County champs hitting top form at the right time

Date Published: {J}

Clarinbridge 0-18

Craughwell 0-13

CIARAN TIERNEY AT DUGGAN PARK

MOMENTUM seems to be with the champions again. They may have stumbled at times on their way back to the county final, but there was enough conviction in this derby semi-final victory over neighbours Craughwell at Ballinasloe on Saturday to indicate that the men of Clarinbridge will not give up their Galway title without one hell of a fight.

Turloughmore and Mullagh may have given them a couple of scares this season, and atrocious weather put paid to this fixture six days earlier, but the ‘Bridge men seem to have regained the kind of form which saw them crowned All-Ireland champions last March on the basis of this fully deserved five point win.

It was the all-round strength of the team performance which should give them huge encouragement before they strive for a third county title, as often unheralded players such as Shane Burke and Stephen Forde really came up with the goods to see off the Craughwell challenge.

Every one of the forwards had found the target by the interval and it was notable that they saw off the neighbours on a day when midfielder Barry Daly – so often their talisman over the past two seasons – registered one of his less spectacular performances in a maroon shirt.

Young Daly and midfield partner Eanna Murphy still did enough to win out the midfield exchanges, while the foundations for a comfortable win were laid in the superb performances of former county man David Forde and Brian Burke in the central defensive positions. Not that any of their defenders did much wrong on Saturday.

Admittedly, it took the champions quite a while to find their rhythm. They only had two points on the board by the 19th minute, despite having the backing of the strong cross-wind, but then they hit seven points in a ten minute spell when the game finally came to life.

Craughwell did well to contain them in the first quarter and still looked to be in with a chance at the break, when they trailed by 0-9 to 0-6, but Mike Clarke’s side never really looked like taking control even if their challenge never wilted.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.