Niland hits huge haul in big win for clinical champions

Clarinbridge        3-27

Liam Mellows    2-7

John Mulligan at Pearse Stadium

COUNTY player Evan Niland was the star of the show as defending champions Clarinbridge blitzed Liam Mellows in a one-sided minor A hurling semi-final at Pearse Stadium last Saturday.

Niland, a central figure in Galway’s All-Ireland triumph last year, tormented the city team in a five-star show which saw him amass a staggering total of 2-16 as Clarinbridge powerede their way to the final.

Eanna Ryan’s highly rated charges may have taken some time to hit full stride – they led by just three points at the break – but they ran riot on the resumption in setting up a final date against either Castlegar or Kilnadeema/Leitrim.

An amazing haul of 1-6 in just eight minutes from Niland in the second half killed off the semi-final as a contest. His accuracy from play and placed balls had Mellows chasing shadows to complete a tough week for the city club after also losing the Under 21 A final replay to Turloughmore.

The opening 30 minutes was competitive enough in periods. Clarinbridge led by 1-7 to 0-4 following points from Niland and Mark Kennedy and a well taken Niland goal, but Paul O’Rourke and Mark Hughes had other ideas. O’Rourke pointed before Hughes dispatched a penalty clinically past Paul Donoghue. This following a challenge on Mark Barrett in the square.

That penalty followed by points from Niland and Hughes left just three between the teams at half time and while the feeling was that Clarinbridge held the aces for the second half, there was no strong indication that Mellows would be ripped apart in the subsequent action.

The opening ten minutes of the second half told its own story. Mellows had chances but could not take them while, at the other end, everything Clarinbridge touched seemed to turn to gold. Niland’s haul of points were capped by an excellent goal and from three points, the gap suddenly turned to 11, with Sean McArdle also getting on the scorersheet. The game had not reached the three quarter mark and the outcome was already a foregone conclusion.

Mellows did everything possible to bridge the gap and in Mark Hughes they possess a fine hurler who has a great future. However, despite his and his side’s best efforts, Patrick Foley, Shane Ryan and Niland again tacked on scores for Clarinbridge and when William Corcoran slotted over on 55 minutes, Clarinbridge’s lead had gone out to 19 points.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.