Clara keep up unbeaten record with six point win over 14 men Cappincur

CLARA kept up their 100% record in the Senior B Championship with a 0-13 to 0-7 win over Cappincur in Ballycommon on Saturday afternoon and continued their ambitions to win this season’s championship.

It wasn't the prettiest of the games and both sides will know that they will need to improve, but Clara will walk away still satisfied that they kept up their winning form and escaped without any injuries to report. Their second was much stronger than their first, as they scored 0-10 in the final 30 minutes, compared to just three in the first half, also contributing eight wides in the process.

It wasn’t Cappincur’s best performance, as it took until three minutes into the second half for them to register a first score from play and while they are missing players like Brian Carroll, they will still not be overall happy with their 60 minute display. 

Despite having most of the possession, it was Cappincur that had the only score inside the opening 10 minutes following Ger Treacy’s eight minute free, with Clara kicking five wides in that time and some they’d be bitterly disappointed with. 

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The game was slow to get fully going, with Clara continuing to dominate possession but weren’t penetrating the Cappincur defence, Cappincur defending well in packs and turning over possession in impressive style. That was until Marcus Dalton decided to take matters into his own hands and deliver the first score for his side and the games first from play after 16 minutes. 

Although neither side were troubling each other's defences, there was still good intensity to the game, with neither the other an inch. Adam Kelly kicked back to back scores within 60 seconds to give Clara a two point advantage as we approached the final five minutes of the first half. 

Cappincur would end the first without a score from play and without creating many clear cut chances bar a long range effort from Ger Treacy that trickled wide, it was a half of very few chances and many turnovers. The half time score being 0-3 0-1 to Clara and leaving both needing to improve for the second half. 

Thomas Deehan got the opening score of the second half, before Ciaran Farrell slotted over a 45 to reduce the gap to two again, with Peter Norris’ fantastic score from out near the sideline making it a one point game and his side’s first from play after 33 minutes. 

Graham Guilfoyle was afforded freedom moments later to shoot over an outside the foot effort which was a two pointed effort to give Clara some breathing space, but that short lived through Ger Treacy’s two pointer free and the game was starting to live up. 

Guilfoyle kicked another score, before Conor Egan fisted over a point and Cormac Delaney sent over his first of the afternoon to leave Clara four in front with 15 left to play. 

Ger Treacy’s close range free was soon cancelled out by a fine individual effort from Conor Doyle who was doing a lot of running down the wing, with Josh Fleming then making it a five point game with a score over on the turn and leaving Cappincur with work to do as we came towards to closing stages. 

Cormac Delaney's 55th minute free left Clara in a commanding enough position going into the final stretch, and Cappincur knew they’d need a goal to salvage something. 

Josh Fleming’s free at the end capped off the day for Clara, with Brion Carroll receiving a late red card for a hit on Cormac Delaney, but the damage was already done and Clara managed to see out the game to confirm their victory and maintain their 100% record in the championship as they march forward into their final round game.  

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

5. CONOR DOYLE (CLARA): Graham Guilfoyle popped up with big scores for Clara in the second half, while Adam Kelly and Darragh McKeown also had positive showings. Conor Egan was also impressive in the second half when introduced. 

Ger Treacy was good on the frees and posed a threat to Clara from a Cappincur perspective. Brion Carroll had a solid game up until his dismissal, Diarmuid Carroll was strong at full back, Sean Flynn also having some good moments. 

Conor Doyle was up and down the wing all game and always tried to create chances for his side and took hits when needed and came up with a big score of his own through his own individual work and was solid all game for Clara and will be a big figure if they are to win the Senior B this year.

THE SCORERS

Cappincur: Ger Treacy (1 2ptf, 2free) 0-5, Ciaran Farrell (1 45) and Peter Norris 0-1 each .

Clara: Graham Guilfoyle (1 2pt) 0-3, Josh Fleming (1free), Cormac Delaney (1free) and Adam Kelly 0-2, Conor Egan, Conor Doyle, Thomas Deehan and Marcus Dalton 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

Cappincur: David Graham; Darragh Norris, Diarmuid Carroll, Hubert Healion; Sean Flynn, Brion Carroll, Sean Graham; Eoin Carroll, Adam Galvin; Niall Minnock, Sean Courtney, Ciaran Farrell; Ger Treacy, Jason Gethings, Peter Norris. Subs– Andrew Strong for Minnock (40m), Michael Fitzgerald for Carroll (55m), Tommy Leavy for Gethings (55m) .

Clara: Evan Cronin; Kevin Minnock, Christian McKeown, Ben Loughran; Conor Doyle, Marcus Dalton (C), Daragh McKeown; David Falsey, Graham Guilfoyle; Cormac Delaney, Adam Kelly, Edward Cullen; Jack Reynolds, Josh Fleming, Barry Egan. Subs– Conor Egan for Cullen (37m), Carl Stewart for Loughran (40m), Myles Handy for Deehan (51m), Bobby Mitchell for Delaney (62m)

REFEREE WATCH

(Eamon O’Connor)

Eamon O’Connor took charge of this game and did a good job in the middle, got his calls right and generally let the game flow when he could.    

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Simply for the quality of the score, Graham Guilfoyle’s two pointer on 34 minutes was a thing of beauty, as he was afforded the time and space to wind up the effort and kicking outside of the foot and it dazzled over the bar for a quality score which sent Clara on their way towards victory. 

VENUE WATCH

Ballycommon hosted the game on Saturday afternoon and there were no issues on parking and there were plenty of stewards on hand to help out.  

WHAT'S NEXT

Clara will face Tubber in their next match, while Cappincur take on Gracefield .

STATISTICS

Wides: Cappincur  – 6 ( 3 in first half); Clara  – 12 (8 in first half).

Yellow cards: Cappincur - (1) Diarmuid Carroll

Clara – (1) Barry Egan

Red cards: Cappincur – (1) Brion Carroll

Clara– (0) 

Black Cards: Cappincur - (0) 

Clara - (0)

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