Clonad are through to the Laois Shopping Centre Intermediate Semi Final. Report on the link below
Laois IHC: Goals win games as Clonad fire six past Mountrath to win by 25 and set up semi-final with Colt-Shanahoe
Clonad 6-24 Mountrath 0-17
Laois IHC Quarter-Final
Dan McCormack was unstoppable at the edge of the square as Clonad eased into the Intermediate semi-finals with a massive 25 points to spare over Mountrath.
The teams were evenly matched in the opening quarter before Mountrath hit four in a row to take the lead.
However, the game changed on 24 minutes as Clonad hit two quick fire goals.
McCormack found another goal just before half-time and despite a positive opening few minutes to the second half for Mountrath, Clonad kept finding the back of the net and they sauntered home to victory.
David O’Brien set up Dan O’Sullivan for the games opening point before Mountrath responded with points from Paddy Williams and Luke Cusack (free).
It was a very scrappy start to the game but Clonad looked more promising and Fionn Holland levelled the scores on eight minutes.
Moments later Clonad got their first goal with O’Brien’s long ball in caught by McCormack and he passed to Ross Holmes who buried the ball home.
Mountrath responded well with Aidan Lenihan and Jake Walsh (free) hitting back. Mountrath then dominated the next four minutes as they fired over six of the next seven points as both teams up the pace of the game.
Colm Linehan and Josh O’Brien Holmes both punished loose clearances with points before Paddy Williams, Jake Walsh and Josh O’Brien Holmes (2) all pointed as Mountrath dominated the breaks and held a 1-5 to 0-10 lead on 18 minutes.
Fionn Holland hit a brilliant point over the shoulder before Clonad struck for those two goals in a minute. Dan McCormack ran the whole way through and after a ruck on the goaline the ball was bundled over the line.
Almost straight away a long free in was batted dangerously down and Dan O’Sullivan flicked the ball home. Barry Cormac added three in a row (2 frees) before Paul Rice got a much needed score for Mountrath.
However, Dan McCormack was through once again before half-time as he caught a high ball and fired home on the turn to give Clonad a 4-11 to 0-12 lead at half-time.
Mountrath got four of the first five points in the second half with Paddy Williams once again instrumental.
Jimmy Hyland, Tom Kirwan and Williams all scored from play but Clonad would wipe any sniff of a comeback away as they responded with 1-3 in a flash.
David O’Brien hit two in a row and set up a third before Ray Killeen barrelled his way through to score Clonad’s fifth goal.
Clonad’s strong running resulted in lots of frees and Cormac was on hand to convert three more.
The scores just kept coming for Clonad as Mountrath had no response and McCormack set up Ross Holmes beautifully who found another goal.
Jake Walsh got Mountrath’s last score from a 65 on 47 minutes and Clonad racked up six points in a row to end the match.
The highlight was Cormac landing a monster from play as Clonad threw the ball around with ease to run out 25 point winners.
The semi-finals will see Clonad play Colt-Shanahoe whilst Trumera play Mountmellick.
SCORERS – Clonad: Barry Cormac 0-11 (0-8 frees, 0-1 ’65), Ross Holmes 2-3, Dan McCormack 2-0, Dan O’Sullivan 1-2, Fionn Holland 0-4, David O’Brien 0-3, Ray Killeen 1-0, PJ Daly 0-1. Mountrath: Jake Walsh 0-4 (0-2 frees, 0-2 65), Paddy Williams 0-3, Josh O’Brien Holmes 0-4, Luke Cusack (free), Aidan Linehan, Paul Rice, Tom Kirwan, Colm Linehan, Jimmy Hyland 0-1 each.
MOUNTRATH: Cathal Carroll; Paul Meade, Tommy Rice, Ruairi Carroll; Gavin Sydes, Jake Walsh, James Tobin; Josh O’Brien Holmes, Scott Hetherington; Aidan Linehan, Paddy Williams, Paul Rice; Tom Kirwan, James Hyland, Luke Cusack. Subs: Michael Meade for T Rice (ht), Shaun Moore for Ruairi Carroll (39), Mark Cusack for Kirwan (41), Killian Kirwan for Lenihan (41), Gearoid Williams for L Cusack (49)
CLONAD: Jimmy Farrell; Gareth O’Brien, Jack Ahern, John Noonan; Dean Delaney, Shane Cahill, Cillian Duff; James Whelan, Barry Cormack; David O’Brien, Fionn Holland, PJ Daly; Daniel O’Sullivan, Dan McCormack, Ross Holmes. Subs: Ray Killeen for S Cahill (ht), Rob Boland for McCormack (54), Colin Delaney for Kileen (56)
REFEREE: Anthony Stapleton (Rathdowney-Errill)
Man of the Match – Dan McCormack (Clonad)
Paddy Williams and Josh O’Brien Holmes had their periods of dominace for Mountrath but there were several big performances from Clonad with Barry Cormac, David O’Brien and Fionn Holland all excellent.
In a game where both teams were evenly matched across the pitch, there was a clear mismatch as Dan McCormack was unmarkable. He overpowered the Mountrath defence and scored two goals, set up two more and was fouled on numerous occasions.
