Crusheen 0-13  -  Scariff 0-12 at O'Garney Park, Sixmilebridge

SCARIFF will never get a better opportunity to disrupt the predictability of this group and stake a real claim for a qualification place. Crusheen and Clonlara appeared to be cruising for the two quarter-final spots but Scariff were determined to have their say and almost pulled off a major surprise on Saturday evening as they pushed Crusheen all the way.
In the end, a Ciaran O'Doherty injury-time 65 shaded it for Crusheen but while the two points were essential, Crusheen won't be satified with their lacklustre performance. They never really excelled at any stage of the contest and Scariff almost took full advantage of that flatness in typically spirited fashion.
Last year, the east Clare side went down tamely to the same opposition as Crusheen easily topped the group without having to hit top gear before eventually reaching the county final.
This year, the make-up of the group was almost identical and perhaps Crusheen took their opposition lightly and allowed a semblence of complancy to creep in.
They were inconsistent against Smith O'Briens first time out and this time, they were unable to shake off  a stubborn Scariff side who were playing in their first championship game of the year.
Fundamentally though, Scariff will be kicking themselves that they didn't punish Crusheen further on the scoreboard. Both sides hit ten wides over the hour but Scariff's misses were much more glaring, especially in the first half.
Crusheen led by 0-8 to 0-6 at the break after playing with the aid of the breeze but few in the Tommy Morey Stand would have argued if Scariff had been two or three points in front at that stage, such was the straight-forwardness of their scoring opportunities.
That contrast in shooting was apparent early on as Crusheen opened up a three point lead by the 12th minute while Scariff hit three poor wides in the same period. Scariff might have even grabbed a goal when Michael Scanlan's ball into the box was flicked on by Kenny McNamara but Cathal Dillon was alert to clear the ball off the line.
Alfie Rodgers did eventually put over Scariff's first score in the 13th minute and although Gearoid O'Donnell replied almost immediately for Crusheen, Scariff hit two more through Rodgers again and a Ross Horan free to cut the deficit to the minimum.
It sparked Crusheen into action and with Scariff firing blanks in front of the posts, Crusheen again stretched their lead to five with four unanswered points, two from the stick of Pat Vaughan.
Led by the midfield dominance of Michael Scanlan and Mike Rodgers, Scariff finished the half strongly however and after Diarmuid Nash pointed in the 29th, Kenny McNamara converted two late frees to give Scariff renewed hope for the second period with the breeze to come.
They came out fighting but Nash and Michael Scanlan both hit wides while Joe Meaney pointed for Crusheen. It was only papering over the cracks, however, as Crusheen seemed to fade under pressure, resorting to indiscipline that Ross Horan punished with two frees.
This prompted  Crusheen's sideline team to reshuffle the pack, bringing on Cronan Dillon, along with switching Alan Brigdale to partner him at midfield in order to curb Scanlan and Rodger's influence.
It appeared to have the desired effect as Brigdale put Crusheen 0-10 to 0-8 ahead in the 43rd, followed by Pat Vaughan's third point three minutes later. But Scariff were unwilling to lie down and another Nash point along with a Kenny McNamara 65 put just the minimum between the sides once more.
Cue a nervous last ten minutes with both sides scrapping for vital possession. Paddy Meaney found Pat Vaughan in space to push Crusheen two in front once more but Scanlan replied in the 56th. Gathering momentum, Scariff finally equalised two minutes later when Scanlan found Conor McNamara who pointed at the second attempt.
In desperation, Crusheen hit two late wides and it seemed as if the sides would share the spoils but in the 61st minute, Gearoid O'Doherty hit a ball across the square and when goalkeeper Matthew Horan hesitated, substitute Enda Murphy had no option but to put the ball out for a 65. Ciaran O'Doherty pointed with little fuss to edge his side over the line.
Scariff were desperately unlucky not to have grabbed at least a draw but it is Crusheen who maintained their perfect championship record.
Nevertheless, after this lucky escape, there will be no talk of a county title just yet in the Village of the Little Cross.
Scariff, meanwhile, can take some heart from their defeat. With more of the same application their three remaining games they'll take points and hope to challenge for one of the two quarter-final places that are up for grabs. Two points from the clash with Clonlara would blow the whole group open.

Won and Lost
AFTER ten minutes of the second half, Scariff were getting on top while Crusheen appeared to be fading fast and it impelled Crusheen's mentors to bring on Cronan Dillon to centre-field, move Alan Brigdale from corner-back to partner him and also push Cathal Dillon further out the field. It had an immediate effect as Dillon won a crucial free, Brigdale grabbed a point and their experience settled Crusheen's nerves late on to steal the victory.

Match Details
Crusheen Donal Tuohy (7), Darragh O'Doherty (6), Cathal Dillon (7), Alan Brigdale (7) (0-1), Brendan McMahon (6), Gerry O'Grady (7) (0-1), Ciaran O'Doherty (7) (0-2 1f, 1'65), Joe Meaney (7) (0-1), Gearoid O'Donnell (7) (0-2), Pat Vaughan (8) (0-4), Joe Brigdale (6) (0-1), Paddy Meaney (7) (0-1), Patrick O'Grady (5), Alan Tuohy (6) Subs Niall Griffin (6) for P. O'Grady, Gearoid O'Doherty (6) for A. Tuohy, Cronan Dillon (7) for McMahon

Scariff Matthew Horan (7), Cathal Nash (7), Darragh Kelly (8), Jim Minogue (7), Michael Moroney (7), Barry McNamara (7), Patrick Moroney (7), Michael Scanlan (8) (0-1), Mike Rodgers (7), Conor McNamara (6) (0-1), Kenny McNamara (7) (0-3 2f, 1'65), Evan McNamara (7), Diarmuid Nash (7) (0-2), Ross Horan (7) (0-3 3f), Alfie Rodgers (7) (0-2)
Sub Enda Murphy (7) for E. McNamara

Man of the Match
Michael Scanlan (Scariff)
THE heart and soul of Scariff. Drove forward at every opportunity and was the real engine of Scariff's fightback. Crucially, he had a huge hand in the Scariff's final two scores to level it up, scoring the first and laying off the second for Conor McNamara. Didn't deserve to be on the losing side.

Match Official Johnny Healy (Smith O'Breins)

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