless Mark Dillon as Cratloe hurlers long in their graves and in the surrounds of Cusack park jumped, wailed out loud, cried and just went plain crazy as the canon was now being decked out in the blue and white. In a thoughtful acceptance speech Barry Duggan remembered all who had ploughed a lonely furrow when Cratloe were junior, intermediate and struggling to survive and how their efforts had contributed to their greatest deserved day. Clonlara had experienced this feeling 12 months previous and had to accept that the better team had won the day despite hitting 10 potential title damaging wides. Best for the champions were Philip Gleeson, Barry Duggan, David Ryan who shadowed Honan well, Liam Markham who quelled Conlon, Sean Chaplin, Conor McGrath and Padraig Chaplin even if he nevers hits another ball for Cratloe. Clonlara who experienced an indifferent campaign losing to the Mills before upping the ante will relax for the winter and come back next year refreshed. Their strongest include Thomas O Donovan, Domhnall O Donovan, Nicky O Connell, Tommy Lynch and Donal Madden.
CRATLOE: Sean Hawes, Philip Gleeson, Barry Duggan, David Ryan, John O Gorman, Michael Hawes, Liam Markham, Martin Oige Murphy, Sean Chaplin (0-2), Sean Collins, James Enright, Damian Browne (0-2), Cathal McInerney, Aidan Browne, Conor McGrath (2-1). Subs : Padgue Collins (1-0) for D Browne Padraig Chaplin for Enright,
CLONLARA: Ger O Connell, Brian Woods, John Moloney, Paul Collins, Domhnall O Donovan, Thomas O Donovan, Nicky O Connell (0-1), Pat O Hare, Tommy Lynch (0-1), John Conlon (0-1), John Barry, Cormac O Donovan (0-1) Darach Honan (0-1), Donal Madden (0-4), Cillian Fennessy (1-0). Subs: William Slattery for Barry, Diarmuid Conway for Fennessy,
REFEREE: Rory Hickey (Eire-og).
After the game county board chairman Michael O Neill and county sponsor Pat O Donnell presented the canon Hamilton cup to Cratloe captain Barry Duggan. Conor McGrath was named as man of the match whilst Damian Browne was honoured as top scorer in this years championship.
County senior hurling final
CRATLOE………………..3-5
CLONLARA……………..1-9
By Michael O Connor. (Clare Courier)
A new champion, a new beginning, symbolised by youthful carefree pace and abandon. Hail Cratloe our new champions after a determined campaign that culiminated in a historic first county final success and indeed the first new champion since Kilmaley in 1985.
What more can be said about Cratloe. A game a week, no complaints. Football and hurling living together in harmony despite a stormy AGM last winter that saw moves to end the involvement of the club in football. Heady days for the club as a trip to Limerick for a mere matter of munster intermediate football championship and the week later Ballygunnar await in the Waterford citadel for a Cratloe side that will as they have done all season shrug their shoulders and get on with the job in a low key way.
The odds and the pundits (2/5 Clonlara, 5/2 Cratloe with 33/1 freely available earlier in the year) saw nothing bar a comfortable success for Clonlara who were the side buoyed by the Under 21 sextet as Cratloe yet had improved with every game after a shaky start to the campaign. Broadford will wonder, Sixmilebridge will go for youth, Kilmaley will ponder and Newmarket will regroup whilst every side that sees themselves as the equal of Cratloe will ensure perhaps another different winner in 2010.
Storm clouds as well as the normal ones hung over Cratloe after ten minutes as Clonlara had stormed into a four point lead not by any individual brilliance but more so by a nightmarish start to freetaking by Damian Browne who hit nearly half a dozen wides from placed balls before being moved off the task.
Nicky O Connell who was his sides best performer over the hour hit the first score in the opening attack and Browne hit two frees wides from scorable positions by the 6th minute. Donal Madden who had no such issues converted a brace of frees within two minutes and when Darach Honan scored a truly stunning effort it looked as if the pundits would be proved right. Shades of Crusheen v Tulla 2007 were there as the freetaking malaise continued before Sean Chaplin who since the replay of the quarter final has been his sides star performer in the middle of the field opened the scoring. Damian Browne and Donal Madden exchanged frees as Clonlara went (0-5) to (0-2) clear after 16 minutes.
