Former Clare boss O’Loughlin guides Adare to another final

Adare 1-18 Garryspillane 0-12

Ger O’Loughlin guided Adare to that hat-trick and then departed for his stint as Clare senior hurling manager. But when O’Loughlin made way for Davy Fitzgerald, he returned to Adare this season. Despite losing to Granagh-Ballingarry in round one and then drawing with Bruree in round two of the group stages, O’Loughlin has now guided Adare to yet another final.

Adare laid the foundation for victory in the opening half when backed by the wind. They had a 1-13 to 0-6 interval lead dressing room after running Garryspillane ragged for long periods.

By the end of the opening quarter, Adare were 1-8 to 0-2 ahead. James Ryan opened the scoring for Garryspillane but it was all Adare after that.

Powered by an impressive half back line of Ross Kennedy, Wayne McNamara and David Dillon there was a constant supply of ball into the attack.

John Fitzgibbon led the way with four superb first half points, while midfielder Jody Hannon helped himself to two fine scores.

The vital goal came in the seventh minute when Donnacha Sheehan followed a long delivery into the goalmouth and got the slightest of touches to guide the ball to the net.

Although Declan Barry broke the succession of Adare scores in the 15th minute, Fitzgibbon and free-taker Willie Griffin soon extended the lead to 10-points. Then came a slight reprieve for Garryspillane with three scores on the trot. Gearoid Power and Donie Ryan getting the scores.

But the final 10-minutes of the half again belonged to Adare with Fitzgibbon and two from Griffin giving them a 10-point lead at the break. And, that was without the services of inter-county star Declan Hannon, who sat the game out through suspension.

The second-half was a tame affair with Garryspillane unable to make sufficient in-roads to force Adare to panick.

They underdogs did have early second half points from Kieran Hickey and a Donie Ryan free, but they couldn’t find the goal they needed.

It took Adare all of 13-minutes to reopen their account but they were always able to maintain their advantage.

Substitutes PJ Hall and Diarmuid Sexton had points midway through the half for Adare as Garryspillane relied on Donie Ryan frees to edge back into contention.

James Ryan had his second point of the game but 10-minutes from the end it was 1-16 to 0-11 to the eventual winners. Fitzgibbon completed his afternoon with his fifth point to extend the lead and then in the closing stages Griffin scored his fifth point from play and his eighth in total to seal victory.

Scorers for Adare: W. Griffin 0-8 (3f), J. Fitzgibbon 0-5, D. Sheehan 1-0, J. Hannon 0-2, A. O’Rahilly, A. O’Connell, PJ Hall, D. Sexton 0-1 each.

Scorers for Garryspillane: Donie Ryan 0-7 (6f), J. Ryan 0-2, D. Barry, G. Power, K. Hickey 0-1 each.

ADARE: S. O’Donoghue; J. Lohan, M. Clifford, S. Lavin; R. Kennedy, W. McNamara, D. Dillon; J. Hannon, C. Fitzgerald; J. Fitzgibbon, P. Keane, A. O’Rahilly; D. Sheehan, A. O’Connell, W. Griffin.

Subs: C. Cribbin for Clifford (26), D. Sexton for O’Rahilly (42), PJ Hall for Sheehan (47), L. O’Brien for O’Connell (56).

GARRYSPILLANE: Darren Hayes; B. O’Donnell, David Ryan, E. Halligan; R. Sheehan, M. O’Donnell, T. Harty; J. Ryan, G. Power; S. Meade, Danny Hayes, K. Hickey; D. Barry, Donie Ryan, C. Hickey.

Subs: L. Power for Meade (49), E. Burke for Hickey (56), K. Meade for S. Meade (56).

Referee: T. Mann.