Lusmagh and Clara share the spoils to maintain unbeaten championship starts  

Molloy Precast & Environmental Systems Offaly Senior B Hurling Championship Round 3

Lusmagh 1-13

Clara 1-13

LATE drama saw Clara snatch a draw from their game with Lusmagh as the two sides played out a 1-13 each draw in Banagher on Saturday afternoon.

Late scores from Cormac Delaney, who ended with 1-10, saved Clara a point on a day when they didn’t perform to their best and know they have more in them, whilst also fortunate that Lusmagh were not as clinical as they have been for their previous two games.

Lusmagh led for the large majority of the game and Clara never went ahead in this clash at any stage which shows even more madness in them getting a draw, but to their credit, they showed great resilience and determination to get themselves a point and avoid suffering defeat for the first time this season.

In what is still a long season ahead, we could very well see these two games meeting again and potentially in a final come October.

The game started at a good pace, as Lusmagh held a one point advantage after 10 minutes, with every score coming from a free from Luke Bowe and Cormac Delaney respectively.

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Delaney levelled the game for the first time in the 13th minute with a beautiful sideline cut, but less than 30 second later, Lusmagh had the ball in the back of the net, with Darren Healy flicking the ball over the head of Willie Fleming and into the top corner, before Scott Griffith made it a two point game moments later.

Despite both sides hitting poor wides, Lusmagh still looked the better of the two teams early on, as a Luke Bowe free was followed by their first score point play from Aaron Kelly, which gave Lusmagh a two score advantage, with Darren Healy soon adding to his goal with a fine effort leaving Lusmagh four points in front after 22 minutes played.

Just as the game was slipping away from Clara, a long ball into the 13 yard line found Cormac Delaney and he had all the time in the world to pick his spot and rattle the top corner to get his side back into it.

Delaney would add two more frees along with Lusmagh snatching two points from Graham Lynch and a '65' from Bowe to leave it at 1-7 to 1-6 at the break in favour of Lusmagh.

The early exchanges of the second half saw Luke Bowe continue his good free scoring form, while Josh Fleming pucked over a fantastic over the shoulder point which was the score of the game at that stage.

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Lusmagh gained a three point lead soon afterwards through Darren Healy and Luke Bowe before Clara brought it back to level a few minutes later thanks to three frees on the bounce from Delaney with 17 minutes remaining.

Josh Ledwith and Adam Kelly exchanged scores in the space of 30 seconds as the game remained a one score game approaching the final 10 minutes,

Lusmagh wouldn’t score for the final 10 minutes as Clara saved their bacon with Delaney stepping up to point a '65' before a delicate point at the end to claim a draw meaning that round two between these sides if they are to meet again will be a very hard one to call.

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MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

CORMAC DELANEY (CLARA): Darren Healy had a good game for Lusmagh finishing with 1-2 which included a tidy goal, while Luke Bowe was good on free duty, along with Eimhin Kelly who was solid at centre back.

Josh Fleming caused problems in the full forward line for Clara, Myles Handy was good at corner back, whilst Ciaran Doyle did good in the backs also.

Cormac Delaney is the overall pick as he is as Clara’s go to man for scores, with his goal effort in the first half a rocket of a strike before his point at the end which levelled things being a touch of class at a time when Clara needed it.

THE SCORERS

Lusmagh: Luke Bowe 0-7 (0-6 frees, 0-1 '65'), Darren Healy 1-2, Aaron Kelly 0-2, Paul Kinsella (free) and Graham Lynch 0-1 each.

Clara: Cormac Delaney 1-10 (0-8 frees, 0-1 sideline), , Scott Griffith, Josh Fleming and Josh Ledwith 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

LUSMAGH: Alan Kelly; Rory Quinlan, Andy Flynn, Dáire Temple; Eibheann Kelly, Eimhin Kelly, Ruairi Kelly; Lorcan Troy, Graham Lynch (C), Eoin Quinlan, Darren Healy, James Kelly; Paul Kinsella, Aaron Kelly, Luke Bowe. Subs– Shane Langan for Troy (48m).

CLARA: Willie Fleming; Myles Handy, Alan Gavin, Conor Taylor; Barry Egan, Conor Egan (C), Ciaran Doyle; Marcus Dalton, Conor Doyle, Scott Griffith, Ross Brady, Adam Scanlon; Cormac Delaney, Josh Fleming, Eoin Gavin. Subs– Conor Dolan for Taylor (14m), John Ledwith for Gavin (42m) Neil Robbins for Dalton (58m).

REFEREE: Matthew Farrell (Tullamore)

REFEREE WATCH

Matthew Farrell took charge of this game and overall, he did good, however some of the cards dished out for both sides seemed harsh enough without the game flowing as much as you’d like it to.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Cormac Delaney’s last score to level the game which saved Clara a point was a savage score under pressure, and after his performance on the day, it was fitting that he was the one to salvage the game for his side when it looked lost.

VENUE WATCH

The game was hosted in Banagher and it was a gorgeous afternoon for hurling. The pitch was in unbelievable condition, and there was a decent sized crowd there too.

WHAT'S NEXT

Lusmagh face Clodiagh Gaels in the next round, while Clara take on Carrig & Riverstown.

STATISTICS

Wides: Lusmagh –14 (6 in first half); Clara – 10 (5 in first half).

Yellow cards: Lusmagh 5 (Darren Healy, Aaron Kelly, Eoin Quinlan, Lorcan Troy, Eibheann Kelly)

Clara 5 (Alan Gavin, Scott Griffith, Conor Dolan, Barry Egan, Conor Doyle)

Red cards: Lusmagh 0 Clara 0.

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