Worringly for Clonlara and it was most evident that Cratloe had tied down John Conlon with surprising ease tackling him like a pack of wolves around an injured animal. With him neutralised the ball winning ability of Clonlara was dissembled. Luck is the greatest unquantifiable in sport and it would be proper to acknowledge that Cratloe were in receipt of a few dollops along the way in this final. Damian Browne’s effort for a point came off the post into Conor McGrath’s zone and he doubled to the net as now the sides were level, (0-5) to (1-2) after 22 minutes. Clonlara alarmed by this attacked with a new found determination and Honan’s goal effort in the 25th was initially stopped by Sean Hawes but the rebound was bundled over the line by 17 year old CIllian Fennessy to restore a three point lead for the champions.
However within 60 seconds supporters from all sides, colours and hues were acclaiming a moment of stunning hurling magic. Sean Chaplin sent in a ball from under the shadow of the tunnel, Conor McGrath ran on and in a second the rain soaked net was billowing as one of the truly great goals was scored to level the game once again. Clonlara now knew that a game was on and that they had to deliver with the big guns under pressure. Thomas O Donovan who lives on the edge was probably their key hard man as he kept them in the game as Damian Browne and John Conlon with his only score rounded off the first half action with the sides deadlocked on a (2-3) to (1-6) scoreline. William Slattery replaced the ineffective John Barry as Cratloe defenders were dominant and the Clonlara full back line looked as all had whispered throughout the campaign to be shaky to say the least.
Cormac O Donovan so often the talisman up front for Clonlara managed only one score coming in the 32nd minute as only (1-5) in total was scored in the second half by both sides. Conor McGrath (34th) and Sean Chaplin (42nd) now taking the frees hit scores to leave Cratloe a point clear. Seven minutes elapsed as neither side looked likely of scoring before Donal Madden drew the sides level (2-5) to (1-8) with another free in the 49th minute. A long range free from Nicky O Connell that appeared to be nailed on for a lead score hung up in the breeze into the grateful clutches of Sean Hawes. Tommy Lynch who makes a habit of delivering big scores in county finals appeared to have secured the crown for Clonlara with a point in the last minute of normal time but the drama was only unfolding with the final act to be experienced.
The ball was sent deep into the Cratloe full back line out by the courthouse corner. Donal Madden was in possession and in his attempt to keep possession hit it back out but misjudged fatally the distance his teammate was away. Sean Collins saw the move made the hard yards took possession and set up down the river Fergus side in his trademark determination. A low hard hit ball across the bows of a stretched Clonlara defence saw recently introduced sub Padraig Chaplin all on his own and he possessed boundless amounts of convinction to blast past the helpless Mark Dillon as Cratloe hurlers long in their graves and in the surrounds of Cusack park jumped, wailed out loud, cried and just went plain crazy as the canon was now being decked out in the blue and white. In a thoughtful acceptance speech Barry Duggan remembered all who had ploughed a lonely furrow when Cratloe were junior, intermediate and struggling to survive and how their efforts had contributed to their greatest deserved day. Clonlara had experienced this feeling 12 months previous and had to accept that the better team had won the day despite hitting 10 potential title damaging wides. Best for the champions were Philip Gleeson, Barry Duggan, David Ryan who shadowed Honan well, Liam Markham who quelled Conlon, Sean Chaplin, Conor McGrath and Padraig Chaplin even if he nevers hits another ball for Cratloe. Clonlara who experienced an indifferent campaign losing to the Mills before upping the ante will relax for the winter and come back next year refreshed. Their strongest include Thomas O Donovan, Domhnall O Donovan, Nicky O Connell, Tommy Lynch and Donal Madden.
CRATLOE: Sean Hawes, Philip Gleeson, Barry Duggan, David Ryan, John O Gorman, Michael Hawes, Liam Markham, Martin Oige Murphy, Sean Chaplin (0-2), Sean Collins, James Enright, Damian Browne (0-2), Cathal McInerney, Aidan Browne, Conor McGrath (2-1). Subs : Padgue Collins (1-0) for D Browne Padraig Chaplin for Enright,
CLONLARA: Ger O Connell, Brian Woods, John Moloney, Paul Collins, Domhnall O Donovan, Thomas O Donovan, Nicky O Connell (0-1), Pat O Hare, Tommy Lynch (0-1), John Conlon (0-1), John Barry, Cormac O Donovan (0-1) Darach Honan (0-1), Donal Madden (0-4), Cillian Fennessy (1-0). Subs: William Slattery for Barry, Diarmuid Conway for Fennessy,
REFEREE: Rory Hickey (Eire-og).
After the game county board chairman Michael O Neill and county sponsor Pat O Donnell presented the canon Hamilton cup to Cratloe captain Barry Duggan. Conor McGrath was named as man of the match whilst Damian Browne was honoured as top scorer in this years championship.
