Cluainín Iomáint blown away by dominant Easkey in Connacht semi-final clash

In Saturday's very one-sided provincial junior championship semi-final at Heartland Credit Union Páirc Seán MacDiarmada three in a row Connacht junior club champions and Sligo standard bearers Easkey, showed no mercy as they crushed the challenge of recently crowned Leitrim kingpins, Cluainín Iomáint. 

Easkey led by full-forward and excellent hurler Andrew Kilcullen gave a sparkling performance from start to finish. The Sligo side's power pack hurling overwhelmed Cluainín Iomáint from the start with the result that the Leitrim side was at sixes and sevens for the rest of the contest.

Despite their best efforts Cluainín Iomáint, who had to line out without their injured county hurling team player and top marksman Gavin O'Hagan, certainly suffered a baptism of fire in Saturday's game during which nothing went right for them before they suffered a massive 26 point's defeat margin at the end.

On the other hand Easkey turned in a superb performance over the hour and qualified with ease to meet Galway's Ballinasloe in the Connacht final that is scheduled to be played this coming weekend. Meanwhile in Saturday's other Connacht semi-final Ballinasloe chalked up a 1 – 18 to 1 – 8 over Mayo champions Moytura.

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On Saturday from the outset Easkey completely dominated the exchanges and forced Cluainín Iomáint to play second fiddle. Andrew Kilcullen opened Easkey's account when he tapped over a 3rd minute free while he did likewise two minutes later, which was followed by a well taken Eanna Moylan point from play for the Sligo side and then Kilcullen converted '65' on the 10 minute mark that put his side 0 – 4 in front.

Cluainín Iomáint's Ethan Clancy was the recipient of a 13th minute yellow card. Easkey went further ahead in the next minute when Andrew Kilcullen very decisively and skilfully cut through the Cluainín Iomáint rearguard and gave goalkeeper Peter Boyle no chance when finishing from close range to the net.

In reply Michael O'Brien opened Cluainín Iomáint's account when he tapped over a free at the end the first quarter that had been awarded for a foul on Barry Loughlin. After that Easkey switched into top gear again to take full command of the proceedings when hitting an unanswered 1 – 8 in the final eleven minutes of the first half.

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In this spell Andrew Kilcullen shot his second Easkey goal as well as adding four points, one from a free, while Emma Moylan, Thomas Cawley, Cormac Vereker and Rory McHugh all split the Cluainín Iomáint posts.

Before the interval Michael O'Brien closed the first half's scoring when he slotted over a Cluainín Iomáint free which left Easkey leading by 2 – 13 to 0 – 2 at half-time. Following the restart Easkey stretched their lead further in the opening ten minutes of the second half with Andrew Cullen hitting points from play, a '65' and a free.

However Easkey had a let off on the 43 minute mark when Cluainín Iomáint sub Chris Guilfoyle drove a goal chance narrowly wide. Two minutes later Easkey won a penalty when Andrew Kilcullen was fouled as he bore down on the Cluainín Iomáint posts.

Kilcullen stepped up and struck the penalty clinically to the left bottom corner of the Cluainín Iomáint net to put his side ahead by a whopping 26 point's margin. After that further Easkey points were added by the 50th minute when Andrew Kilcullen and Adam Rolston split the Cluainín Iomáint uprights in turn.

Meanwhile an overwhelmed Cluainín Iomáint eventually got their second half account opened when Martin Feeney put over a free on the 55 minute mark. Three minutes later Feeney again punished an Easkey foul on a Cluainín Iomáint forward when he converted another free for his side.

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In the closing scoring action of the game Easkey's Daniel Rolston, Patrick Walsh and Andrew Kilcullen tapped over a point each while in reply Martin Feeney converted a Cluainín Iomáint free just before the final whistle was sounded to end this very one sided Connacht club junior hurling championship semi-final clash.  

With a Connacht final clash with Ballinasloe coming up for Easkey this weekend they probably would have preferred for a more testing challenge on Saturday when they cross swords with Cluainín Iomáint.

On the other hand Saturday's heavy defeat by Easkey provided a disappointing end of year experience Cluainín Iomáint after their recent impressive victory in the Leitrim senior hurling championship final.

Cluainín Iomáint know that they did not show their true worth or do themselves justice during their performance on Saturday against Easkey. The young Leitrim side also know that they will have to step up a few gears in the future if they hope to be realistic contenders for a Connacht title in the not too distant future.

EASKEY:

SCORERS: Andrew Cullen 3 – 14 4f, 2 x '65', pen; Cormac Vereker & Rory McHugh 0 – 2 each; Thomas Cawley, Ronan Molloy, Daniel Rolston & Patrick Walsh 0 – 1 each.  

Team: Adam Rolston; Oisin Moylan, James Weir, Shane Molloy; Donal Hanley, Rory McHugh, Eoghan Rua McGowan; Ronan Molloy, Niall Kilcullen; Eanna Moylan, Fionn Moylan, Thomas Cawley; Cormac Vereker, Andrew Kilcullen, Fionn Connolly.

Subs: Kevin McGee, John Hunter & Patrick Walsh for Hanley, E Moylan & Connolly (HT); Alan O'Brien for N Kilcullen (40); E Moylan for McGowan (52)

 CLUAINÍN IOMÁINT: 

SCORERS: Martin Feeney 0 – 3 3f; Michael O'Brien 0 – 2 2f.

Team: Peter Boyle, Mark McHugh, Niall McLoughlin Aaron Macken; Ethan Clancy, Aaron McDermott, Paddy Clerkin; Martin Feeney, Kevin Clerkin; Cian McManus, James Rooney, Michael O'Brien, Barry Loughlin, Dylan McDermott, Eoghan McLoughlin.

Subs: Oisin Gurn for Loughlin (40); Chris Guilfoyle for P Clerkin (50); Shay Gurn for McLoughlin (55).

REFEREE: Aaron Clogher (Roscommon).