Impressive Cratloe advance to semi-finals
Cratloe, also in the last four of the senior hurling championship, held a merited 0-10 to 0-3 advantage at the interval. Aided by a slight wind advantage, Cratloe built up a sizeable lead, thanks to clever movement and superior scoring power in front of goal.
Three quickfire points by Cathal McInerney, Sean Collins and Liam Markham extended that advantage within 12 minutes of the restart before O’Curry’s stormed back in the final quarter, hitting 1-5.
Jim Downes scored O’Curry’s goal on 52 minutes and Ger Quinlan added a point a minute later, reducing the gap to two points (0-14 to 1-9).
But Cratloe, who introduced new recruit, Limerick star John Galvin, as a second-half substitute, got themselves over the line with two injury-time scores by full-forward Cathal McInerney.
Last year’s runners-up Doonbeg crashed out when suffered a defeat to rivals Cooraclare by 1-7 to 0-8 at Quilty yesterday.
A late goal by inter-county star Rory Donnelly proved decisive in a game which Cooraclare led 0-4 to 0-2 at the break.
Doonbeg fought back on the restart and a Colm Dillon point edged the Magpies into a one point (0-8 to 0-7) lead. But then came Donnelly’s late goal, which swung the game for Cooraclare.
Cooraclare will join Cratloe in tonight’s semi-final draw, along with the winners of Éire Óg/St Joseph’s Miltown, plus the winners of Kilmurry-Ibrickane and Clondegad.
