O’Callaghan’s Mills make wasteful Inagh Kilnamona pay

Clare SHC

O Callaghan’s Mills 2-16 Inagh Kilnamona 0-13

O’Callaghan’s Mills made it through to the semi-finals of the Clare Senior hurling championship, a feat they last achieved in 2018, when they proved too strong for a disappointing Inagh Kilnamona at Cusack Park yesterday. 

Playing with a strong breeze at their backs in the opening half, Inagh Kilnamona needed to amass a good lead before half-time. But they went in level with their opponents at the whistle and struggled to find their feet in the second period. 

Seventeen wides over the hour, seven in the first and ten in the second half, didn’t help their cause. O Callaghan’s Mills exhibited a lot more urgency and hurled without inhibition as they cruised to victory in the second half.

Inagh Kilnamona opened the scoring with a pointed free by Aidan McCarthy. Colin Crehan replied for the Mills with a score from the right sideline. By the mid-point of the half, wind assisted Inagh Kilnamona were leading by 0-6 to 0-2 and looked comfortable. But just before the first water-break, Crehan, who was operating at corner-forward, was in for the Mills’ first goal. 

The second quarter was reasonably even and they went in level at 1-7 to 0-10. O Callaghan’s Mills manager Donach O’Donnell must have been the happier of the two bosses, as his side had kept pace against the wind.

Crehan and Gary Cooney added early second-half points to put the East Clare club in pole position. By the 43rd minute they had stretched their lead to four (1-12 to 0-11). 

In an effort to shake things up, Inagh Kilnamona boss Fergal Hegarty moved centre-back Kevin Hehir to centre-forward and centre-forward David Fitzgerald back to the number six position. But this positional switch did not have the desired effect. With Garry Cooney, Jacob Loughnane and the veteran Bryan Donnellan in scoring form, Inagh Kilnamona had no answers.

Then to add to their woes, a Jacob Loughnane free in injury time, from his own half-back line, ended up in the net after goalkeeper Eamon Foudy fumbled. 

Meanwhile, in a Round 2 game also played at Cusack Park yesterday, Éire Óg of Ennis defeated Cratloe by 1-18 to 0-15 and will now face Feakle in the last of the quarter-final games. Éire Óg attacker Danny Russell finished with a personal tally of 1-11.

Scorers for O Callaghan’s Mills: C Crehan (1-6, 0-2 frees); J Loughnane (1-4, 1-1 frees, 2 ‘65s); G Cooney (0-3); B Donnellan (0-2); S Cotter (0-1).

Scorers for Inagh Kilnamona: A McCarthy (0-5, 4 frees); D Cullinan, C Hegarty (0-2 each); C McInerney, J McCarthy, S Foudy, N Arthur (0-1 each).

O CALLAGHAN’S MILLS: K Nugent, M Cotter, Conor Cooney, Gerry Cooney, P Donnellan, A O’Gorman, N O’Donovan, Ciarán Cooney, C Henry, A Fawl, B Donnellan (Capt.), J Loughnane, Gary Cooney, S Cotter, C Crehan.

Subs: C Murphy for Fawl (52), M McGrath for S Cotter (59).

INAGH KILNAMONA: E Foundy, S McInerney, S Mahony, K White, C McInerney, K Hehir (Capt.)S Foudy, J McCarthy, D Cullinan, A McCarthy, D Fitzgerald, C Hegarty, K Guyler, E McNamara, N Arthur.

Subs: C Tierney for Mescal (25), E Fitzgerald for Guyler (53) 

Referee: J Mullins (Clonlara)