Clodiagh Gaels perform well for crucial win as Clara pay price for sloppy fouling

Conor Doyle gets away from Eoin Dunne | Ger Rogers

placeholder image — Conor Doyle gets away from Eoin Dunne | Ger Rogers

Molloy Environmental Systems Senior “B” Hurling Championship Round 1

THE Offaly GAA Molloy Environmental Systems Senior “B” Hurling Championship got off to a very lively, entertaining start on Friday evening as Clodiagh Gaels performed well to beat home side Clara in the first round.

Molloy Environmental Systems Senior “B” Hurling Championship Round 1

Clodiagh Gaels 2-22

Clara 1-18

In a six team championship with every team playing each other, there is plenty of scope for error but this was a crucially important game for both and Clodiagh Gaels were delighted to get the win. Clearly the better side in the first half, Clodiagh Gaels were pushed all the way by a very hard battling Clara in the second half who almost got back into it but some very sloppy and careless fouling, mainly in defence, sabotaged their salvage mission.

A real edge has existed between these clubs in recent years but it was played in a generally good spirit, though a bit of a niggle did develop in the second half as players reacted to tackles and the hits became that little bit harder as the final whistle loomed. There was also a measure of play acting at times – an example was when young Clodiagh Gaels' player Sean Brady, who did well, dropped like he was shot at one stage in the second half after a fairly innocuous if completely unnecessary push by Clara keeper Willie Fleming but in its own way, this all contributed to the entertainment value.

Clodiagh Gaels were worthy winners and played better for longer periods whereas Clara performed in fits and starts but refused to go away and did really well to get back into it in the second half. One of Clara's best hurlers, Josh Fleming only came on as a second half sub while they have Colm Doyle and Cathal O'Meara to come back from injury and they will be considerably stronger when this trio are starting.

After a poor 2025, this was a major test for Clodiagh Gaels and they passed it with honours. They were very solid as a unit and with players standing up to be counted in all periods, they played that bit better than Clara.

The Killeigh-Killurin amalgamation were the better team by a distance in the first half and this was not reflected by their 0-13 to 0-9 interval lead. Indeed, Clara were pleased to be only four points adrift at half time as the first half was really about hanging in there for them and they achieved that.

Part of the dilemma facing Clara was where to play their county star Conor Doyle. They opted for centre half back and it backfired on two fronts – not only did it take him out of the game but Offaly senior footballer Eoin Dunne had an extremely productive half on him, scoring three points and winning good ball. Doyle got into the game before half time and was much more prominent when moved up field in the second half.

With Liam Langton in deadly form from frees, Clodiagh Gaels made a super start and were 0-4 to no score up after just three minutes. They were 0-5 0-1 up after eight minutes and it could have been more as Willie Fleming brilliantly deflected Eoin Dunne's point blank shot over the bar. Cormac Delaney also had his eye in for Clara and his frees brought them back into it. They were 0-6 to 0-5 behind after 13 minutes when Clodiagh Gaels found another burst of form.

The winners scored six points without reply for a 0-12 to 0-5 lead after 21 minutes and Clara were sucking diesel but did really well to get back into it before the break. They got four of the last five points, the pick of them a huge Conor Doyle score from distance, and a 0-13 to 0-9 half time deficit was no disaster considering the way the game went.

Clara came out with all guns blazing and three Delaney frees had the gap down to just a point, 0-13 to 0-12 after 34 minutes. The momentum had switched to them but defensive indiscipline undermined all their good work. Some of the fouls they conceded were unlucky but others were just silly and it handed the initiative back to Clodiagh Gaels – on the other side of this double edged coin, Clara got fifteen points from frees compared to twelve for Clodiagh Gaels but the home side's fouls appeared that bit more blatant.

A chop by Lorcan Hiney on Cathal Brady was very close to the penalty area but Liam Langton's free settled Clodiagh Gaels and he quickly added another.

Joey Keenaghan, who had an excellent second half, got a 40th minute goal after Liam Langton's shot for a point rebounded off the post for a 1-15 to 0-13 lead.

Clara dug deep and displayed tremendous resolve. Sub Josh Fleming got a 49th minute goal after great Cormac Delaney work and the gap was once again back to one, 1-16 to 1-15. Again, opportunity beckoned for Clara and again they shot themselves in the foot. Inspirational scores from Joey Keenaghan and goalkeeper Kevin Kinahan pushed Clodiagh Gaels 1-18 to 1-15 ahead by the 50th minute. Langton added two frees and Keenaghan fired over another top quality point. The lead was now 1-21 to 1-15 with six minutes of normal time plus three of injury left.

