Clare SHC: Giants Sixmilebridge crash out

Ballyea's Gearoid O'Connell and Scarriff's Keelan Hartigan in action. Pic: Eamon Ward

The vagaries of a new GAA rule hit the dominant force of Clare hurling over the past 50 years as Sixmilebridge crashed out of the Clare SHC on Friday when slumping to a 3-17 to 1-21 defeat to O’Callaghan’s Mills.

An injury-time goal from Colm Cleary that brought his tally to 3-6 sealed the Bridge’s fate, as it allowed Crusheen pip them to the second quarter-final place behind Clonlara in Group 2 — all thanks to the rule where only the ‘Bridge’s (+2) and Crusheen’s (+5) score difference against each other and the Mills, and not Clonlara, decided matters and left the five-time champions since 2013 down and out.

It shouldn’t have come to this, however, as they led by four with as many minutes remaining, only to be ambushed by the Mills’ late, late show. The irony was that while it went horribly wrong for the ‘Bridge, it looked equally bad for a Crusheen side on the receiving end of a trimming from Clonlara on a 0-22 to 1-10 scoreline.

Clonlara’s work was done by half-time as they led by 0-13 to 0-3, with captain Jathan McMahon showing the way with 0-5 from midfield as they eased into a first quarter-final since 2019.

In Group 3 Peter Duggan’s personal tally of 2-6 helped Clooney-Quin book a quarter-final place when ending Cratloe’s hopes with a comprehensive 5-12 to 0-13 win in Sixmilebridge on Saturday.

The 2018 All-Star was only cleared to play during the week after the red card he received against Newmarket-on-Fergus was rescinded and he made hay with two first-half goals helping his side into a 3-8 to 0-6 lead.

Cratloe were without Podge Collins, but welcomed 2013 All-Ireland winner and All-Star Conor Ryan back for his first championship outing in seven years after illness had forced him onto the sidelines in early 2017.

Ryan made his presence felt when introduced, but by then it was damage limitation as Clooney-Quin moved on impressively. Newmarket-on-Fergus were group winners before pucking a ball against neighbours Wolfe Tones, but nonetheless kept up their 100 percent record with a 3-16 to 0-18 win in Clarecastle on Sunday.

Tones led by 0-11 to 1-7 at the break, but Shane Lynch’s goal late in the half kickstarted Newmarket, from where they turned around and put in a dominant second half as goals by Éanna Crimmins and Colin Ryan getting them home to a seven-point win.

David Reidy continued his rich vein of scoring form when he followed up his 1-12 against Broadford with 2-6 as Éire Óg eased past winless Clarecastle by 4-15 to 0-16 in a Group 4 clash in Cusack Park on Saturday.

A blistering opening ten minutes did for the Townies as they put 2-3 on the board with Reidy and Darren O’Brien goaling, while a third from Shane O’Donnell just before half-time ended the contest as they led 3-8 to 0-6.

The victory was enough for a quarter-final place, with Feakle topping the group after a 1-15 to 1-10 win over Broadford in Sixmilebridge. A 30th-minute goal from Óisin O’Connor gave Feakle a 1-5 to 0-3 interval lead from where they dominated before a Stiofán McMahon goal came too late for Broadford.

Group 1 remains undecided, with Scariff, Ballyea and Kilmaley still in the running ahead of the final round of games in two weeks time. Scariff and Ballyea played out an entertaining 0-19 apiece draw in Tulla on Sunday afternoon, while Kilmaley crashed to a 3-22 to 1-16 defeat to Inagh-Kilnamona.

Three-in-a-row chasing Ballyea were without Tony Kelly and looked on the way out when trailing by 0-13 to 0-5 at the break, but as ever they battled to the last to get a result.

Mark Rodgers contributed 0-14 for Scariff, but his side were eventually reeled in thanks to Niall Deasy who hit 0-7, while Cian Kirby landed the equalising point in the fourth minute of injury time.

Earlier in the afternoon, in Cusack Park, Inagh-Kilnamona recorded their first win, largely on the back of a storming first-half display when goals by Evan McNamara and David Fitzgerald helped them into a 2-16 to 0-8 interval lead. However, ultimately for the 2021 county finalists it was too little too late as they bowed out.