Goals crucial as Junior B team crash out of the championship to Clarenbridge

Kilnadeema/Leitrim 2.10 Clarenbridge 3.08

The scenario was very clear for both Kilnadeema/Leitrim and Clarenbridge Junior B hurlers when they meet in Loughrea on Sunday July 20th. A win for either and they qualified for the quarter finals of the championship and play hurling into August. The game was played in ideal conditions. Benny Niland opened the scoring with a point from play for Clarenbridge after 3 mins. Kevin Molloy, who had another good day at the free's soon equalised with a pointed free. Likewise Clarenbridge had a good free taker in Clinton Madden and soon he had the side ahead again. Then we had a brilliant point from Ruairi Costello when he ran through many challenges before scoring on 8 mins. Kevin Molloy soon had his team ahead for the first time with another free. Midfielder Darren Callanan equalised soon after from play before Clinton Madden added two more free's to open up a two point gap. Kilnadeema/Leitrim then got a big break when after a Kevin Molloy free was stopped and cleared out to midfield, Kevin was on hand to return the ball in towards goal where it went all the way to the net to give his side back an unlikely lead. Clinton Madden then shot over another free and Benny Niland had the 'Bridge ahead again with a point from play on 21 mins. Clarenbridge then got got a strike of luck when a line ball deflected off Benny Niland and ended up in the net. Niland who had a fine game closed out the first half with a point from play to leave the score board reading 1.08 to 1.03 at the break. Kilnadeema/Leitrim still had a good chance as they had the breeze in the second half and got off to the perfect start with a Kevin Molloy pointed free after one minute. We had to wait twelve minutes for the next score and what a score it was as David Spaight shot over a line ball. Excitement reached fever pitch a minute later when Cathal Shiel was on on the end of a Eamon Coleman miss hit to shot home a second goal for his side to level up the match 2.05 to 1.08. The match took another turn a minute later when after some poor defending Kilnadeema/leitrim were punished with a goal from Cathal Connolly. Clinton Madden, who had done so well up to this point then got himself sent off for a wild pull across Padraig McLoughlin. Kevin Molloy with  a free pull a point back on 24 minutes. Any chance of victory for Kilnadeema/Leitrim was surely gone a minute later when Richie Burke goaled for Clarenbridge to put five between the sides. From here to the finish Kevin Molloy took over and shot four free's in a row to leave just a point in it. Kilnadeema/Leitrim needed a win to qualify and try as they might a goal would not come and so ended their 2008 season on a final scoreline of 2.10 to 3.08. This was a very good game played by two very good  teams. For the players and manager John Kennedy another year passes by without success.

Scorers: Kevin Molloy 1.08, Cathal Shiel 1.00, David Spaight 0.01, Ruairi Costello 0.01.

Team Lineout: Noel Callagy, Kevin Kelly, Mark Whelan, Shane Geargthy, Padraig McLoughlin, Ruairi Conneely, Mark Costello, Jason Collins, Fergal Conneely, David Spaight, Ruairi Costello, Tony Kelly, Kevin Molloy, Cathal Shiel, Michael Geargthy.
Subs used: Shane O'Looney, Eamon Coleman.



Ruairi Costello races up the line against Clarenbridge


David Spaight does a dance against Clarenbridge