REIGNING CHAMPIONS SIXMILEBRIDGE have been knocked out of the 2014 Clare senior hurling championship tonight.
Sixmilebridge, who contested last November’s AIB Munster senior club hurling final before being defeated by Limerick’s Na Piarsaigh, lost out tonight against Cratloe by 1-18 to 1-15 in a Group 3 clash.
The result was Sixmilebridge’s second defeat in the four-team group after earlier this year they had lost to 2010 and 2011 champions Crusheen.
With Crusheen and Cratloe both now on four points, Sixmilebridge cannot qualify from the group now after losing their two games to date and only having one match left to play.
2009 kingpins Cratloe were ahead by 1-6 to 0-4 after the opening quarter of tonight’s game with Clare senior Conor McGrath bagging their goal. Cratloe went 1-10 to 0-8 ahead at half-time with Podge Colins and McGrath amongst their point-scorers while Jamie Shanahan and Niall Gilligan scored for Sixmilebridge.
Sixmilebridge got a boost after the interval when Gilligan found the net but McGrath kept Cratloe in the ascendancy and they were in front by 1-16 to 1-12 after the third quarter.
Sixmilebridge fought back to cut the gap to two points with five minutes left but Cathal McInerney hit the insurance point for Cratloe to seal their victory.