Sixmilebridge have staked their claim for Cannon Hamilton in comprehensive fashion after Seán Stack’s side made little work of Feakle in their second round clash of the Clare Senior Hurling Championship.
Most punters in attendance at Cusack Park Ennis would have been expecting a thriller between two championship heavyweights following Feakle’s narrow victory over Clonlara last weekend however all hopes of a fierce contest were dashed at the midway point due to a blitzing performance from the Bridge men.
County stars Shane Golden and Cathal Malone along with the ever dangerous threat of Lorcan Fitzpatrick opened the scoring for the winners before Shane McGrath issued Feakle’s reply. However the score line of 0-05 to 0-02 at the fifteen minute mark was as close as the East Clare rivals would get on the day.
The county champions of 2020 produced scores from eight different players in the opening period with Páidi Fitzpatrick, Jamie Shanahan, Caimin Morey, Evan McInerney and Brian Carey also joining in on the fun.
Meanwhile their opponents could not break down the stubborn Sixmilbrige defence and were forced to shoot from distance leading to goalkeeper Eibhear Quilligan to come up with a point from play.
However this novel moment on twenty-three minutes did little to balance the half time score line as the Bridge led by 0-18 to 0-05 at the break.
Fiachra Donnelan and Oisín O’Connor both pointed for Feakle on the resumption and a difficult fightback looked like it may be on the cards. The old reliables in the Sixmilebridge camp had no intention of relenting however as further scores from Paidí Fitzpatrick, Cathal Malone and Seadna Morey left a commanding distance between the sides before Lorcan Fitzpatrick put the result beyond all doubt on forty-minutes with the only goal of the day.
Lorcan Fitzpatrick would add two further points before the full time whistle bringing his personal tally for the day to 1-04 and complimented by efforts from Conor Deasy, Jamie Shanahan, Cathal Malone and Caimin Morey in the closing stages, the Bridge strolled over the line to a well deserving victory.
It finished in Cusack Park Ennis, Sixmilebridge 1-31 to Feakle’s 0-13
