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29 June 2009
Posted in
Hurling -
Senior
The Senior hurlers suffered their first defeat in all competitions in 2009 when Newmarket won an exciting Clare Cup Round 7 game in Clooney on a 2-15 to 2-12 scoreline on Moday June 29th............
The Clooney/Quin lads were fast to settle and raced into a four point lead after 7 minutes, with points from Fergal Lynch, a 65 and free from Derek Ryan and John Earls, who benefitted from a clever sideline ball from Padraig Ward.
Newmarket were in need of a score, and it was no surprise that the source of that score was Bernard Gaffney, who is on the comeback trail following a long layoff due to a serious injury.
In fact, Gaffney hit five unanswered points, three from placed balls as some ill-discipline by the Clooney was being punished to the max.
Points from Brian Clancy and James Liddy followed by a Cathal Egan point left the score at 7 to 5 in The Blues favour by the 19th minute as the game was being played in a fast and furious pace.
When Clooney were awarded a 30M free, a point was what was on offer. However, Derek Ryan caught the Newmarket defence off their guard and flashed the ball to the net to put the home side back in front.
Another Gaffney free tied up the sides, with points from Newmarkets Mickie McInerney, Gaffney again and Brian Clancy being answered by a surging run from defence and score from Enda Harrison.
As the clock headed towards the half-time break, Newmarket were awarded a free just outside the Clooney 20M line. The goal from the powerful Gaffney was routine.
Shane O'Brien stretched the lead to 6 points, leaving Clooney in dire straits.
However, an excellent point from Padraig Ward was followed by a semi-penalty goal from Ryan, Newmarkets Stephen Kelly having been adjudged to have fouled Cathal Egan.
This was the final action of a hectic halfs hurling, with the scoreboard now a lot healthier for the Clooney/Quin lads who trailed 1-12 to 2-7.
The warm evening and high-octaine hurling was probably the cause of a slowdown in the scoring rate in the early stages of the second half.
Padraig Ward popped over another excellent point in the 4th minute to cut the defecit to the minimum.
In the 11th minute, a free to Clooney on the 20M line was tapped over by Ryan to tie up the sides.
Newmarket however were in no mood to suffer their third straight Clare Cup defeat to the Clooney/Quin lads or indeed in this years competition.
Gaffney picked-up a ball on the Clooney 45M line and headed for the Clooney goal. With power and pace, he cut through the defence before offloading a pin-point pass to the now-injured Shane O'Brien who despatched the ball to the Clooney net with expert precision.
Mickie McInerney added a point in the 16th minute to stretch the Blues lead, but then things took a turn for the worst for the home side as Fergal Lynch received in a red card.
The Clooney lads dug-in and were rewarded with points from Padraig Ward and Martin Duggan to reduce the defecit to two points with with 5 minutes remaining.
A Mickie McInerney point was followed by a Gaffney free with time almost up.
Clooney were pressing hard for the scores to save the day, but their only reward was a point following a Derek Ryan close-in free which was deflected over the bar by a Newmarket defender, to leave the final score at 2-15 to 2-12 in Newmarkets favour.
In spite of this defeat, Clooney/Quin remain top of the table, with their next outing away to Sixmilebridge on this Thursday at 7.30PM.
Scorers; Clooney/Quin - Derek Ryan 2-4(2-3 from frees, 1 65), Padraig Ward 3 pts, Fergal Lynch, John Earls, Cathal Egan, Enda Harrison and Martin Duggan 1 each.
Newmarket - Bernard Gaffney 1-8(1-5 frees), Mickie McInerney 3 pts, Brian Clancy 2 pts, James Liddy 1 pt.
Ref; Jim Hickey(Cratloe).
