Terrific Win for Senior Hurlers

The Senior hurlers defeated neighbours, O’Callaghans Mills by 17 points to 10 this (Friday August 22nd) in Round 3 of the County Championship…………………

The game was played in Sixmilebridge, with the pitch in excellent condition, in spite of the awful weather we have experienced recently.
Fergal Lynch got the Clooney lads off to a great start with a point inside the first minute, but Alan Duggan replied from play with the Mills first attack. Duggan popped over his second score a minute later and then added a free, before Brian Shally levelled the score from a free by the 7^th minute.
The early stages of the game was very scrappy, with a number of stoppages for slight injuries.
Duggan pushed the Mills two ahead with a brace of frees by the 10^th minute. Clooney hit a purple patch with four unanswered points from John Earls, Mickie Daffy and two Shally frees to put Clooney back in front.
However, things turned bad for the Clooney men with the dismissal of Fergal Lynch in the 22^nd minute. Alan Duggan reduced the defecit to one in the 25^th minute from another free, before Padraig Ward hit an inspirational score from play a minute later. Two Shally frees were seperated by a point from Alan Duggan to leave the half-time score at 9 pts to 6 in favour of the Clooney lads.
Things didn’t look good for Clooney/Quin, being a man down and Cathal Egan carrying a leg injury as the second half began.
A determined approach was needed from the lads and boy did they deliver!
They hunted in packs, closing down Mills players all over the field, exerting pressure on the player in posession and attacking with pace and power whenever the opportunity arose.
This hard work was rewarded on the scoreboard in the form of four unanswered Clooney points from Brian Shally, three frees and a beauty from play. In fact, the Mills had a narrow escape when Padraig Ward won a great ball in the right corner of the field and quickly fed Mickie Daffy who headed goalwards at high speed and hit a ferocious shot which just went the wrong side of the post, much to the relief of the Mills defence.
With the score at 13 to 6, inter-county player Pat Donnellan got the Mills on the scoresheet in the 11^th minute, a score which was quickly cancelled out by a superb John Earls point following a great catch and feed from Cathal Egan. Shally again obliged from another placed ball, before James Shanahan had two quick Mills points from play by the 22^nd minute. Shally popped another free, before Clooney net-minder, Damien O’Halloran went full length and denied the Mills the goal that they desperately needed. Rory Neville hit the Mills 10^th and final point before Brian Shally had the last score of the game with a free in injury time to leave the final score at 17 points to 10.
The lads were full value for the win, with the fullback line in brilliant form throughout, emerging from many rucks of players with the ball in possession and clearing their lines. The halfback line was also in great form, winning ball on the ground and in the air.
Being a man down for so long meant that there was a lot more work to be done, but Sean Conheady and Mike Mac were more than willing to contribute. Both players worked tirelessly all through.
Cathal Egan, carrying that leg injury for most of the game, led the attack brilliantly, conducting the Clooney players around him with ease. They responded, with Shally, who ended with 12 points, Earls, Daffy and Ward really getting stuck in and causing the Mills defence to resort to hurried clearances that were mopped up brilliantly by the Clooney half back line.
Clooney/Quin are now nicely poised in the Champoinship table with two wins from two games. Next up are Clarecastle, who will pose the Clooney boys many problems for sure. However, after tonight’s game, the Clooney boys can look forward to the game in confident mood.

Scorers; Clooney/Quin: Brian Shally 12(11 frees) John Earls 2, Fergal Lynch,Mickie Daffy and Padraig Ward, one each.
O’Callaghans Mills; Alan Duggan 6(3 frees) James Shanahan 2, Pat Donnellan and Rory Neville, one each. 
Photographs Here............http://www.clooneyquingaa.ie/index.php/component/option,comˍzoom/Itemid,27/catid,34/PageNo,1/