Clare SHC: Niall Deasy earns Ballyea late draw on drama-filled weekend

Ballyea's Niall Deasy, file photo.

A huge free from Ballyea’s Niall Deasy, deep into injury-time at the death earned a draw against Cratloe at Cusack Park and a quarter-final slot versus Kilmaley in a fortnight’s time.

The ace free-taker landed the free from well inside his own ’45 line with the last action of the game.

The result means that Ballyea topped their group 3 with Cratloe taking second place and a tilt at Inagh-Kilnamona in the last eight.

Ballyea had to play without captain Jack Browne and the inspirational Tony Kelly, both of whom were ruled out because of injury.

This was a tightly fought affair with the side level on nine occasions over the hour. They were level half-time, 0-10 to 1-7, inter-county footballer Cathal O’Connor grabbed the game’s first goal on 17 minutes for Ballyea. Veteran Cratloe attacker Conor McGrath found the Ballyea net in the 59th minute, in a tense and thrilling finale which ended 1-17 apiece.

There was another draw at the same venue on Saturday when Kilmaley’s 0-21 was matched by Clonlara’s 1-18. Unfortunately for Clonlara, a draw wasn’t enough to see them through, as Kilmaley qualified with a better scoring difference.

Clonara did score the last seven points of the clash but it just wasn’t enough to get them over the line. Kilmaley enjoyed a 0-13 to 0-8 lead at the interval having led by five points at the first water break. A Clonlara goal by Kieran Galvin just before the last break left them 0-18 to 1-10 in arrears and a Cathal O’Connell point from a '65 after the break put four between the teams.

Kilmaley struck for three rapid points in succession with five minutes of normal time on the clock. Remarkably Clonlara amassed seven scores on the trot before the final whistle, coming up just short.

It was a weekend for draws as Inagh-Kilnamona and Whitegate finished level on 0-22 apiece at Cusack Park on Saturday in the opening game. Inagh-Kilnamona remain unbeaten after this tie and top group 1, while the draw helped Whitegate to avoid a relegation dog-fight. The east Clare side levelled matters in injury-time from a pointed free by Michael Hynes.