Awesome Athlone claim third successive title

Athlone CC1-16 Clonakilty CC0-1

The midlanders drawing on players from both Westmeath and Roscommon have dominated this competition for the past number of years. Before that they won several Leinster titles in both league and championship with the assistance of current inter-country stars as Frankie Dolan and Jonathan Dunning.

However, they were never so impressive as yesterday, when they thoroughly outclassed a strong Clonakilty side that did well to hold them to five points in what, for them, was a frustrating first half. Clonakilty's only serious attempts at goal came in that period, when they scored their only point to open the scoring in the sixth minute, and their only wide of the game also came in this early period when it appeared as if they might do damage.

All the time, however, Athlone were tightening their grip on the game, building their performance around their high-fielding midfielder, Cillian Broughall, centre-forward John Connellan, who covered every inch of the field, and full-forward Donal Shine, with plenty of assistance from the likes of centre-back Ronan Killian and corner forwards Ian Coffey and Conor Duignan, who tormented the Clonakilty defence throughout.

The game was clearly slipping away from Clonakilty before half-time and whatever glimmer of hope they might have had of a second-half revival was quickly snuffed out in the opening five minutes when Donal Shine (2), John Connellan and Conor Duignan drove over points.

The final blow came in the 39th minute when Shine, foraging far from his full-forward berth, beat a succession of defenders before placing wing forward Colin Dunning to score the goal that put the game beyond reach for Clonakilty.

Athlone, managed by Fergal O'Gara and Chris Ford, brother of Galway manager Peter, could afford the extravagance of nine wides.

For Clonakilty, goalkeeper Cathal O'Sullivan brought off a few fine saves to delay the arrival of the inevitable goal and when it eventually came he had no chance. The Cork side were overwhelmed in practically every area, despite the efforts of David Horan, Olan Hayes and Kevin O'Driscoll.

Scorers: Athlone CC: 0-6 (0-3 frees), C. Dunning 1-0, C. Duignan (frees), I. Coffey and J. Connellan 0-3 each, R. Killian 0-1.

Scorer for Clonakilty CC: M. Evans 0-1 (free).

ATHLONE CC: T. Moran (Maryland/Tang); J. Coyle (St. Aidan's), Simon Lawless (Tubberclair), E. MacConmhara (Athlone); Steven Lawless (Tubberclair), R. Killian (Clan na nGael), A. Connaughton (Tubberclair); C. Broughall (St. Brigid's), K. Waldron (St. Aidan's); C. Dunning (St. Brigid's), J. Connellan (Athlone), C. McHugh (St. Brigid's); I. Coffey (Tubberclair), D. Shine (Clan na nGael), C. Duignan (Clan na nGael).

Subs: A. Hanna (Tubberclair) for C. McHugh, S. Keegan (Athlone) for Stephen Lawless), E. Sheehy (St. Brigid's) for I. Coffey.

CLONAKILTY CC: C. O'Sullivan (Clonakilty); K. Callanan (Clonakilty), K. O'Driscoll (Barryroe), J. Tobin (Kilmeen); Diarmuid O'Sullivan (Ardfield), D. Horan (Clonakilty), O. Hayes (Clonakilty); B. O'Donoghue (Barryroe), Denis O'Sullivan (Ballinascarthy); M. Evans (Ardfield), P. Ryan (Ballinascarthy), L. A. White (Clonakilty); G. Holland (Barryroe), J.

O'Driscoll (Ardfield), G. O'Donovan (Clonakilty).

Subs: C. McCarthy (Clonakilty) for B. O'Donoghue, J. O'Donoghue (Clonakilty) for G. O'Donovan, B. O'Donoghue for M. Evans.

Referee: B. Tyrell (Tipperary).