30 March 2010
Posted in Hurling - Senior

The Senior hurlers faced a tricky away fixture in Round 1 of the Clare Cup as they took on Inagh/Kilnamona on Saturday afternoon, March 27th. As with all early-season games, both sides lined out without some of their established players. This however, didn't stop the home side starting with a flourish,

"Fergal Lynch won posession on the wing. He took on the defence before feeding Cathal Egan who advanced on goal at pace. As the defenders closed down on him, he fed Derek Ryan with a pin-point pass which Ryan despatched to the net from close range."

the lively Ger Arthur firing over a brace of points in the 2nd and 4th minutes. The Clooney lads settled into the game and, playing into the strong wind, hit four points from play in response, from Cathal Egan, Derek Ryan, Martin Duggan and Ryan again from the 7th to the 10th minutes.
Arthur and Fergal Lynch swapped points in the 14th and 15th minutes, with Arthur pointing a free a moment later. At this point, the home side hit a purple patch, and forged ahead, thanks to scores from Jimmy Carmody, a superb point from Ronan O'Looney who first-timed a breaking ball in midfield over the black spot, Jamie Davin and a monster free from goalkeeper, Patrick Kelly to lead 8 to 6 by the 22nd minute.
Ryan settled the visitors with a point from play, but All-Ireland Under 21 winner, Conor Tierney hit two in a minute, with Cathal Egan completing the first half scoring, with the home side ahead, 10 to 7.
With wind advantage, the Clooney-Quin lads were hoping to get going early, but Tierney again pointed from the throw-in to push the Combo further ahead.
However, the Clooney-Quin lads refused to panic, and dominated the scoring for the next quarter of an hour. 
It was Fergal Lynch who took-up the challenge, with two points in successive minutes. Derek Ryan then hit two further points, one from a free, the second from a "65" to level the match in the 6th minute. Lynch once again from play put Clooney-Quin ahead in the 9th minute. Mike Mac, Lynch again and John Earls points followed in the 10th, 12th and 14h minutes as the home side struggled to cope with some fine play from Clooney,the Combo now trailing 15 points to 11. 
They badly needed a score and Tierney delivered, this time from a free to cut the defecit, but Mike Mac and Cathal Egan added to their personal tallies from play by the 20th minutes to extend the Clooney lead.
Two minutes later, the contest was decided. Fergal Lynch won posession on the wing. He took on the defence before feeding Cathal Egan who advanced on goal at pace. As the defenders closed down on him, he fed Derek Ryan with a pin-point pass which Ryan despatched to the net from close range. 
The impressive Enda Harrison fired over a long-range effort in the 22nd minute, with a Cillian Duggan free from distance and a point from play from cousin, Martin Duggan in the 25th minute completed the Clooney-Quin tally of 1-20, with the sharp-shooting Conor Tireney hitting a consolation point with 2 minutes remaining on the clock for Inagh/Kilnamona.
Next up for Clooney/Quin are the current County Intermediate Champions, Whitegate, who had a deserved one point win over County Senior Champions Cratloe in their first round game.
This game is scheduled for this coming Bank Holiday weekend.