Clonlara 0-23
Feakle 0-15

Páraic McMahon reports from Cusack Park, Ennis

CLONLARA’S ABUNDANCE of class was the big difference as they overcame Feakle to seal a return to the Clare Senior Hurling Championship final for the first time since 2016.

With an attacking spine of John Conlon and Ian Galvin, the first assumption from the outside would be that they were the main focal points in their commanding eight-point victory, both men certainly played their part but it was the trio of Colm O’Meara, Aidan Moriarty and Colm Galvin who really paved the way for victory on this occasion.

It took 13 minutes for Clonlara to take the lead and once they did they never looked back and were fully deserving of their win.

Opening exchanges were very even and the sides were level on four occasions inside the first 11 minutes.

However, Clonlara hit five unanswered points in the space of six minutes to take control of the contest with Moriarty, Ian Galvin and three scores from free-taker Micheál O’Loughlin allowing them to exert their authority.

Steven Conway managed to respond at the other end for Feakle, the East Clare side coached by ex-Galway U20 trainer Ciaran Callanan had another Conway point to cancel out an O’Loughlin free and with 23 minutes played they only trailed by three points.

Colm Galvin chipped in with two of the final scores of the opening half to give Clonlara a four-point advantage when the half-time whistle sounded.

Any hope of Feakle clawing their way back into proceedings began to evaporate on the restart with Clonlara outscoring them 3-1 inside the first seven minutes of the second half, Moriarty and a double from O’Loughlin seeing them negate Shane McGrath’s placed ball at the other end.

By producing another strong spell in the midpoint of the half where they scored three points on the bounce, the 2008 champions remained in complete control.

Talisman Shane McGrath continued to lead the fight for Feakle on the scoring stakes. He hit the crossbar on 19 minutes, resulting in a point where a goal was badly needed for them in their effort to pull it back.

Everything Feakle did was matched by Clonlara and they finished out the game with the final two scores via substitute Cian Moriarty and Ian Galvin, the Clare forward’s late hook on McGrath at the other end of the field typified the work rate and hunger that was arguably lacking in previous Clonlara sides.

Con Smyth to his credit did well with the unenviable task of marking John Conlon and kept him scoreless across the hour, however, the All-Star nominee was influential in winning frees and setting up scores.

Adam Hogan, Shane McGrath and Oisin Donnellan were among those to impress for Feakle, who lacked energy as they fell to their first championship defeat of the year.

Better balanced across the field, Clonlara won all of the key battles, which sets them up for the county final, a contest that they will wear the favourites tag for. They had leaders all over the field, kept their composure and made the right decision in possession, on the majority of occasions. Wing-forwards Colm O’Meara and Colm Galvin were particularly impressive along with midfielders Aidan Moriarty, Michael Clancy and Ian Galvin.

They now face Crusheen in the decider in a fortnight, a repeat of their third-round group game, in which Madden’s side were victorious by a margin of nine points.

Scorers Clonlara: M O’Loughlin (0-8 7f), A Moriarty (0-5), C O’Meara (0-3), C Galvin (0-3), I Galvin (0-3), C Moriarty (0-1)

Scorers Feakle: S McGrath (0-7 4f), O Donnellan (0-2), R Bane (0-2), E Tuohy (0-1 1f), S Conway (0-2).

Clonlara
1. Séimí Gully
2. Michael Clancy, 3. Ger Powell, 4. Logan Ryan
7. Paraic O’Loughlin, 6. Dylan McMahon, 5. David Fitzgerald
9. Jathan McMahon, 8. Aidan Moriarty
12. Colm Galvin, 11. John Conlon, 10. Colm O’Meara
15. Micheál O’Loughlin, 14. Ian Galvin, 13. Diarmuid Stritch

Subs:
18: Cian Moriarty for Stritch (49)
22: Michael Stritch for C Galvin (56)
27: Conor Bourke for O’Meara (59)
26: Tommy Walsh for P O’Loughlin (64)

Feakle
1. Eibhear Quilligan
7. Ronan O’Connor, 5. Adam Hogan, 2. Killian Bane
3. Evan McMahon
9. Eoin Tuohy, 6. Con Smyth, 4. Oisin Clune
10. Oisin Donnellan, 11. Enda Noonan
12. Martin Daly, 8. Shane McGrath, 13. Steven Conway
14. Raymond Bane, 15. Oisin O’Connor

Subs:
17: Gary Guilfoyle for O O’Connor (23)
22: Enda Madden for Noonan (53)
20: Fiachra Donnellan for R Bane (56)
19: Eoin McGuinness for K Bane (60)
24: Justin Nelson for Daly (62)

Referee: Jim Hickey (Cratloe)