Clare SHC: Last-gasp Cratloe point completes quarter-final line-up in dramatic conclusion

With Feakle topping Group 2 thanks to a 2-16 to 0-14 victory over relegation threatened Corofin, the cut-throat nature of the Canon Hamilton race saw Cratloe edge out previously unbeaten Kilmaley by a single point on score difference.

RIGHT MAN IN RIGHT PLACE: Cratloe's 2013 All Star Conor McGrath hit the decisive score Sunday. Picture: Eamon Ward

The wafer-thin margins between championship elation and exit were epitomised by the final Clare SHC group action in Newmarket-on-Fergus on Sunday afternoon.

Only a three-point victory would suffice for Cratloe to snatch the final quarter-final berth but despite enjoying a five-point final-quarter cushion, their opportunity seemed to have slipped from their grasp when Conor Cleary kicked a goal for Kilmaley on the hour mark to slash the arrears to just the minimum.

That result would have inched Kilmaley through to the business end on score difference at the expense of their opponents but a never-say-die Cratloe refused to adhere to that script. A 63rd-minute Rian Considine free doubled Cratloe’s lead before somehow obtaining a last-gasp point from the sideline as 2013 All-Star Conor McGrath intercepted a Kilmaley lineball to just clear the crossbar from 45 metres on the left touchline for a 1-20 to 1-17 win.

With last year’s semi-finalists Feakle topping Group 2 thanks to a 2-16 to 0-14 victory over relegation threatened Corofin in Clarecastle courtesy of a goal in each half from Shane McGrath and Fiachra Donnellan, the cut-throat nature of the Canon Hamilton race saw Cratloe edge out previously unbeaten Kilmaley by a single point on score difference.

With Sixmilebridge and Crusheen prevailing from Group 4 in similarly dramatic circumstances on Friday evening, the biggest victory of the weekend was saved for Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon when a resurgent Inagh-Kilnamona hit Broadford for four second half goals on their path to the last eight.

In a winner-takes-all encounter, Broadford looked to have done the hard work when holding their wind-assisted opponents to a one-point half-time advantage at 0-10 to 0-09. However, the introduction of recent All-Ireland winner Aidan McCarthy for his championship bow would prove transformational for Inagh-Kilnamona in a 4-19 to 0-16 win.

Fellow county senior Sean Rynne began the goal rush after only 13 second of the resumption while replacements Gearoid Barry (2-2) and Aidan McCarthy (1-3) would combine for a whopping 3-5 of their 4-9 to 0-7 second half turnaround.

It still wasn’t enough to clinch Group 3, with that perch saved for last year’s semi-finalists Scariff who, without the services of Mark Rodgers, still managed to produce a grandstand finish and remarkably complete a nine-point second-half turnaround against O’Callaghan’s Mills by 1-19 to 1-17 in Tulla.

Despite the unwanted tag of being the only team to be destined for the relegation play-offs with a game to spare, the Mills took the game to their East Clare neighbours from the outset with a timely Cormac Murphy goal helping them to a surprise 1-11 to 0-08 interval advantage.

Scariff weren’t about to let their championship hopes fade though, with Patrick Crotty leading a late charge, culminating in his 52nd minute goal to inch his side into the ascendency for the first time.

Daniel Treacy still had to made an outstanding last ditch save to deny Fiona Hickey a winning goal as Scariff relievedly prevailed.

Relief was also the predominant emotion for Éire Óg who impressively maintained their flawless start to the championship with a 0-19 to 0-17 final round victory over 2021 and ’22 champions Ballyea in Cusack Park on Saturday evening.

Ballyea needed to win by six in order to leapfrog their Ennis opponents in the prestigious Group of Death and they certainly started in determined mood as Tony Kelly and Niall Deasy helped them to a four point lead.

Crucially however, Éire Óg grabbed the last two points of the half through the unerring Russell to only trail by 0-10 to 0-8 by the break before regaining full parity inside the opening minute of the new half through Darren O’Brien and Oran Cahill.

With the wind in their sails and at their backs, Gerry O’Connor’s team fired four unanswered points through Russell (2), David Reidy and substitute Eoin O’Regan to hit the front for the first time at 0-14 to 0-11. So while an experienced Ballyea inevitably refused to yield and got the deficit back to just the minimum on three occasions in the final quarter, Éire Óg still had a major ace to play as the introduction of current All-Star Shane O’Donnell helped get his side over the line.

Scoring one and teeing up the last point for Danny Russell, O’Donnell, who had to retire prematurely with a hamstring injury against Clonlara two weeks earlier was a welcome addition to ensure that Éire Óg topped Group 1.

Holders Clonlara will accompany them into this evening’s quarter-final draw after bouncing back to winning ways in devastating fashion with a 3-26 to 2-17 victory over Clooney-Quin in Sixmilebridge.

Three opening quarter goals for Ian Galvin, Aidan Moriarty and Micheál O’Loughlin set the tone for a devastating display that saw the champions soar as much as 16 points clear before Clooney-Quin raided for late consolation goals for brothers Martin and Peter Duggan.

Fergal Lynch’s side enter the relegation semi-final draw alongside the Mills, St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield and intermediate champions Corofin while the next winners of the second tier will emerge from the eight remaining sides that include newly relegated pair Wolfe Tones and Clarecastle, last year’s finalists Sixmilebridge, Whitegate, Ruan, Killanena, Tubber and Parteen-Meelick