close
02 July 2009
Posted in
Hurling -
Senior
It was thrill a minute as the Clooney/Quin hurlers scored a deserved 3-21 to 2-17 victory over neighbours Sixmilebridge in Round 6 of the Clare Cup, forty-three scores shared over the hour and loads of thrills and spills for the large attendance................
Following their three-point defeat to Newmarket fresh in their minds, the Clooney lads were well-up for the game, and went ahead from a Derek Ryan point within 30 seconds. David O'Connor levelled things for the Bridge from the puck-out, before Cathal Egan fed Padraig Ward to edge Clooney ahead in the 3rd minute.
If evidence was needed that Clooney were determined to succeed in this game, it came a minute later from Cillian Duggan who steamed out of a crowd of players to snap a bouncing ball before surging forward to land a massive point from distance.
A Caimin Morey free kept Rusty Chaplins men in touch, but a spurt of Clooney points from Egan, Sean Conheady, John Earls and a Ryan free to leave Clooney ahead 7 to 2 by the 9th minute.
Doc O'Connor and Martin Duggan exchanged points in quick succession, to be followed by a Morey free in the 16th minute, Clooney ahead on double-scores.
When John Earls picked up a loose ball 45 metres out near the sideline a minute later, there was little danger to the Bridge goal. However, Earls turned-on the after-burners and headed for the goals, leaving a number of defenders in his wake, before netting off his left for a tonic Clooney goal.
A Morey free eased the Sixmilebridge nerves, but a quick brace of points from Martin Duggan, a Ward point from an excellent Shane Mac switched delivery from defence, followed by another Earls point from the sideline had the Bridge in real trouble, behind 1-12 to 0-6 by the 25th minute.
However, the Bridge dug deep and finished the half stronger, with three Morey points, two from placed balls, before Jonathan Downes netted a parried Morey free to cut the defecit to a managable four points at the half.
The large crowd, basking in the warm summer heat, wondered if the 2nd half would be as fast and free-flowing. As it turned out, neither team disappointed, keeping up a hectic pace as the scoring spree continued where it left off as the Sixmilebridge lads halved the defecit to two by the 5th minute of the 2nd half, with a Morey free and a point from half-time substitute, Christy Griffin.
A Ryan free and another Martin Duggan point kept the Clooney lads ahead of affairs, with Griffin again raising a white flag for the Bridge in the 12th minute.
Having been denied two goal-scoring opportunities after the half-time break, Egan wasn't to be denied, fielding a high delivery before netting past Derek Fahy in the Bridge goal.
From the puck-out, John Earls took posession around the midfield area, and took off on another solo run. His pass inside to Egan was switched onto Ryan, who's deft flick was met on the fly by Padraig Ward to score as good a goal as will be scored in Clare in 2009, the ground stroke zipping high into the Sixmilebridge net. This score set the home side up for the win, with Martin Duggan receiving another clever Egan pass to put Clooney/Quin ahead 3-15 to 1-11 with 17 minutes remaining in the game.
With the Bridge staring down the barrell of defeat, they needed a break, and they received just that as a Danny Morey delivery into the Clooney defence was, for once, mis-judged, the ball deflecting off the hand of Shane mac into Cathal Hannons net.
However, a Ryan free, followed by points from substitute Mickie Daffy and Earls within 3 minutes eased the Clooney nerves, but Sixmilebridge kept plugging away, with Jonathan Downes notching a brace of points.
Duggan again and an excellently worked score from Mike Mac answered the Downes scores, but Doc O'Connor pointed again to keep Sixmilebridge in the game.
Clooneys final score came from Egan, another great catch and strike being greeted by the highly appreciative Clooney/Quin supporters.
Sixmilebridge fought to the end, with two Morey frees and the final score of the game from Danny Morey to leave the Clooney lads seven ahead at the final whistle.
This win puts Clooney back on top of the table on their own for the moment, with a number of games to be played over the weekend.
Clooneys final game is against neighbours, Crusheen on Saturday week, July 11th, a win or draw needed to secure one of the two semi-final spots up for grabs.
