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16 May 2009
Posted in
Hurling -
Senior
The Senior hurlers got off to a great start in the first round of the County Senior hurling Championship with a deserved win over Smith O'Briens in Meelick on
Friday, May 15th on a 3-18 to 1-11 scoreline. The pundits forecast a Clooney/Quin victory, and our boys delivered with a confident performance over a youthful Smith O'Briens side.
The first half was tentative, with both sides showing some nervousness. A brace of Liam Walsh frees in the 3rd and 6th minutes were cancelled out with a Brian Shally
free and a like score from play by Martin Duggan, who linked up brilliantly with Cathal Egan to tie up the match. Trevor Howard and Fergal Lynch exchanged points in
rapid-fire in the 13th minute, as the game began to open up.
Three unanswered points from Duggan, Padraig Ward and a Shally free by the 17th minute had the Clooney lads 6 to 3 ahead. A Walsh free kept Smith O'Briens in touch,
but Duggan again put three between the sides with his second point in the 20th minute.
The Killaloe lads needed a break as they began to lose the battles around the field, and they got it when it was adjudged that Shane O'Brien was fouled in the large square.
The penalty was given. Liam Walsh, who had a 100% record from frees up to this point, hit a powerful shot in the direction of the top right corner of the Clooney/Quin net,
but Cillian Duggan did magnificently to get his hurley to the shot, pushing it away to safely where Pa Reynolds completed the clearance. This lifted our lads, as Fergal Lynch popped over a tonic score to put us four ahead.
Points from Walsh and John Cusack pulled the Smith O'Briens back into the game in the 25th and 26 minutes, but this fight-back was short lived.
As we entered the two minutes of injury time, a Cillian Duggan long-range free dropped into the Killaloe area. As Cathal Egan was about to catch, he was knocked off balance.
The sliothar deflected off his hand and ended up in the net, to the delight of the Clooney supporters. Within seconds, Martin Duggan pointed to put a goal and three
between the sides. Half-time couldn't come soon enough for Killaloe, but worse was to follow. Yet another long range Cillian Duggan free dropped into the Smith O'Brien defence.
This time, Egan got a flick to the ball and guided it into the Killaloe net. At 2-9 to 0-6, the second half would be a test for Smith O'Briens.
A good start for the South East Clare lads was badly needed, and John Cusack lifted his supporters spirits with a point in the first minute of the 2nd half.
However, Clooney/Quin were in no mood to give up their lead. A Shally free and a point from Fergal Lynch, stretched the Clooney lead as they responded in a positive mood. This mood was enhanced when Martin Duggan goaled in the 4th minute to put the score at 3-11 to 0-7. A super point from John Earls following a high-speed interchange between Mike McNamara and Fergal Lynch stretched the Clooney lead further by the 7th minute.
Former County Minor, Pat Vaughan replied for Killaloe in the 8th minute, but a brace of Shally frees kept the Clooney lead in a healthy state as we approached the three-quarter point of the game. Three Martin Duggan points in the 12th, 17th and 18th minutes was
answered by a solitary John Cusack point as the game began to wind down to its end.
Peter Stritch goaled for Smith O'Briens with 10 minutes remaining, with Fergal Lynch completing the Clooney/Quin scoring with 5 minutes left.
Smith O'Briens finished stronger, with points from Seamus Gleeson and Aidan McKeogh. Unfortunately, they had the misfortune of hitting the crossbar in injury time, as they tried to salvage some pride. They were desperately unlucky to end the game 13 points in arrears, as Cathal Hannon in the clooney goal made a string of outstanding stops throughout the match, to keep the Clooney lads ahead. Were he not in such form, the result could have been much different. The team have a Bye in Round 2, with Round 3 scheduled for mid-August.
Final score - Clooney/Quin 3-18 Smith O'Briens 1-11.
Scorers: Clooney/Quin - Martin Duggan 1-7, Cathal Egan 2-0, Brian Shally 5 pts (frees), Fergal Lynch 4 pts, Padraig ward and John Earls, one pt each.
Smith O'Briens - Liam Walsh 4 pts, 3 frees, John Cusack, 3 pts, Peter Stritch 1 goal, Trevor Howard, Pat Vaughan, seamus Gleeson and Aidan McKeogh 1 pt each.
Photos Here.......... http://www.clooneyquingaa.ie/index.php/component/option,comˍzoom/Itemid,27/catid,44/
