New Clare SHC winner imminent after four-goal Clooney-Quin prevail against Ballyea
Jerry O'Connor's late goal for Clooney-Quin sealed victory for his side in their Clare SHC semi-final against Ballyea. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
A 12th different winner in 22 years is now a certainty after Clooney-Quin held off perennial contenders Ballyea to tee up a Clare SHC final against Éire Óg in a fortnight’s time.
Despite being hampered by a Tony Kelly masterclass of scoring that resulted in his highest tally of the entire championship with 1-14, Clooney-Quin’s superior collective finally shone through to edge into the decider for the first time since 2017.
Level seven times by the 56th minute, talisman Peter Duggan arrowed over a brace of points before teeing up newcomer Jerry O’Connor for the clinching fourth goal to power Fergal Lynch’s side five clear entering injury-time.
They needed every point of that blitz though as a never-say-die Ballyea, backed by four titles in the last ten seasons, ensured a grandstand finish after substitute Niall Deasy earned a 63rd minute penalty that Tony Kelly inevitably smashed to the right corner of the net to slash the arrears to just two.
It would be their final chance though as while there would be another play, the puck-out broke to Martin Duggan to fire wide at the other end which turned out to be the final puck of an enthralling contest.
Clooney-Quin also got off to an ideal start with the aid of the conditions as early points from Callum Hassett and Peter Duggan were bolstered by a seventh minute opportunist goal for Sam Scanlan.
Fiachra Kirby responded with a major within two minutes at the other end after good work from Morgan Garry but then the chief protagonists Tony Kelly and Peter Duggan took centre stage. Five time All-Star Kelly somehow managing to pick off seven points, five of which stemmed from play while Duggan raided for 1-2 including a brilliant solo goal from a puck-out that he caught and bore down on goal before giving Barry Coote no chance at 2-4 to 1-7 by the 25th minute.
However, it was 2022 winners Ballyea that edged in front by the break after Kelly secured a brace of injury-time points to seal a 1-10 to 2-05 edge with the wind to come.
It was Clooney-Quin that once again started the new half on top as two Peter Duggan frees regained parity, a stalemate that would be replicated three more times before Clooney-Quin found a third goal at the two-thirds mark.
The excellent Jimmy Corry’s delivery from the left wing was fielded by Darragh McNamara ahead of goalkeeper Coote to make space and fire his third goal of the campaign despite being his first year out of minor.
Now four in arrears, out came Tony Kelly from his full-forward berth to inspire another full recovery as Ballyea arrowed over five of the next six points, three from their chief marksman to inspire another deadlock at 3-12 to 1-17 by the 55th minute.
Ballyea’s experience suggested that they were now in the ascendency but their young opponents admirably dug deeper and would be rewarded with that Jerry O’Connor goal that effectively cemented victory and kept Clooney-Quin’s dream of a first Clare SHC title in 83 years very much alive.
P Duggan 1-10 (8f); S Scanlan 1-1; D McNamara, J O’Connor 1-0 each; C Hassett 0-2; R Taylor, M Duggan 0-1 each
T Kelly 1-14 (1-0 Pen, 6f); F Kirby 1-1; C Kirby 0-2; D Costelloe, D Moylan 0-1 each
C Duggan; E Maxted, C Grogan, S McNamara; J Cahill, J Conneally, D Keogh; R Taylor, J Corry; J O’Neill, J O’Connor, P Duggan; D McNamara, C Hassett, S Scanlan
M Duggan for Hassett (50), P Finneran for Scanlan (57), T Lee for D. McNamara (57)
B Coote; D Moylan, P Flanagan, T Ó hUallacháin; P Casey, J Browne, M Garry; G O’Connell, D Costelloe; P Lillis, F Kirby, C Doohan; A Griffin, Tony Kelly, C Kirby
Thomas Kelly for Doohan (44), M Gavin for Griffin (50), N Deasy for F. Kirby (61)
J Hickey (Cratloe)
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