Clonakenny too good for disappointing Silvermines

FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship - Group 3 - Round 2

Clonakenny 2-18 

Silvermines 0-13 

By Liam Hogan 

While scoring 1-6 without reply, fourteen men Clonakenny claimed their first win of the championship when they defeated a disappointing Silvermines side following their second round contest played at Borrisoleigh last Saturday evening. 

Haven led 1-7 to 0-9 at half time, Clonakenny seemed to have lost some of the momentum gathered after their whirlwind start in the opening ten minutes as they struggled for much of the first twenty minutes of the second half but yet kept their lead which read 1-12 to 0-13. 

Silvermines remained in the game but squandered some guilt edge chances in the same period. Then in the 50th minute Clonakenny lost John Costigan to a red card and they looked to be in trouble. However, the dismissal seemed to have stirred them into life as they dominated the scoreboard for the remainder of the game to win by a whopping eleven points.     

An important win for the Mid Tipp side who drew with Newport in their opening game. This victory almost guarantees them a place in the last eight unless they suffer a major defeat in their final game against Burgess while at the same time hope that Newport, if they are to beat Silvermines, don’t do so with a big winning margin the same day. 

Cian O’Dwyer lined out at left corner forward but the Tipperary senior panellist appeared to struggle with a leg injury he sustained in the mid championship but he finished well with 1-2 to his credit, his goal in the 55th minute sealed the game. 

After scores were level for the second time at 0-2 each, Clonakenny took command and were 1-4 to 0-2 in front after seven minutes with the goal coming when an alert John Joe Ryan intercepted a Silvermines clearance before racing through the Mines defence and fire home a great goal.   

Not the start that Silvermines wanted. Remember they lost their first game to Burgess and needed a win but with the help of the breeze they began to settle down where their half backline led by Darragh Nolan at six gave little away while their full backline of Ronan Sherlock plus Eddie Ryan and Michael Corcoran were equally tight with the latter two very much in evidence. 

Up front remained a problem though as Danny Quinn looked to be the only threat but his involvement was limited due to the close marking Alexei Harty and John Costigan while Diarmuid Ryan was very much to the fore both in his sweeping role and his ability to read the game well and cut off much ball on offer from the Mines.

Mines scoring depended on Jason Forde but he had an off day in terms of accuracy from frees and after the margin was out to six, 1-6 to 0-3, the Tipp star scored the remaining four points on offer including three frees and a sideline ball to leave Mines two adrift at half time 1-7 to 0-9. John Joe Ryan had scored 1-5 of the Clonakenny total with all his points coming from frees. 

Clonakenny began the second half in similar mode to that of the opening minutes of the first as they scored three points in as many minutes starting with a John Joe Ryan free followed by points from a struggling Cian O’Dwyer with Nicky Ryan scoring his second of the day. 

Another Forde free quenched the fire somewhat but Bobby Bergin re-kindled it with a point after an assist by John Joe Ryan. Silvermines needed inspiration but Forde missed twice, the first from a free and second from play with the  elements not helping their cause.  

Another factor that didn’t help their cause was their failure to press up on the Clonakenny puckout where Diarmuid Ryan was constantly available. It was just as well as Clonakenny’s lead was reduced to two by the 45th minute, 1-12 to 0-13 after a string of scores including a Forde free followed by a second Patrick Leamy score from long range before the same player won a free which allowed Forde to convert.  

Trailing by two the Mines received a boost when Clonakenny had John Costigan dismissed following a late tackle on Michael Corcoran. However, they failed to capitalise and would not score again. 

Instead, it was Clonakenny who grabbed the baton. Cian O’Dwyer’s score from a close-in free in the 52nd minute resumed normality and two minutes later he found himself in the right spot to prize home a rebound to the net after David Shanahan had made a great save to deny Nicky Ryan.

That goal signaled the end of the game as a contest as Clonakenny went on a further scoring spree starting with a Peadar Byrne point. 

Mines tried to remedy the situation but another wide increased that stat to twelve (double that of Clonakenny’s) and in response, it was four more points from the winners as John Joe Ryan added a 65  while Bergin, John Joe Ryan (free) and Michael John Carroll added a point each to seal an important win for the Mid Tipp runners up who now meet Burgess in the final round. 

With an 11 point scoring difference, 23 better than Newport’s scoring difference, they cannot be denied.  

Clonakenny: Stephen Russell; Cain Russell, John Costigan, Alexei Harty; Donie Greed, Willie Ryan, Diarmuid Ryan; Delacy Byrne, Matthew O’Sullivan (0-1); Michael John Carroll (0-2), John Joe Ryan (1-7, 0-6f, 0-1’65), Bobby Bergin (0-3); Nicky Ryan (0-2), Conor Shanahan, Cian O’Dwyer (1-2, 0-1f). 

Subs used: Peadar Byrne (0-1) for Shanahan (45); Paul Bergin for Matthew O’Sullivan (51); Brian Mullally for Greed (51) John O’Meara for Dwyer (61, inj).  

Silvermines: David Shanahan; Eddie Ryan (0-1), Ronan Sherlock, Michael Corcoran; Michael Hogan, Darragh Nolan, Noel Quirke;  Conal McKelvey (0-1), Patrick Leamy (0-2); Oisin Murphy, Orrie Quirke, Andy Hayden; Jason Forde (0-8, 0-7f, 0-1 s-cut), Danny Quinn (0-1), Mark Daniels. 

Subs used: Daniel Keogh for Leamy (55, inj).

Referee: Paddy Ivors (Ballingarry)