Saturday, 2nd November 2013

Sixmilebridge 1-11 v 0-11 Clonlara

Senior Hurling Championship

Semi-Final @ Cusack Park - SixmilebridgeGAA.com Match Report

Sixmilebridge have qualified for their second senior final in three years after this hard fought and merited victory over Clonlara earlier today. The conditions at Cusack Park were poor with showers of rain making the soft underfoot conditions worse as a Alan Mulready goal before the break proved to be the deciding score.

Both sides had a number of positional switches at the throw in as Clonlara had the assistance of a strong wind as another close game similar to their group meeting was expected. It was the ‘Bridge who made the brightest start with Niall Gilligan pointing frees in the 5th and 8th minutes to send his side into a two point lead. Clonlara had a couple of wides before Cathal O’Connell slotted a free from seventy five metres to get them off the mark. The resulting puck out was intercepted by John Conlon before he offloaded to the on running Colm Galvin who split the posts to level matters. However, Gilligan edged the ‘Bridge ahead within a minute as he sent over a free.

Clonlara were finding it hard to find their range with Ciaran Downey and Cathal O’Connell, from a free, both firing wide as Oisin O‘Brien was shown a yellow card in the 17th minute for throwing Alan Mulready‘s hurley up into the stand. Paul Nihil was introduced for Clonlara on twenty minutes as some great fielding by Shane Golden saw Clonlara concede the foul within scoring range. Gilligan elected to pick out Jamie Shanahan with a quick free that didn’t come off as the youngster was blocked down with the ball cleared away to safety. Two Cathal O’Connell frees sent Clonlara into the lead by the 24th minute as Cormac O’Donovan entered the notebook a minute later. James Hastings sent over a fine score to extend the lead as Sam O’Sullivan came into the ’Bridge defence as a blood sub for Noel Purcell.

With one minute left to the break it seemed as if the Donal Madden managed Clonlara were going to go in at the break three to the good after Galvin sent over his second of the day. The ‘Bridge had other ideas though with the momentum shifted into their favour coming up to half time as Alan Mulready pulled to the net. This came about after Kevin Lynch passed into Seadna Morey who brought out a good save from Ger O’Connell with Mulready on hand to goal. Things got ever better in the first minute of added time as good work from John Fennessy in defence and Shane Golden created a chance for Jamie Shanahan who arrowed his shot over the bar. This score left it 1-4 to 0-6 in favour of the ‘Bridge at the interval.

Sixmilebridge had the aid of the strong breeze for the second half with Darach Honan on for Clonlara. It was the latter that made the best start with three quick fire scores from Cormac O’Donovan, a good pointed free from distance from the stick of Nicky O’Connell and Honan. Down the other end of the pitch Oisin O’Brien produced a good flick at the expense of a sideline ball to spoil a scoring chance. The next score for the ’Bridge came from Paidí Fitzpatrick with a booming effort from distance. This paved the way for the next three scores with Niall Gilligan showing his array of scoring skills with a free and sixty free supplemented with a good effort from play. His forward colleague Rory Shanahan was getting through an amount of work for the ‘Bridge as all over the field both sets of players were giving their all.

Entering the final quarter both teams spurned scoring efforts as Cathal O’Connell had the next score from a free in the 48th minute. Derek Fahy picked out Seadna Morey from a puck out in the 49th minute with the number nine blasting over to put the ’Bridge two ahead. Clonlara brought Seamus Downey into their defence at the expense of Eoin Meehan as keeper Ger O’Connell saw yellow in the 51st minute with the resulting sixty five converted by Gilligan. This gave John O’Meara’s troops a one goal lead with John Fennessy making way for Sam O’Sullivan. Veteran Gilligan extended it to four with a good effort from play in the 53rd only for Cathal O’Connell to cancel it out with a free on 55 minutes.

Sixmilebridge could have put more between the teams as they created a few scoring chances but failed to take them as down the other end Fahy was booked for a foul on Hastings on 59 minutes resulting in a free a few metres outside the twenty one. Cormac O’Donovan struck the free but Fahy produced a good save with a number of ‘Bridge bodies back guarding the goal. From the resulting scramble a foul was committed on Rory Shanahan as Danny Morey was brought into the ‘Bridge attack. Three minutes of injury time were played with the Aidan Quilligan captained Sixmilebridge running out 1-11 to 0-11 victors.
 
This was a good battling team performance from the ‘Bridge who can now look forward to a final meeting with either Newmarket or Ballyea who will face off tomorrow. It marks the end of Clonlara’s campaign but with a good young team they will be back again next year and the foreseeable future in the mix for championship honours once again.

Sixmilebridge: Derek Fahy; Brian Carey, Aidan Qulligan (Capt), Tadgh Keogh; John Fennessy, Caimin Morey, Noel Purcell; Kevin Lynch, Paidí Fitzpatrick (0-1); Seadna Morey (0-1), Shane Golden, Rory Shanahan; Jamie Shanahan (0-1), Niall Gilligan (0-8; 0-4 fs, 0-2 65s), Alan Mulready (1-0).

Subs: Sam O’Sullivan for Purcell (blood sub, 27-30 mins), O’Sullivan for Fennessy (52 mins), Danny Morey for Lynch (60 mins).

Clonlara: Ger O’Connell; Oisin O’Brien, Domnhall O’Donovan, Shane O’Brien; Eoin Meehan, Nicky O’Connell (0-1f), Cillian Fennessy; John Conlon, Colm Galvin (0-2); Ciaran Downey, Pat O’Hare, Cormac O’Donovan (0-1); James Hastings (0-1), Cathal O’Connell (0-5fs), Micheal O’Loughlin.

Subs: Paul Nihil for O’Loughlin (20 mins), Darach Honan (0-1) for O’Hare (half time), Seamus Downey for Meehan (49 mins).
 
Referee: Kevin Walsh (Wolfe Tones).