Clonea Power Way to Munster Semi Final

The strength of Club hurling in Waterford particularly in the lower grades of hurling in recent years has come on a great deal and nowadays we see more and more players from what once would be described as unfashionable hurling clubs particularly in the lower grades stake a regular place for themselves on all of the counties hurling teams.

In the last few years more success has come to clubs in the Intermediate and Junior grades when the different county champions go on to represent the county in Munster than what we have seen in the senior grade and on Sunday afternoon we once more saw how strong these grades are when we saw Clonea produce a quality performance to beat Limerick champions Garryspillane in the Munster Quarter final at Fraher Field.

Just short of 1000 paying patrons were present to see this game and it is fair to say that those that were present could not but be impressed the performance that Brian Greene’s side produced.

In the county final win over Clashmore at the same venue recently Clonea looked good and for this game they looked an even better side playing as a team more than as individuals as you might see at times in such games.

The Limerick side travelled to Fraher Field just over a week after they won the Limerick County Final and did so with the tag of favourites in the eyes of many to advance.

They played in the senior grade in the Treaty County up to as late as 2013 when they were one of a number of sides relegated from the top flight after sixteen years playing in the grade when the different championships in Limerick were restructured with less clubs playing senior and a new look Premier Intermediate Championship similar to what happens in Cork introduced for the clubs that were culled from the top tier of hurling and those promoted from what was the second tier at the time.

But in this game they never lived up to the billing as favourites and laboured to hit many of the scores which they did and when they did score many of them came from placed balls.

Clonea at the break in this game were four points (0-10 to 0-6) to the good and the Limerick side did their chance no good in the second half when they missed a penalty saved by Stephen Power three minutes after the restart and having half time sub Danny Hayes sent off on a straight red card on 47 minutes, four minutes after he had netted the first goal of the game.

The opening quarter of this game looked as if things would be tight as Billy Power and Colin Ryan swapped early scores from frees before Michael Curry and Jason Gleeson split the posts at the Town end for Clonea.

Donie Ryan followed up with a brace of scores for the visiting side before Ciaran Power and Donie Ryan once more swapped scores to level matters at four points each after sixteen minutes.

Billy Power and Donie Ryan swapped scores before Jason Gleeson and Colin Ryan did likewise to tie the scoring for the fifth time (0-6 each) with 24 minutes played.

But the Comeragh Men seemed to get a new lease of life before the break as they hit four in a row from Conor Dalton, Sean Clancy, the very impressive Jason Gleeson and Billy Power to go in at the break with a four point advantage.

Billy Power and Sean Clancy extended Clonea’s lead early in the second half before they won a 33 minute penalty when Martin Scurry fouled Danny Hayes inside the box and from the resulting one on one Stephen Power pulled off a good save going to his right to keep Colin Ryan’s effort out.

Billy Power and Colin Ryan swapped scores from frees before Jason Gleeson and Dylan O’Shea did likewise but from play.

Sean Clancy and Colin Ryan were next to trade scores before Robbie Power helped extend his sides lead on 41 minutes.

The Limerick side managed to cut the Clonea lead to four (0-16 to 1-9) on 43 minutes when Callum Sheehan who impressed in Garryspillane’s County Final win played in Danny Ryan who beat Stephen Power.

Robbie Flynn and Michael Sexton cut two points off the value of Garryspillane’s goal with 14 minutes remaining and a minute later Danny Hayes was sent to the line by Nathan Wall for something that was not apparent from the press box.

Often it is the side that has a disadvantage when it comes to numbers that prove to be the better of the two sides after a sending off but on this occasion it was Clonea who played some fantastic team hurling playing against 14 men.

Jason Gleeson and Michael Curry fired over points before Billy Power, Robbie Flynn, Billy Power again and Robbie Power all fired over scores to put their side well in control.

With two minutes remaining if there ever there was doubting what direction this game was going Clonea made absolute sure of their passage with a goal put in by Robbie Power from close range after Andy Dooley fumbled in his area and his defenders were not able to clear the danger before Clonea’s half time sub batted to the net from close range.

          Michael Sexton hit one final score for Clonea in this game who now go on to play Clare side Feakle at Fraher Field on Saturday afternoon next where the winners advance to this year’s Munster Final.

Clonea: Stephen Power; Paul Drohan, Jack Nugent, Willie Hahessy; Martin Power, Martin Scurry, Robert Flynn; Martin Whelan, Jason Gleeson; Michael Curry, Ronan Cahill, Billy Power; Sean Clancy, Ciaran Power, Conor Dalton.

Subs: Robbie Power for Conor Dalton (HT), Michael Sexton for Jack Nugent (38), Aaron Gleeson for Sean Clancy (53), Liam Walsh for Martin Whelan (54), Paudie Hunt for Michael Curry (58)

Scorers: Billy Power 0-7 (4F), Jason Gleeson 0-5, Robbie Power 1-2, Sean Clancy 0-3, Robert Flynn, Michael Curry, Michael Sexton 0-2 each, Ciaran Power, Conor Dalton 0-1 each.

Garryspillane: Andy Dooley; Ciaran Bourke, David Ryan, Cathal Shanahan; Mark Quinlan, James Ryan, Gearoid Power; Colin Ryan, Michael Bourke; Michael O’Donnell, Donie Ryan, Ryan Tobin; Dylan O’Shea, Kieran Hickey, Callum Sheehan.

Subs: Danny Hayes for James Ryan (HT), Eoin Sheehan for Michael O’Donnell (HT), John Kerins for Michael Bourke (49), Roibeard O’Donovan for Mark Quinlan (57),

Scorers: Donie Ryan 0-5 (3F), Colin Ryan 0-4 (3F, 1 ’65), Danny Hayes 1-0, Dylan O’Shea 0-1.

Referee: Nathan Wall (Cork)