Clonad no match for Clane in Leinster Club JHC semi-final

Clonad’s hopes of reaching the AIB Leinster Club JHC final were dashed on Saturday afternoon as Kildare’s Clane had way too much for David O’Brien’s side in Hawkfield.

It was a mismatch of sorts on paper as Clonad were technically the 19th best team in Laois and won the third grade, while Clane won the second grade in Kildare and were Kildare’s 9th best team. That was evident on the field at times too, especially in the first-half.

Clane got off to a flyer in Hawkfield as they scored the first three points of the contest. Hugh Muldoon opened the scoring inside 60 seconds before Shane Henry and Cormac Vizzard opened their accounts for the Kildare Senior ‘B’ champions.

Barry Cormack finally got Clonad off the mark when he pointed a 65’, but Clane weren’t letting up as Shane Henry caught fire. They scored 1-8 without reply to all but put the game to bed by the 25th minute. Kildare senior goalkeeper Paddy McKenna split the posts before Vizzard and Caolan Smith put Clane into a five-point lead, 0-6 to 0-1.

Simon Healy, a goal and three points from Henry along with a 65’ from McKenna put Clane 13 points up with five minutes of the half left. In the middle of all that, Clonad had a goal ruled out for a square ball after Jimmy Norton had tapped the ball in at the back post. Clonad did manage to raise a green flag as Fionn Holland buried the ball into the bottom corner. The half ended with Dan Colbert, Sean Christanseen and Healy adding a point each to Clane’s advantage as they led by 13 at the break, 1-14 to 1-1.

Clonad got the first two points of the second period as Barry Cormack scored a free and a 65’. Sean Shanahan replied for Clane’s first score of the second-half. Holland pointed a superb score for the Laois side, but Clane were finding it that bit easier to raise white flags as Henry and McKenna added a point each to increase their lead.

Cormack tapped over another free before Clane scored 1-2 unanswered. Smith and a McKenna (free) were the point scorers with Christanseen setting up Smith to smash the ball past James Farrell. Cormack’s fifth point and his third free was the scorer of Clonad’s final score with three minutes to play. Smith, Shanahan and a free from Mark Doyle saw Clane cruise into the Leinster final.

For Clonad, it brings to an end a year where they finally got their hands on some silverware as they did the league and championship double to finally get back up to the Premier Intermediate grade in Laois.

FINAL SCORE

Clane 2-22

Clonad 1-6

SCORERS— Clane: Shane Henry 1-5, Caolan Smith 1-3, Paddy McKenna 0-4 (0-1 free, 0-1 65’), Simon Healy, Sean Shanahan and Cormac Vizzard 0-2 each, Dan Colbert, Mark Doyle (free), Sean Christanseen and Hugh Muldoon 0-1 each. Clonad: Fionn Holland 1-1, Barry Cormack 0-5 (0-3 frees, 0-2 65's).

CLONAD: James Farrell; Gareth O’Brien, Jack Ahern, Liam Whelan; Charlie Hand, David O’Brien, Cillian Duff; Barry Cormack, James Whelan; Paddy O’Callaghan, Fionn Holland, Jimmy Norton; Colin Delaney, Dan O’Sullivan, Ross Holmes. Subs: John Noonan for O’Sullivan (21 mins), Jim Holland for Delaney (34 mins), Ray Killeen for Norton (47 mins), Ciaran Donohue for Ahern (49 mins)

CLANE: Mark Doyle; Aidan Mooney, Cian Shanahan, Tom Malone; Dan Colbert, Sean Malone, Aaron Connolly; Sean Shanahan, Cormac Vizzard; Simon Healy, Sean Christanseen, Hugh Muldoon; Paddy McKenna, Caolan Smith, Shane Henry. Subs: Paddy Connolly for A Connolly (HT), Daniel Malone for S Malone (35 mins), Ger D’Arcy for Healy (48 mins), Riann O’Neill for Henry (58 mins)

Referee: Richard Holland (Kilkenny)

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