Clare SHC off to a flier as Kilmaley stun champions Ballyea

Tony Kelly couldn't help his side to a campaign-opening victory.

Ballyea's Peter Casey. File picture: Eamon Ward

As starts go, the opening day of the Clare SHC on Saturday was certainly explosive as champions Ballyea were left reeling by a barrage of second-half scores from a rampant Kilmaley side as they crashed to 12-point defeat.

It was brilliant by Kilmaley, but a complete collapse by the two-in-a-row champions as they failed to register a single score from play in the second half as a 0-11 to 0-8 interval lead quickly evaporated before being on the receiving end of decisive beating.

With Tony Kelly leading the way in the first 0-4 from play in the first half of this Cusack Park clash it looked as if the champions had picked up where they left off in last year’s county final win over Éire Óg, as they launched their bid for a fifth title since 2016.

However, Kilmaley’s response when it mattered most left Ballyea gasping for air, before they were then soundly beaten by 2-20 to 0-14 and in early trouble in their latest title defence.

Indeed, their day was done by the 40th minute as Tony Kelly added three frees to his total, but thereafter it was all Kilmaley as Mikey O’Malley and Mikey O’Neill led their charge to a huge impressive win.

Both grabbed goals during a purple patch in which they hit 2-7 without reply either side of the three-quarter stage to overwhelm a Ballyea side that flagged badly.

They moved 0-16 to 0-14 clear by the three-quarter stage, before the goals that occurred within the space of a minute just after Gearóid O’Connell was given his marching orders as a ruthless Kilmaley side put real daylight between the sides.

Kilmaley: B O’Loughlin, O Looney, C McGuane (0-1), M O’Connor; T Barry, C Moloney (0-2), B Cahill; C Cleary, S Kennedy; D Keane (0-3), M O’Malley (1-8, 6f), J Carmody (0-2), T McGuire, M O’Neill (1-3), T O’Rourke (0-1). Subs C Killen for McGuire, G O’Grady for O’Rourke, A McGuane for Kennedy, K Kennedy for Clery.

Ballyea: O Griffin; J Murphy, P Flanagan, P Casey; M Garry, J Browne, B O’Connell, G O’Connell (0-1), A Keane; F Ginnane, T Kelly (0-9, 4f, 1 ’65), C O’Connor; M Gavin (0-1), N Deasy (0-1), D Burke (0-2). Subs T Kelly for Keane, C Kirby for Gavin, M O’Leary for Burke.

The benefit of experience at senior level was there for all to see in Dr Daly Park in Tulla on Saturday afternoon as Scariff turned on the style in the second half to ease to a deserved seven-point victory over newly promoted St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield.

Three second-half goals courtesy of Liam Crotty, Keelan Hartigan and Fergus Madden powered them home to a 3-17 to 1-16 win over a St Joseph’s side, whose challenge flagged in the third quarter.

With Mark Rodgers leading the way early on the East Clare side had a fast start to lead by 0-6 to 0-2 after 15 minutes only for a resurgent Doors-Barefield outfit to dominate the second quarter as they eked out a 0-10 to 0-9 interval lead.

However, a brilliant Keelan Hartigan goal early in the second half after he had been set up by Rodgers was the spark for a Scariff power play that saw them move 2-14 to 0-13 clear by 40th minute after Fergus Madden raised their second green flag.

From there Scariff were in cruise control, with their dominance being hammered home once more when Rodgers showcased his audacious skills once more when setting up Liam Crotty for a goal that finally killed the contest before a battle Doora-Barefield grabbed a late consolation goal through Cian Barron.

Scariff: W Kavanagh; S McCaul, M Scanlon, D Treacy; S Cairns, D Nash, S Kavanagh (0-1); C Downes (0-2), K Hartigan (1-1); M Barrett (0-1), P Crotty (0-1), L Crotty (1-3); M Rodgers (0-6, 5f), P Ryan, F Madden (1-2). Subs E O’Brien for Madden, M Cunningham for Downes, S Minogue for Ryan 

St Joseph’s Doors-Barefield P Madden; B Clancy, D McMahon (0-1), F Meaney (0-1); E McMahon, D O’Shea (0-1), A Mungovan (0-1); J Hannan, D Conroy (0-10, 8f); D Nagle, B Guilfoyle, E Thinge; C Barron (1-1), C Tierney, E Lahiffe (0-1). Subs A O’Neill for Tierney, C Lahiffe for Guilfoyle, C Ruane for Nagle