Clarinbridge 6-28

Ardrahan 1-19

By STEPHEN GLENNON AT KENNY PARK

IT’S not often you see a team lose the run of themselves, but this Clarinbridge class of 2025 seem to be enjoying their hurling a little too much at the moment!

To put 6-28 on the scoreboard over 60 minutes of hurling is phenomenal shooting and, when you add in the 5-21 they shot against Turloughmore in the first round, an accumulated 11-49 over two championship fixtures is outrageous marksmanship.

Added to this, Clarinbridge’s second team hit Annaghdown for 8-19 (to 3-13) in their IHC clash on Saturday, underlining that this club certainly has got its offensive strategy down to a tee when it comes to finding the posts.

True, Ardrahan were hit with several injuries for this second-round SHC Group 3 tie in Athenry on Sunday, but once this Clarinbridge outfit hit their stride, they look an unstoppable force. Their stickwork, movement, and ability to make good decisions on and off the ball surely makes them one of the frontrunners now for the Tom Callanan Cup.

By half-time, they had led 2-15 to 0-10 and, yet, any signs of David Forde’s side easing off in the second period was put to bed in the opening four minutes when they hit their opponents for 2-2 without reply.

Evan Niland fired over a free within a minute, following a foul on Mikey Fallon, before half-time substitute Shane Ryan got on the end of a Darragh Counihan pass to fire beyond Ardrahan custodian Donagh Fahy.

Ryan immediately added another point and, a minute later, Mark Kennedy pulled a ground stroke to the net after an Evan Niland shot rebounded off the crossbar. It was an explosive restart from the ‘Bridge as they now led 4-17 to 0-10.

In fairness to Ardrahan, despite the chasm having widened, they continued to toil, and between the 34th and 43rd minutes, they managed to outscore the victors by 1-4 to 0-4, with Iain Lynskey scoring a 41st minute goal after Liam Forde caught a Fahy puckout and set up the opportunity.

With Sean Gardiner also converting four frees, there was some measure of respectability on the scoreboard (4-21 v 1-14) approaching the three-quarter mark. Yet, just as they did previously, Clarinbridge simply turned it on and within 30 seconds posted another 1-1.

Their fifth goal came from Kennedy once again – Ryan providing the assist – before Galway’s Gavin Lee picked off one of his three points from his centre-half back berth.

Pictured: Darragh Counihan of Clarinbridge on the attack against Ardrahan’s Cian Callanan during Sunday’s Senior A group clash at Kenny Park. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.