Cratloe have beaten Kilmaley in one of the best games so far in Round One of the Clare Senior Hurling Championship.
A quick start was crucial in their win – they led 2-7 to 0-2 after 21 minutes, with Shane Gleeson netting their second.
Kilmaley fought back – Sean O’Loughlin scored their first half goal – but the South-East Clare men led by double scores at half-time, 2-8 to 1-4.
After Mikey O’Malley scored a second-half goal, Kilmaley managed to bring the gap back to one point on one more than one occasion, but they never quite pulled level, and some late Cratloe scores, including a final goal from Shane Neville, gave them a 3-14 to 2-11 win.
In the earlier games at Cusack Park, O’Callaghans Mills were pushed all the way by Broadford. Two goals, the second from Sean Cotter, was crucial as they won 2-13 to 0-17.
Sixmilebridge began their defence of the County Senior Hurling title with a 0-17 to 0-12 win over Éire Óg in Cusack Park.
In Sixmilebridge, meanwhile, Whitegate lost out to a Feakle side that were a step ahead throughout most of their game.
Feakle led by four at half-time, and ultimately won out 0-21 to 0-16 – Shane McGrath contributed 11 points, mostly from the placed ball.
Wolfe Tones recorded the biggest win of the weekend so far. They had 15 points to spare over Clarecastle, 4-19 to 0-16.
Last night, there were victories for Clonlara over Newmarket on Fergus, and for Inagh-Kilnamona over Clooney-Quin.
Tommorrow, in the final Round One game, Ballyea meet Crusheen.
In the Intermediate Hurling Championship, Ruan had a goal to spare over Clonlara and a late goal helped Corofin beat Newmarket on Fergus 1-19 to 1-12.
In the Senior Camogie Championship this evening, Scarriff-Ogonnelloe started the defence of their crown with an emphatic 2-21 to 1-6 win over Sixmilebridge.
Newmarket on Fergus beat St. Joseph’s 1-18 to 0-8, while Inagh-Kilnamona beat Truagh-Clonlara 1-13 to 0-3.