Clonoulty secure dominating win over Kickhams
O’Dwyer Steel West U21A Hurling Championship Group 1
Clonoulty/Rossmore 7.21(42)
Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams 1.15(18)
John O’Shea at Dillon Quirke GAA Grounds Clonoulty.
Clonoulty/Rossmore made it two wins from two outings when overcoming the challenge of an understrength Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams at Dillon Quirke GAA Grounds Clonoulty on Wednesday night.
Played before a good crowd, on a well-presented pitch, with little or no wind prevailing, a full-strength home side had the measure of the visitors from the start. The difference between the sides during the opening half was the ability of the Clonoulty forwards to get through for vital goals, the first coming from the stick of Seamus Kennedy on three minutes, after being set up by Robert Doyle.
Kickhams were back on level terms after eight minutes when Jamie Duncan got on the end of a long free into the goalmouth to flick past Jason O’Dwyer. This was as close as they would come to causing an upset as the home side pushed on. Stephen Ferncombe found the net from the penalty spot, before Seamus Kennedy got in for his second on the quarter hour mark to put the home side eight to the good.
Clonoulty killed off the game as a contest when they hit two majors during the second quarter, one from Robert Doyle, ten minutes before the interval and another from Alex Carroll on the stroke of half time. This put them firmly in the driving seat at the break on the score, Clonoulty Rossmore 5.9, Kickhams 1.7.
The third quarter was even enough with eight points shared but Clonoulty pushed for home during the final quarter with further goals from Robert Doyle on fifty seven minutes and Seamus Kennedy, two minutes later, when he crashed home following a good run.
Clonoulty now play Arravale Rovers in Round 3, with qualification for the final in their own hands.
Scorers:
Clonoulty/Rossmore: Stephen Ferncombe (1.11, 1.9 frees), Seamus Kennedy (3.1), Robert Doyle (2.3), Alex Carroll (1.3), Finbarr Ryan (0.1), Jamie Davern (0.1), Danny Slattery (0.1)
Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams; Shane Buckley (0.7, 4 frees), Michael Gleeson (0.6 frees), Jamie Duncan (1.0), Cormac Carr (0.2)
Clonoulty/Rossmore: Jason O’Dwyer, Richard Ferncombe, Keelan Ryan, Mike Ryan (Lanty), Jack Kennedy, Danny Slattery , Jamie Davern, Cormac Quirke, Paddy Kennedy, Kaelem Maher, Stephen Ferncombe (Captain), Frank O’Dwyer, Seamus Kennedy, Robert Doyle, Alex Carroll
Subs used: Finbarr Ryan for Kaelem Maher (HT), Jack Heffernan for Frank O’Dwyer 9inj 35), Shane Davern for Richard Ferncombe (43), Danny O’Keeffe for Cormac Quirke (45), Donnchadh Carroll for Paddy Kennedy (56)
Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams; Philly O’Neill, Tom O’Driscoll, Conor Farrell, Diarmuid Carr, Diarmaid Kinane, Aidan Duggan, Brian Furlong, Shane Buckley, Adam Daly, Jack O’Neill, Michael Gleeson, Darren Kennedy, Cormac Carr (Captain), Jamie Duncan, Liam Hayes
Referee; Paddy Russell (Emly)