Clarinbridge claim the local bragging rights in tame affair

Clarinbridge 1-17

Ballinderreen  1-8

Last Saturday’s clash between Clarinbridge and Ballinderreen won’t be remembered as an epic clash between local rivals, but that won’t matter much to the victors as they maintained their 100% record to keep pace with Turloughmore in Group 1 of the Senior B Championship.

With just a point separating the sides at half-time, Clarinbridge leading 1-8 to 1-7, things were set up for an interesting second-half. That’s not how it played out, however, as Ballinderreen registered just a single point after the restart and while Clarinbridge were the better side, they didn’t have to do much to prove that superiority.

To be fair, the Clarinbridge rearguard barely put a foot wrong all afternoon, particularly in that second half. Barry Keane was commanding at centre-back with Christy Bannon doing well on the wing. Evan Niland was on form from placed balls, hitting 0-13, but even he was probably outshone by corner-back Seán Kilduff, who was outstanding throughout, hoovering up everything that came near him.

It was Ballinderreen who made the better start to the game and they had the game’s first goal inside five minutes through Niall Coen. Shane Larkin intercepted a loose clearance in midfield, firing a pass into Coen who caught the ball well before squirming between a couple of defenders to finish into the net. Roy Lane then converted a free to put Ballinderreen 1-1 to 0-0 ahead but Clarinbridge were not long in reducing the deficit.

Evan Niland got them off the mark with a placed ball in the eighth minute before repeating the act a minute later and, while Kevin Lane converted a free of his own for Ballinderreen, points from play from Michael Daly and a well-worked move finished off by Niland ensured that Clarinbridge were back within one point by the 11th minute, 1-2 to 0-4.

Another long-range free from Kevin Lane extended Ballinderreen’s lead but Clarinbridge hit the front for the first time on the quarter hour mark when Mark Kennedy raised the green flag. Full-forward Cian Salmon was initially sent through on goal and though his shot was saved by Rory Foy, Mark Kennedy was on hand to sweep the ball into the net.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.