The game could have been rescued but Clodiagh Gaels worked hard at keeping errors out of their play. Clara got it back to four points as it went into injury time but a 61st minute goal from Mark Dillon eased any anxiety Clodiagh Gaels may have been experiencing.

MATCH ANALYSIS

SEE NEXT: Offaly Senior “B” Hurling Championship teams profiled

MAN OF THE MATCH

Eoin Dunne (Clodiagh Gaels): Plenty of contenders and that is a sign of a good game. Eoin Dunne gets the nod as his first half tour-de-force on Conor Doyle was instrumental in Clodiagh Gaels laying a strong foundation. He got three points and was the dominant influence in the first half. Dunne was not as prominent in the second half but continued to make his physical presence count and was very effective as a blocker, stopping Clara players tearing down the middle.

Liam Langton had a terrific game for Clodiagh Gaels and showed his value to them. He got twelve of his fourteen points from play, his striking was crisp, his shooting almost flawless. He had only one real miss and that was in the first half when he under hit a fairly simple opportunity: that was the only time he took his eye off the ball as he was focused on telling players where to go for the imminent puck-out rather than concentrating on what he had to do himself – no doubt, he will take that on board for coming games.

Aaron Flanagan was very good in the heart of the Clodiagh Gaels defence while Offaly senior football star Dylan Hyland and Joey Keenaghan were superb in the second half, delivering and performing when it really counted.

Cormac Delaney had an excellent game for Clara, taking his frees very well and doing well in open play. Alan Gavin also contended for man of the match with a great display at wing back, getting better as it went on while Conor Doyle did well to play his way into the game.

THE SCORERS

Clodiagh Gaels: Liam Langton 0-14 (12f), Joey Keenaghan and Mark Dillon 1-2 each, Eoin Dunne 0-3, Kevin Kinahan 0-1.

Clara: Cormac Delaney 0-15 (15f), Josh Fleming 1-0, Conor Doyle, Ed Cullen, Marcas Dalton 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

CLODIAGH GAELS: Kevin Kinahan; Caolan Flanagan, Clint Horan, Dylan Hyland; Ruari Dunne, Aaron Flanagan, Mark Kelly; Cathal Curran, Sean Dunne; Sean Brady, Eoin Dunne, Joey Keenaghan; Cathal Brady, Mark Dillon, Liam Langton.

CLARA: Willie Fleming; Myles Handy, Lorcan Hiney, Conor Taylor; Scott Griffith, Conor Doyle, Alan Gavin; Conor Egan,John Ledwith; Liam Flynn, Marcas Dalton, Ross Brady; Barry Egan, Cormac Delaney.Ed Cullen. Subs – Josh Fleming for Flynn (40m), Ciaran Doyle for Conor Egan (52m), Barry Cushen for Brady (56m).

Referee – David McLoughlin, Shinrone.

REFEREE WATCH

It wasn't a simple game to referee and David McLoughlin handled it efficiently. He let play run, allowed things to develop and applied the rules consistently. A chop anywhere in the arms area should always get a yellow card and he didn't show one when Cathal Brady was fouled by Lorcan Hiney in the 35th minute. However, he did show cards for misdemeanours after this and this ensured things didn't get out of hand when an edge crept in during the second half. There were a few times when the ball should have been thrown in for retaliation but this went both ways and it was an offence he choose not to punish.

It was good to see mentors and match officials communicate with respect towards each other. One Clodiagh Gaels mentor danced with temper when a free was awarded against them in the second half – it was not only a foul but Cathal Curran also got a yellow card for the challenge, however, that was an isolated incident. The Clara mentors occasionally asked a linesman about decisions, especially when some quick puckouts were not allowed in the first half – mentors have to be allowed to ask questions but it is all about the way it is done and they did it the right way here.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

In a way the foul that led to Liam Langton's 35th minute free was important. Not because of the foul or the resultant point but because it was the first real indication of what became a big problem for Clara in the second half and a factor in their loss.

VENUE WATCH

As usual, Clara had their very impressive facilities in great order and they hosted the fixture well. The provision of free water for spectators on a boiling evening was a lovely gesture that was very much appreciated by all who availed of it. The crowd was quite small and the weather may have been a factor in this with barbecues and beer gardens a very attractive alternative for some.