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19 March 2009
The Under 21 "A" hurlers had a merited 1-13 to 1-4 win over Eire Og in the first round of the County Championship on St. Patricks Day. Played in excellent weather and pitch conditions, the Clooney lads took full value of the wind in the first half, leading 1-8 to 0-2 at the break, and they held a strong grip on proceedings in the 2nd half to secure the victory..........
Padraig Ward opened the scoring in the 3rd minute, with Gary Hogan adding a pointed free in the 7th following a foul on Mickie Daffy.John Earls hit a brace of points in the 8th and 9th minute, the second following great work from Mickie Daffy, to stretch the lead to four points.
Another Hogan free in the 10th minute stretched the lead to five, but the scoring stopped from then to the 19th minute, when Martin Duggan pointed from play.
Two minutes later, Danny Russell opened the Eire Og account with a free, with Hogan matching this score from another placed ball a minute later.
Russell from a 65 added a second Eire Og point in the 26th minute to bring the score to 7 to 2.
However, the three minutes to half-time was where the Clooney lads took a strangle-hold on the match.
As Mickie Daffy won posession close to the Townies goal, he was pulled down, and Gary Hogan netted from the close-in free. From the puck-out a Clooney attack resulted in Duggans 2nd point, to finish the 1st half scoring on a commanding 1-8 to 0-2 scoreline.
With wind advantage, Eire Og were sure to mount an assault on the Clooney goal, but the Clooney boys were rock-solid in defence.
At the other end, Padraig Ward once again kicked-off the scoring with a super point in the 9th minute, with another Russell free in the 12th the Townies reply.
As the game slipped from Eire Og's grasp, frustration set-in, resulting in referee Tom Stackpool having little option but to send off one of the Eire Og players at the mid-point of the half.
This effectively ended their chances of victory, with John Earls notching three more points in the 19th, 21st and 26th minutes, along with a Gary Hogan point from play, with Danny Russell pointing a free for Eire Og in the 20th minute their only response.
They did stay fighting to the end and were rewarded with a goal from Damien McMahon as he fielded a delivery close to the Clooney goal and netted, to complete the scoring on a 1-13 to 1-4 scoreline.
Next up for the Clooney/Quin boys is a quarter-final meeting on the weekend of March 28th with Sixmilebridge who were very impressive in their win over Wolfe Tones.
Photographs Here http://www.clooneyquingaa.ie/index.php/component/option,comˍzoom/Itemid,27/catid,42/
The Under 21 "C" side were in action also on St. Patricks Day, and, despite a heroic effort from stand-in goal-keeper, Ruairí McNamara, they were defeated by a very impressive Newmarket side that hit two late goals to seal a comprehensive victory on the day.
