Podge Collins strikes late to edge Cratloe past Ennistymon after extra time and into Clare SFC semis

Cratloe will now face St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield in a fortnight’s time while champions Éire Óg take on Lissycasey in the other last four clash.

Cratloe's Padraic Collins and Ennistymon's Liam Cotter in action. Picture : Eamon Ward

TUS Senior Football Championship quarter-final: Cratloe 2-14 Ennistymon 2-13 (after extra time)

A late Podge Collins point finally cemented Cratloe’s place in the Clare SFC Semi-Finals after their titanic wrestle for supremacy with Ennistymon went all the way to extra-time in Páirc Finne, Corofin.

Level five times by the 76th minute, an interception by captain Kevin Harnett initiated a counter-attack that involved experienced forwards Cathal McInerney and Sean Collins before passing inside to younger brother Podge to gladly take what turned out to be the winning point.

It was cruel on Ennistymon who had led by six at one stage following a blistering start in which points through Josh Guyler, Brandy Rouine and Gearoid Barry were accentuated by a flicked seventh minute goal by Josh Vaughan after good work from Sean and Cillian Rouine at 1-3 to 0-0.

Cratloe took until midway through the half to open their account, but it would be worth the wait as Tadhg Lohan cut in from the right corner, with his back heeled attempt partially blocked into the path of newcomer Ryan Harkin to finish to the net.

Within four minutes, Colm Collins’ side would be level after frees from the returning Cathal McInerney but Ennistymon still edged in front by the break thanks in the main to a two-pointer for Kealan Guyler at 1-6 to 1-5.

Ennistymon’s fast start would be maintained on the resumption as Brendy Rouine had the ball past goalkeeper Padraigh Chaplin after only 80 seconds quickly followed by a free to stretch the gap to five.

It would be the North Clare side’s final score for 17 minutes though as ten second half wides allowed a more experienced Cratloe side to incrementally chip away at the deficit.

Points for Harkin, Sean Collins and Cathal McInerney were almost glittered by a goal but two separate Jamie Moylan attempts would be thwarted including a great save from Noel Sexton at 2-7 to 1-8.

As the tie entered the final ten minutes, Cratloe’s patience finally paid off when an emphatic Diarmuid Ryan goal provided a major shot-in-the-arm to hit the front for the very first time.

Brendy Rouine equalised while Cillian Rouine would subsequently force extra time when responding to a Podge Collins score at the hour mark at 2-9 apiece.

Ennistymon emptied their bench and looked fresher from the outset of the additional periods but despite a Sean Rouine point, Cillian Rouine would see a powerful effort canon off the crossbar.

Instead, a relieved Cratloe gathered momentum as the half developed, kicking four unanswered points through McInerney (2), Sean and Podge Collins to hold a 2-13 to 2-10 half-time edge.

It would be wiped out within five minutes of the new half as Ennistymon looked to turn the screw with points for Sean and Brenda Rouine and substitute Sean Rynne while also seeing another replacement Seanie Conneally’s goal disallowed for a square ball.

Three further misses would haunt Ennistymon though when Podge Collins popped up with that well-worked 76th minute point that would secure a semi-final showdown with St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield in a fortnight’s time while champions Éire Óg take on Lissycasey.

Scorers for Cratloe: Cathal McInerney (0-6, 1tpf, 3f); Sean Collins (0-4, 3f); Ryan Harkin (1-1); Podge Collins (0-3); Diarmuid Ryan (1-0).

Scorers for Ennistymon: Brendy Rouine (1-4, 4f); Josh Vaughan (1-0); Josh Guyler, Kealan Guyler (1tp), Sean Rouine (0-2 each); Gearoid Barry, Cillian Rouine, Sean Rynne (0-1 each).

Cratloe: Padraigh Chaplin; Riain McNamara, Kevin Harnett, Mike Brennan; Enda Boyce, Liam Markham, Marc O’Brien; Diarmuid Ryan, Jamie Moylan; Ryan Harkin, Rian Considine, Sean Collins; Podge Collins, Tadhg Lohan, Cathal McInerney.

Sub: Conal O’Hanlon for Harkin (56).

Ennistymon: Noel Sexton; Ciaran McMahon, Sean Driscoll, Joey Rouine; Josh Vaughan, Liam Cotter, Darragh Conneely; Cillian Rouine, Brendy Rouine; Sean Rouine, Eoin Rouine, Tiernan Hogan; Kealan Guyler, Joshua Guyler, Gearoid Barry.

Subs: Brian McNamara for Hogan (59), Sean Conneally for K. Guyler (59), Sean Rynne for Vaughan (61), Darren McNamara for J. Guyler (72), Vaughan for E. Rouine (76, inj).

Referee: Chris Maguire (Wolfe Tones).