Clare SHC: Majestic John Conlon leads Clonlara into semi-finals

Conlon's scores and leadership brought Clonlara to the cusp of a county final return after seven years

LEADER: Clare star John Conlon scored 0-5 for Clonlara. Pic: James Crombie/INPHO

Clare SHC quarter-final

Clonlara 1-14 Éire Óg 0-14 

The conditions were awful as incessant rain made for pools of water everywhere, but such was the omnipresent force of the galloping and marauding John Conlon that he looked capable of walking on it — he was that good, as his scores and leadership brought Clonlara to the cusp of a county final return after seven years.

The 34-year-old may now be the linchpin of the Clare defence as a centre-back, but in going back to his forward roots he provided the inspiration for this victory with a five-point haul from play carrying Clonlara to a fully deserved three-point victory.

It was Conlon’s defiance as much as his hurling that tipped the scales in this tight contest, as all his contributions were telling and match-defining.

He stepped up to give his side the lead for the first time with a seventh-minute point, while he also stood tallest when the need was at its greatest in the second half — take your pick from a 41st-minute point that edged Clon back two in front after David Reidy’s freetaking had reduced matters to the minimum, or twice inside the last ten minutes when he lifted the siege in the best way possible by raising two more white flags.

Those around him could not but be inspired, with the most significant coming just 13 minutes in when midfielder Colm O’Meara raced through and blasted the only goal of the game.

This goal helped Clon into a 1-5 to 0-3 lead against an Éire Óg side that had just one scorer in the first-half apart from the brilliant Reidy, with Dara Walsh opening the scoring in the first minute.

It just wasn't enough, even if Reidy’s peerless free-taking did ensure it was only a two-point game at the break when matters rested at 1-6 to 0-7.

More was needed from the Townies’ attack, but the job of work was again left exclusively to Reidy, apart from a lone Shane O’Donnell point in the 57th minute when a goal was needed to restore parity and light a fire under the defeated 2022 finalists.

This contrasted sharply with the winners’ scoring load — a difference that ultimately proved crucial as there was no shortage of players in yellow willing to step up to take the responsibility that got them over the line.

With just a point separating them once more entering the last ten minutes Michael O’Loughlin put a few bad wides behind him with a brilliant point; Conlon did the same, again and again, as did Ian Galvin and Cian Moriarty who also split the posts inside the last five minutes.

Éire Óg just didn’t have this firepower and could have no complaints.

Scorers for Clonlara: M O’Loughlin (0-6, 4f), J Conlon (0-5), C O’Meara (1-0), I Galvin (0-2), C Moriarty (0-1). 

Scorers for Éire Óg: D Reidy (0-12, 10f, 1 ‘65), D Walsh (0-1), S O’Donnell (0-1). 

Éire Óg: P Walsh; N McMahon, A Fitzgerald, F Treacy; O Cahill, C Russell, L Corry; J Collins, L Kavanagh; M Moloney, D Reidy, G Cooney; D Walsh, S O’Donnell, D O’Brien. 

Subs: C O’Dea for Kavanagh (Half-Time), D Russell for M Moloney (Half-Time), L Kavanagh for Cahill (55).

Clonlara: S Gully; M Clancy, G Powell, L Ryan; D Fitzgerald, D McMahon, P O’Loughlin; C O’Meara, J McMahon; A Moriarty, J Conlon, C Galvin; D Stritch, I Galvin, M O’Loughlin. Subs C Moriarty for Stritch (52).

Referee: F O’Brien (Broadford).