Sixmilebridge ... 3-10 Clarecastle ... 2-8 Three Sixmilebridge goals at opportune times put paid to Clarecastle's hopes of winning a 10th Clare senior hurling crown. As it was, the winners captured their 10th title with a decisive victory at Cusack Park Ennis yesterday.
Even though only five points to the good at the end, the final scoreline did not reflect the 'Bridge's dominance. Two late Clarecastle goals narrowed the gap at the end of a one-sided affair as a John Reddan-inspired Sixmilebridge outclassed their opponents for most of the hour.
A pair of goals before the break and another, seven minutes into the second half, highlighted the 'Bridge's finishing abilities.
Clarecastle's defence sustained an amount of pressure for most of the first half, but must have been reasonably pleased to be just four points adrift with two minutes to go to half time. But then in a three- minute spell, the floodgates opened. The Bridge began their onslaught with a good point from youngster Cyril Crowe. Then he popped up to produce the goal of the game. Reddan accurately picked him out with a good cross-field delivery and the teenager rounded his marker and fired to the back of the net.
In injury time, the winners struck again. This time Gilligan passed to Mark Culbert who forced Clarecastle 'keeper Healy to pull off a reflex save. But it rebounded into the path of John O'Meara who made no mistake from close range. Reddan added the third just after the break to make the game safe.
SIXMILEBRIDGE: D Fitzgerald; W Kennedy (0-1), P Hayes, T Keogh; A Mulready, J Chaplin (0-1), C Walsh; M Culbert, C Chaplin; C Crowe (1-1), J Reddan (1-3), S Fitzpatrick; B Culbert, N Gilligan (0-4, 1 free), A Chaplin. Subs: J O'Meara (1-0) for A Chaplin, P Fitzpatrick for M Culbert.
CLARECASTLE: J Healy; G Canny, M Sheedy, R Concannon; O Plunkett, S Sheedy (0-1), M McNamara; A O'Loughlin, G Farmer (0-1); C Plunkett, E Flynn, F O'Loughlin; J Casey (0-1, free), S Moloney, D Quinn (0-5, 2 frees). Subs: R Fitzgerald (1-0) for F O'Loughlin, D Scanlan for Flynn, D Fitzgerald (1-0) for Casey, T Kearse for Moloney.
Referee: G Hoey (Killenena)
