Cratloe 1-16   Kilmaley 0-12

Although they had a worrying start which included the concession of  seven points in the first quarter and five wides in the same period, Cratloe never panicked and made their experience count in every sector of the field.

A brace of four points in a row would bring last year’s beaten finalists to within three points of Kilmaley at half-time, a gap they would have been very satisfied with considering they had yet to find their feet.

In reality the tie never lived up to the contest that was expected. A Billy Connors goal on thirty five minutes was a sucker punch for Kilmaley and one in which they never recovered from. Jack McInerney’s introduction to the full-forward line was a plus as he added two points with his older brother Cathal also coming into form at the same stage.

Try as they might with strong subs added from the bench, Kilmaley were never able to claw their way back, their year-long absence of a goal threat continued as they failed to really test Gearoid Ryan.

Cratloe’s success came without the services of Diarmuid Ryan who will really strengthen their outfit in two weeks time. Their full-back line of Enda Boyce, Michael Hawes and Oige Murphy were outstanding with Conor McGrath also impressing out the field.

Scorers Cratloe: B Connors (1-07 4f), C McInerney (0-03), C McGrath (0-03), J McInerney (0-02), P Collins (0-01).

Scorers Kilmaley: M O’Neill (0-06 1f), C Moloney (0-02 2f), S O’Loughlin (0-01), E Bracken (0-01), D Keane (0-01)

Cratloe: Gearoid Ryan; Oige Murphy, Michael Hawes, Enda Boyce; Damien Browne, Shane O’Leary, Patrick O’Gorman; Conor McGrath, Liam Markham; Podge Collins, Rian Considine, Sean Collins, Billy Connors, Cathal McInerney, David Collins.

Subs: Sean Chaplin for O’Gorman (17), Jack McInerney for D Collins (HT)

Kilmaley: Bryan O’Loughlin; Aidan McGuane, Aaron Moloney, Noel Casey; Daire Keane, Conor Cleary, Tom Barry; Cathal Darcy, Michael O’Malley; Eoin Enright, Kenneth Kennedy, Mikey O’Neill, Eamonn Bracken, Sean O’Loughlin, Cian Moloney.

Subs: Tom O’Rourke for S O’Loughlin (41), Paraic McNamara for Bracken (41), Sean Kennedy for Darcy (43).

Referee: Chris Maguire (Wolfe Tones)

Also Feakle, Ballyea and Éire Óg have secured their spots in the quarter-finals of the Clare SHC.

County champions Ballyea bounced back from their disappointing second round loss to Sixmilebridge with a convincing 2-24 0-14 win over Wolfe Tones. Tony Kelly (1-07) and Niall Deasy (1-05) accounted for 2-12 of their tally. Deasy’s goal on the twenty eighth minute of the first half would put seven points between the sides, up to then the Shannon side were certainly in the contest. They limited the Tones to just three points in the second half while adding 1-13 themselves.

Éire Óg are through to their fourth consecutive Clare SHC quarter-final following a deserved 2-13 1-14 victory against Newmarket-on-Fergus. First half goals from Darren O’Brien and the lively Danny Russell gave the Ennis club a slender one point advantage at half-time, with a strong wind at their backing the Townies would have been worried at the break not to have been further ahead. Despite dominating the first ten minutes, the Blues had only a single score on the board which would prove costly as the contest progressed. Stephen Kelly once again put in a strong display for Newmarket, he goaled in the second half and despite the game going down to the wire, Éire Óg did enough to qualify.

Reigning intermediate champions Feakle booked their spot in the last eight coming through in a hard-fought battle with Clooney/Quin, it finished 3-17 1-21 in their favour. Clooney/Quin started the better with five different scores in the opening quarter however Feakle finished the half with a 2-03 brace in five minutes to lead 2-09 0-12 at the break. Ger Hanrahan was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence reducing the East Clare men to fourteen, their opponents took a lift from it with Ryan Taylor ratting the net soon after. The insurance score for Michael Guilfoyle’s side came when Enda Noonan pushed the sliotar over the line on fifty seven minutes.

Whitegate and Clarecastle have consolidated their senior status for 2020. The East Clare derby between Whitegate and O’Callaghans Mills finished 3-18 1-15 with Clarecastle beating Tulla 1-19 1-12.

Having contested the Clare IHC relegation final last year, Killanena have had quite the turnaround as they now find themselves in the quarter-finals following their 0-17 0-14 win over a fancied Parteen. Sixmilebridge’s second string had too much for Corofin (3-17 2-16). Goals from Cian Shannon, Tom Barry and Paul O’Looney helped Inagh/Kilnamona on their way to a 3-10 0-10 victory against Cratloe. Doora/Barefield limited Bodyke to three points in the second half as they as expected advanced to the last eight, recording a 1-19 0-11 win.

Report from Clare Echo