Cratloe 3-24
Crusheen 2-12

Eoin Brennan reports from Cusack Park, Ennis

CRATLOE TEED UP a historic Garneyside derby final against Sixmilebridge in a fortnight’s time after a devastating second half performance saw them ease past the flagging challenge of Crusheen at the penultimate stage of the Clare senior hurling championship in Cusack Park, Ennis this afternoon.

Trailing by three at the break, last year’s finalists welcomed the wind with immediate effect as a brace of Rian Considine goals within five minutes of the restart catapulted Cratloe into a lead that they would only bolster for the remainder.

It was a clinical turnaround that produced a complete sea-change in proceedings as Cratloe outscored a stunned Crusheen by 2-15 to 0-02 for the first 23 minutes of the new half to put the result beyond any doubt.

So while Crusheen did finish with consolation goals through substitute Mark Perrill and Ross Hayes, the most damning statistic was that the shot count was 27 to 6 in Cratloe’s favour in an utterly dominant second period.

It was all so different early on when Cratloe’s lively start was answered by an eight point unanswered rally, four from free-taker Ross Hayes, to move 0-9 to 0-5 in front by the 21st minute.

Cratloe finally broke their 16 minute barren patch with successive points from Shane Gleeson and Diarmuid Ryan but still trailed by three by the break after former county captain Paddy Vaughan arrowed over his third point of the afternoon to ensure a 0-10 to 0-07 for 2010 and ’11 champions Crusheen.

Having been behind at half-time in all five championship matches in 2019, Cratloe weren’t about to reach for the panic button and within 15 seconds of the throw-in, they would be level after Rian Considine superbly controlled a Conor McGrath delivery from the right wing to fire past goalkeeper Donal Tuohy at 1-07 to 0-10.

A second would follow in the 35th minute when Diarmuid Ryan’s pass was fielded by chief target man Cathal McInerney who turned his marker before offloading to Considine to double his bounty at 2-09 to 0-11.

That goal was part of a remarkable 1-8 blitz without reply as a momentum-fuelled Cratloe rampantly picked apart their opponents with a relentless charge that saw nine different players share in the scoring stakes.

And that ruthlessness would eventually carve out a 16 point cushion by the 53rd minute at 2-22 to 1-12 before Crusheen responded with goals from Mark Perrill and Ross Hayes to sandwich a like score for Cathal McInerney.

With Cratloe and Sixmilebridge contesting nine of the previous ten finals, it is perhaps fitting that the neighbours will meet in the last decider of the decade for the very first time.

Scorers for Cratloe: Rian Considine 2-3, Billy Connors 0-5 (0-1f), Cathal McInerney 1-2, Shane Gleeson 0-4 (0-3f); Podge Collins, Conor McGrath 0-3 each, Diarmuid Ryan 0-2, Liam Markham, Sean Collins 0-1 each.

Scorers for Crusheen: Ross Hayes 1-5 (1-4f, 0-1 ’65), Paddy Vaughan 0-3, Mark Perrill 1-0, Eanna McMahon 0-2, Breffni Horner, Ciaran O’Doherty 0-1 each.

Cratloe

1. Gearoid Ryan

2. Martin ‘Óige’ Murphy
3. Mikey Hayes
4. Shane O’Leary

5. Damien Browne
19. Diarmuid Ryan
6. Liam Markham

8. Conor McGrath
9. Enda Boyce

18. Shane Gleeson
13. Billy Connors
10. Sean Collins

15. Podge Collins
14. Cathal McInerney
11. Rian Considine

Subs:
17. Sean Chaplin for Boyce (30, inj)
12. David Collins for Gleeson (52)
21. Jack McInerney for Connors (54)
24. Kevin Danaher for C. McInerney (59)
22. Aaron Costigan for McGrath (61)

Crusheen

1. Donal Tuohy

21. Gavin O’Brien
3. Cathal Dillion
4. John Brigdale

5. Tadhg Dean
6. Cian Dillon
7. Ciaran O’Doherty

8. Ross Hayes
9. Jamie Fitzgibbon

10. Eanna McMahon\
11. Fergus Kennedy
12. Paddy Vaughan

13. Conor O’Donnell
14. Cilléin Mullins
15. Breffni Horner

Subs:
18. Luke Hayes for O’Brien (43)
17. Darragh O’Doherty for Kennedy (52)
20. Mark Perrill for Mullins (52)
19. Sean Mhaoir for Vaughan (52)

Referee: Niall Malone (Éire Óg)