Clare SHC: Éire Óg, Kilmaley and Inagh-Kilnamona in the driving seat

CRUISING ON Shane O'Donnell of Éire Óg are in fine fettle in the Clare SHC. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Death, taxes may still be a certainty but places in the Clare SHC Quarter-Finals are no longer in the same bracket. Nonetheless holders Éire Óg and perennial contenders Kilmaley and Inagh-Kilnamona are as close as humanly possible following second-successive victories on Saturday.

Despite a flawless three-year group record, Éire Óg were handed their sternest title defence yet when trailing a plucky Scariff by two scores in both halves in Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg. In a first championship bout in opposite trenches, successful former Clare minor, Under 21 and senior managerial duo Gerry O’Connor (Éire Óg) and Donal Moloney (Scariff) produced a compelling showdown.

A first-half Patrick Crotty goal was matched by a Danny Russell penalty as Scariff’s four-point edge was reduced to the minimum by the break at 1-9 to 1-8. However, despite being without 2023 National Young Hurler of the Year Mark Rodgers through a broken hand, Scariff managed to keep their noses in front for the bulk of the second period too, soaring as much as five clear.

The champions refused to panic though with Shane O’Donnell teeing up Luca Cleary for a 53rd-minute equalising goal before David Reidy, Daren O’Brien and Aaron Fitzgerald completed a relieving 2-20 to 1-21 victory.

In Group 4, Kilmaley are also within touching distance of a return to the last eight following a commanding 3-20 to 0-15 victory over first round victors Wolfe Tones in Clarecastle. Brian Culbert’s side had finished strongly to finally see off Newmarket a fortnight previously and replicated that feat once more when building on a 0-10 to 0-09 interval edge with timely third quarter goals for Conor Cleary, Sean O’Loughlin and Tommy Barry.

The 2020 winners Sixmilebridge ensured that their fate remains in their own hands ahead of a final round encounter with Kilmaley after holding off Newmarket-on-Fergus by 1-21 to 2-16. Both neighbours had lost their first test but despite being level seven times, a 34th-minute goal for newcomer Dara Fitzgerald provided the impetus for the ‘Bridge to cling to for the remainder despite a late scare when Peter Power pulled back a late goal for Newmarket.

Inagh-Kilnamona, fresh from dishing out a 10-point defeat on 2021 and ’22 winners Ballyea, doubled their Group 1 bounty when brushing off the challenge of St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield by 0-25 to 0-12 in Ruan.

Clare’s 2024 All-Ireland Senior winning marksman Aidan McCarthy fired 11 points alongside current inter-county duo David Fitzgerald (0-4) and Sean Rynne (0-4) to avoid any Parish upset and put one foot in the knock-out stages.

Finally, a stirring injury-time recovery saw Cratloe remarkably clinch back-to-back Group 3 draws after reeling in O’Callaghan’s Mills in O’Garney Park in Sixmilebridge at 1-24 to 4-15. Premier Intermediate champions Mills were reeling from a below-par senior reintroduction against 2024 senior winners Feakle and took their frustrations out on Cratloe, mainly through Jacob Loughnane’s frees.

Goals for Rian Considine and Podge Collins kept Cratloe on level terms by the midway mark at 2009 to 0-12 but when Liam Murphy made the breakthrough for the Mills entering the final ten minutes, it seemed as if the East Clare side were heading for their first points.

Indeed, it took a brace of additional time goals to snatch an unlikely point when first Marc O’Brien and then a 64th minute flicked effort from Conor Ryan with the last touch of the game kept Group 3 wide open.