Hurlers Reach Senior B Semi-Final

04 October 2008
Posted in Hurling - Senior

The Bridge were fast out of the traps, leading by 4 points to nil by the 15th minute of the half, with scores from Danny Morey and three from Niall Gilligan, two from frees.
It was Brian Shally who eventually got the Clooney lads off the mark with two frees in the 15th and 17th minutes. John Earls popped over an excellent point from play as Clooney now found their feet. The game, up to this point was a slow affair, but from the 20th minute to half-time, the score rate and intensity picked up significantly.
The Bridge answered Clooneys trio of points with three of their own from Anthony Liddane and two from Gilly, one a free by the 23rd minute. In reply, Clooney then secured their first goal of the day, and it was an excellent score.
Fergal Lynch was fed a ball into the right corner forward position and, having secured possession, but still under severe pressure, centred a pin-point pass to Cathal Egan who gave Davie Fitzgerald no chance with a swift catch and strike to put the Clooney lads back in the game. In the 27th minute, Shally pointed another free to level the scores, with the same player putting Clooney in front on the stroke of half-time from play having been set-up excellently by the now rampant Fergal Lynch.
The half-time score was 1-5 to 0-7.
From the re-start, once again Danny Morey was quickest into the action and levelled the scores with a fine score. This was followed by a brace of Gilly frees in the 4th and 10th minutes. Adrian Chaplin then went forward and hit an inspirational score for Sixmilebridge in the 13th minute to put them three points up.
However, this proved to be their final score, as Clooney/Quin were the team to take inspiration and went on to hit 1-3 without reply. Martin Duggan pointed in the 17th minute, and, a minute later, the score that eventually decided the tie, fell to Clooney.
A long delivery from John Earls, which seemed to be dropping over the cross-bar, deceived Davie Fitz in the Bridge goal and ended up in the net, with a menacing James Casey providing sufficient pressure on the Sixmilebridge defence that resulted in they taking their eye off the ball. This put Clooney a point up, and, as time wound down, Cathal Egan then had two chances to finish the game off. His first effort for a point was stopped by a flying hurley, with Shally tapping over the resulting free, with his second attempt for goal being brilliantly turned away by Davie Fitzgerald. The final score came from another Shally free, to leave the final score reading 2-8 to 0-11.
Scorers; Clooney/Quin: Brian Shally 6pts(5 Frees), John Earls 1-1 Cathal Egan 1 goal  and Martin Duggan 1 point.
Sixmilebridge: Niall Gilligan 7pts(5 frees), Danny Morey 2 pts, Anthony Liddane and Adrian Chaplin, 1 each.
The Clooney lads now take on neighbours Tulla on Sunday in the semi-final. The game will take place in Clarecastle with a 1.45PM start.