Josh Guyler sends Inagh-Kilnamona through to semis as Cratloe bow out
Inagh-Kilnamona's Shane McInerney and Cratloe's David Collins in action at Cusack Park, Ennis. Picture; Eamon Ward
Inagh-Kilnamona made it through to the Clare SHC semi-finals after a hard-fought four-point win over Cratloe at Cusack Park on Sunday.
A Josh Guyler goal in the 19th minute proved decisive in what was a keenly contested clash.
Cratloe enjoyed a good start and raced into a 0-3 to no-score lead by the sixth minute. Veteran forward Conor McGrath was influential in those early stages setting up Shane Gleeson and Cathal McInerney for the opening two scores before landing the third himself.
Inagh-Kilnamona midfielder Darren Cullinan got his side off the mark in the seventh minute after his colleague Aidan McCarthy caught a puck out and put him in a scoring position.
By the first water break, Cratloe enjoyed a 0-7 to 0-5 advantage and when they returned, their full-forward Podge Collins gathered a McGrath pass and struck for goal. But his shot rebounded off the crossbar and the ball was worked up the field to Guyler whose low shot made the Cratloe net billow.
McGrath equalized with a point from the right wing before Guyler split the posts to give Inagh-Kilnamona the lead once more (1-6 to 0-8). It was a lead they never surrendered from then on despite the close nature of the contest.
At half-time, they held a two-point advantage, 1-9 to 0-10, with Cratloe’s Cathal McInerney scoring the last point of the half in injury time. Just before that score, Inagh’s David Fitzgerald fired over the score of the game from the left sideline, well inside his own half.
Guyler once more pointed immediately after the interval before McInerney narrowed the gap with another score following a Damien Browne pass. In the 34th minute Cratloe put together an impressive attacking movement involving McGrath, McInerney, and Diarmuid Ryan but Ryan’s shot was superbly stopped by goalkeeper Pa Kelly, denying Cratloe a certain goal.
Inagh-Kilnamona kept their noses in front and led by 1-16 to 0-17 at the last water break. Podge Collins narrowed the gap on the restart but two influential scores by Connor Hegarty and substitute Shane McInerney restored Inagh-Kilnamona’s dominance. Cratloe hit a pair of wides in injury time to come up short by four.
