Clara get away for crucial win over struggling Clonbullogue
Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship Group 2 Round 3
THE format for the Senior Football Championship with a strong and a weak group has been a real winner this year – it has given every team a chance of qualifying and it has been ideal for the weaker clubs, who could struggle against sides with championship asporations.
Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship Group 2 Round 3
Clara 0-20
Clonbullogue 1-9
It has been fiercely competitive with three draws to date and the fifth game took place in O'Connor Park on Saturday with Clara playing their third game, Clonbullogue their second.
With Clara having drawn their opening two games and Clonbullogue also with a point on board, this was a crucial game for both. Two qualify from the quarter-finals from the weak group and the race for them is being fiercely fought.
There is a noticeable gap in standard, as you would expect, between the two groups and this was very evident here but 2024 and 2025 senior “B” champions still served up a keenly fought game.
A long time senior football force, Clara have endured a couple of relegations in the past few years and they finally got the win they needed. With one game to come against Bracknagh, Clara's fate is in their own hands and that was their target here.
It was a fairly poor game of football with only patches of really good play, most of that provided by Clara in the closing twenty minutes. Clonbullogue have improved after a horrific first season in senior football last year but found the going tough here and were chasing their tail the whole way.
With forward Jamie Guing in America, Clonbullogue were also down Lee Dempsey and David Dempsey here, though Lee did come on just after half time, while county midfielder Jack McEvoy played with an injured calf. He spent much of the game in the full forward line as a result and Clonbullogue just could not afford any absentees and the loss of his considerable influence from midfield. With county forward Keith O'Neill held scoreless from play, Clonbullogue just could not win this one.
The first half was a hard watch and was memorable more for the poor misses by both sides than the scores. Clonbullogue had first use of the wind and were in bother went they went in on level terms, 0-6 each at half time.
They did well to recover from a poor start in which Clara got three points and Carl Stewart almost got in for a ninth minute goal, drawing a good save from Cian Corcoran. Clonbullogue should have got a goal themselves in the 17th minute when Graham Guilfoyle gave the ball away and it fell to Jack McEvoy who was in on goals. McEvoy, however, was taken by surprise, didn't control the ball and it was scrambled out for a '45'. At least Keith O'Neill pointed that and Clonbullogue improved in the second quarter.
Peter Byrne and Keith O'Neill (free) got two pointers as they led by 0-6 to 0-4 after 27 minutes before an injury time Cormac Delaney two point free squared it up at half time.
That two pointer was a real momentum changer and Clara looked likely winners almost all the way from here. A super Graham Guilfoyle two pointer helped them to a 0-9 to 0-6 lead within a minute of the restart before Clonbullogue rallied with a Keith O'Neill two point free and a well struck Harry Judge goal in the 39th minute when they broke at pace after Clara were penalised for a three man breach.
Clonbullogue were 1-8 to 0-9 ahead but that was the high point of their afternoon and Clara were clearly the better team from here on. With Ed Cullen coming to his own at midfield, Clara became increasingly dominant and by the time Tommy Dempsey got Clonbullogue's ninth point in the 57th minute, Clara had 0-16 on the board and the points in the bag.
They eased home from here with Graham Guilfoyle adding his third two pointer and Clonbullogue were at nothing late on, attempting two pointers that weren't on as they ended up with a very poor defeat.
MATCH ANALYSIS
MAN OF THE MATCH
Graham Guilfoyle (Clara): In his mid 30s former county player Graham Guilfoyle is very much is the veteran character but he showed that class doesn't ebb away as he had a decisive influence here. Guilfoyle wisely conserved his energy but he used every ball constructively, kickin seven points, six of them from two pointers.
That was a game defining contribution while Barry Egan, who stuck to Keith O'Neill like glue, Conor Doyle, Marcas Dalton, Ed Cullen and Cormac Delaney all made a big contribution for the winners.
THE SCORERS
Clara: Graham Guilfoyle 0-7 (3 x 2p), Cormac Delaney 0-5 (1 x 2pf, 1f), Marcas Dalton, Ed Cullen 0-2, Carl Stewart, David Falsey, Bobby Mitchell, Conor Egan, Josh Fleming 0-1 each.
Clonbullogue: Keith O'Neill 0-5 (2 x 2pf, 1 '45'), Harry Judge 1-0, Peter Byrne 0-2 (2p), Jack McEvoy (f) and Tommy Dempsey 0-1 each
THE TEAMS
Clara: Adam Scanlon; Ryan Carroll, Barry Egan, Alan Gavin; Conor Doyle, Carl Stewart, Marcas Dalton; Ed Cullen, David Falsey; Conor Egan, Adam Kelly, Bobby Mitchell; Josh Fleming, Cormac Delaney, Graham Guilfoyle. Subs – Eoin Gavin for Kelly (35m), Callum Bracken for Conor Egan (57m), Kevin Minnock for Fleming (62m),
CLONBULLOGUE: Cian Corcoran; Sean Moran, Peter Bennett, Jamie Quinn; Harry Judge, Ryan Dempsey, Ian Curry; Peter Byrne, Jack McEvoy; Eoghan Kinsela, Daryl Quinn, Ronan O'Neill; Ruari O'Neill, Keith O'Neill, Ciaran Maher. Subs – Tommy Dempsey for Maher (HT), Lee Dempsey for Byrne, inj. (31m), Eoghan McEvoy for Moran (58m),
Referee – Eamon O'Connor, Ballycommon.
REFEREE WATCH
Eamon O'Connor had a very good game with no issues or talking points.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
The two point free Cormac Delaney kicked in first half injury time was a game changer in many ways. It sent Clara in on level terms at half time with the wind to come and made their task that little bit easier.
VENUE WATCH
The recent warm, dry weather has had a very adverse impact on the O'Connor Park pitch. It was very patchy and bare looking with the same burnt look that is adorning lawns throughout the country. You would imagine it could have been kept a bit greener and it just didn't look well.
WHAT'S NEXT
Clonbullogue host Durrow in round 4 while Clara have their bye.
STATISTICS
Wides: Clara - 10 (3 in first half); Clonbullogue - 8 (5 in first half).
Yellow cards: Clonbullogue – 2 (Peter Byrne, Keith O'Neill); Clara – 0.
Black cards: 0
Red cards: 0