Sixmilebridge 3-12 Bodyke/O’Callaghans Mills 1-13.

Bodyke was the venue for this under 16 A Round 4 clash between Sixmilebridge and Bodyke/O’Callaghans Mills last Sunday morning. The opening exchanges were even enough with both sides registering a point within the first 3 minutes thanks to Sean MacNamara (‘Bridge) and Cormac Murphy (Bodyke/O’C Mills). The ‘Bridge were unlucky not to get a goal 6 minutes in when an Evan Murphy free fell short and Sean MacNamara gained possession with his strike being saved by Liam Roskam in the Bodyke/O’C Mills goal. From the clearance the ball was worked well up the field by Bodyke/O’C Mills and Sean Doyle struck a cracking point. Luke O’ Halloran tied the game again two minutes later, and then the East Clare combo hit a purple patch as the ‘Bridge team lost their shape. They outscored the ‘Bridge 6 points to 1 in the next twelve minutes and were fully deserving of their 8 points to 3 lead. In this period Sean Doyle was excellent scoring one from play and also deadly accurate scoring two more from frees. Sean Wiley, Thomas Minogue, and Cormac Murphy also got one point each. The ‘Bridge were getting themselves in all sorts of bother with the backs trying to work the ball out with short passes and the forwards doing their own thing taking on shots, most of which fell short. Sean MacNamara finally stopped the rot 23 minutes in with a point. They got a huge break 3 minutes later when Luke O’Halloran was half hooked and the ball broke kindly to David Kennedy and he scored the game’s first goal to tie the game. Sean Doyle put Bodyke/O’C Mills back in front with another pointed free before Sean MacNamara got two lovely points from play to leave the ‘Bridge one up at the interval. Halftime score 1-7 to 0-9 in favour of the ‘Bridge.
The second half started with Sean MacNamara continuing on from where he left off when he received a nice pass from Luke Keogh in the first minute, and having his first shot blocked he made no mistake the second time with the ball ending up in back of the net. Luke Keogh and then Matthew Hurley added two more points in the next ten minutes as the ‘Bridge started to pull away. Sean Doyle kept Bodyke/O’C Mills in touch with another long range ponited free. The ‘Bridge struck for their third goal on 17 minutes when a long high ball was broken down by Luke Keogh with David Kennedy gaining possession, and having the advantage of facing the goal he was a step or two ahead of the Bodyke/O’C Mills backs. He ran at the goal and slotted it low into the right corner giving Liam Roskam no chance of saving. Bodyke/O’C Mills kept fighting and Sean Doyle got two more points from placed balls with Sean Wiley being very unlucky to have a goal disallowed on 25 minutes for over carrying. He did strike again 5 minutes later hitting a bullet of a shot to get Bodyke/O’C Mills only goal but it was too little and far too late. Cormac Murphy finished the scoring with a point well into injury time. After a very shaky first half the ‘Bridge had prevailed on a score line 3-12 to 1-13.
For Bodyke/O’C Mills Sean Doyle was excellent from play but was also deadly accurate with the placed ball. Sean Wiley and Cormac Murphy were also very dangerous throughout.
For Sixmilebridge Colm Flynn was outstanding with an excellent first touch and showed great determination throughout. Sean MacNamara, Leon Kelly were also very effective.

Sixmilebridge: Cian Fawl, Conor Morey, Colin Kelly, Colm Flynn, Leon Kelly, Darragh Toomey, Evan Murphy 0-2 F, Storm Devanney, Oisin Breen, Seamus O’Connell, Luke O’Halloran 0-1, Matthew Hurley 0-2, David Kennedy 2-0, Sean MacNamara 1-6, (0-1F), Luke Keogh 0-1, Evan O’Callaghan, Adam Murray 0-1, Adam O’Sullivan, Dylan Downes.

Bodyke/O’Callaghans Mills: Liam Roskam, Stephen Marsh, Tiarnan Slattery, Cormac Treacy, Michael McMahon, Sean Wiley 1-1, Ronan O’Dea, Sean Doyle 0-8 (0-6F), Jamie O’Donnell, Noel McGrath, Thomas Wiley, Thomas Minogue 0-1, Colm Cleary, Cormac Murphy 0-3.

Referee: John Healy.