Glory for Cratloe in Opening Round
Co SHC Round 1
Cratloe 2-11 v 1-10 Inagh/Kilnamona
When Tony Carmody found the Cratloe net inside the final quarter of this contest his strike put the minimum between his side and a Cratloe team who’s defence of the Canon Hamilton looked to be quaking under Inagh/Kilnamona’s late surge. A pointed free from Niall Arthur two minutes later had the first round deadlocked but the ‘combo’ never grasped a further opportunity and their late comeback prooved to be little more than a rose sprouting in a dungheap.
The surge from the contenders in the final quarter was far from the only passage that looked to have the champions on the rack, but all too often Inagh/Kilnamona seemed to be peering over their shoulders for a response. After twelve minutes the combination had five points to spare over Cratloe, who struggled to find confidence with their first touch and their passes despite the conditions and the sward at Cusack Park suiting their running game.
Conor Teirney and Martin Barry were Cratloe’s chief tormentors at this point but nerves were soon settled with two pegged back frees from Damien Browne before a weighted pass from Barry Gleeson put Sean Collins clean through on Patrick Kelly’s goal to cross out Inagh Kilnamona’s early command.
The green and gold did respond again with two Niall Arthur frees and a hard earned point from Jamie Davin at full forward to enter the break 0-9 to 1-5 infront.
Cratloe’s pacey attack cranked up a gear in the second period however and truthfully Carmody’s goal nearing the final ten minutes was the only time a victory for the Blues seemed threatened.
After the interval Conor McGrath intuitively followed a long Conor Ryan delivery to the edge of the opposition's square and managed to bundle the ball to the net giving Cratloe their needed daylight on the scoreboard. Kicking on from here, they found the range again through Ryan and Sean Collins who brought his tally to 1-2. Hurler of the hour, Liam Markham and Michael Hawes continuously mopped up from the confines of their half back line but infront of them some wayward shooting let Cratloe down over the next ten minutes leaving Inagh/Kilnamona more than capable of a late rescue. The introduction of the two Padraighs, Chaplin and Collins, eased the pressure before the close when both substitutes struck points, Collins doing so twice.
Pleasingly for Cratloe’s management the titleholder's rejigging to last years side seems to have been successful over the Clare Cup campaign, not only from the performances from those introduced from the bench but also from the displays of their two championship debutants Enda Boyce at corner back and Conor Ryan at centre half forward.
Inagh Kilnamona hurled far from second fiddle for much of this tie and Cratloe will be hoping that with the ‘Combo’ now behind them they will have a further say in how this group goes. Next up for the Blues is the Garney derby, for the moment scheduled for June 19th.
Ar Aghaidh Linn
Co SHC Round 1
Cratloe 2-11 v 1-10 Inagh/Kilnamona
When Tony Carmody found the Cratloe net inside the final quarter of this contest his strike put the minimum between his side and a Cratloe team who’s defence of the Canon Hamilton looked to be quaking under Inagh/Kilnamona’s late surge. A pointed free from Niall Arthur two minutes later had the first round deadlocked but the ‘combo’ never grasped a further opportunity and their late comeback prooved to be little more than a rose sprouting in a dungheap.
The surge from the contenders in the final quarter was far from the only passage that looked to have the champions on the rack, but all too often Inagh/Kilnamona seemed to be peering over their shoulders for a response. After twelve minutes the combination had five points to spare over Cratloe, who struggled to find confidence with their first touch and their passes despite the conditions and the sward at Cusack Park suiting their running game.
Conor Teirney and Martin Barry were Cratloe’s chief tormentors at this point but nerves were soon settled with two pegged back frees from Damien Browne before a weighted pass from Barry Gleeson put Sean Collins clean through on Patrick Kelly’s goal to cross out Inagh Kilnamona’s early command.
The green and gold did respond again with two Niall Arthur frees and a hard earned point from Jamie Davin at full forward to enter the break 0-9 to 1-5 infront.
Cratloe’s pacey attack cranked up a gear in the second period however and truthfully Carmody’s goal nearing the final ten minutes was the only time a victory for the Blues seemed threatened.
After the interval Conor McGrath intuitively followed a long Conor Ryan delivery to the edge of the opposition's square and managed to bundle the ball to the net giving Cratloe their needed daylight on the scoreboard. Kicking on from here, they found the range again through Ryan and Sean Collins who brought his tally to 1-2. Hurler of the hour, Liam Markham and Michael Hawes continuously mopped up from the confines of their half back line but infront of them some wayward shooting let Cratloe down over the next ten minutes leaving Inagh/Kilnamona more than capable of a late rescue. The introduction of the two Padraighs, Chaplin and Collins, eased the pressure before the close when both substitutes struck points, Collins doing so twice.
Pleasingly for Cratloe’s management the titleholder's rejigging to last years side seems to have been successful over the Clare Cup campaign, not only from the performances from those introduced from the bench but also from the displays of their two championship debutants Enda Boyce at corner back and Conor Ryan at centre half forward.
Inagh Kilnamona hurled far from second fiddle for much of this tie and Cratloe will be hoping that with the ‘Combo’ now behind them they will have a further say in how this group goes. Next up for the Blues is the Garney derby, for the moment scheduled for June 19th.
Ar Aghaidh Linn
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