Goals the key as Camross power past Clonad to book Premier IHC semi-final spot

Camross 3-19 

Clonad 0-16 

CAMROSS booked their place in the Laois Shopping Centre Premier IHC semi-final after running out 12-point winners against Clonad in Colt on Sunday afternoon. Goals from David Mortimer, Ashton Keenan and Ryan Cuddy helped Camross on their way to a deserving win.

There was only four-points between the sides at half time, but Camross showed their class in the second half and pulled away from Clonad to make it three wins from three and top the group.

As for Clonad, they have a quarter-final to look forward to and they would have certainly taken it at the start of the year.

Both sides traded scores on two occasions early on with Robbie Delaney grabbing a brace for Camross while Barry Cormack and John Onions would point for Clonad.

Camross were having joy around the middle and would take the lead through a David Mortimer point, they then followed that up with the first goal of the match.

Ryan Cuddy found himself in space and his shot made its way past Jimmy Farrell to put Camross in control and they never looked back.

Onions responded with a fine point from play, but it was to get worse for Clonad as Camross would get the next 1-1 in the game.

First Ben Deegan hit over his first free, and they followed up their second goal. David Mortimer went through the Clonad defence, and his effort was saved by Jimmy Farrell, but Ashton Keenan was on hand to fire in the rebound to leave it 2-4 to 0-3 after 12 minutes.

Other than the goals conceded, Clonad were competing well and were still well in the game.

Both sides would then trade scores with Barry Cormack and John Onions again on target for Clonad while David Mortimer and Ryan Cuddy pointed for Camross.

Clonad then reeled off three points in a row to get back into the contest. Fionn Holland grabbed a brace and in between his scores Daniel O'Sullivan got his name on the scoresheet.

It was tit for tat for the rest of the half as there wasn't much between the sides as they traded point for point.

Fionn Holland would get a brace while Ross Holmes would get Clonad's scores, but Camross always responded through Ben Deegan and David Mortimer to leave Camross in the lead at half time 2-9 to 0-11.

Clonad started the second half with a score from Barry Cormack to reduce the gap to three, but disaster struck after great work from Ashton Keenan who found David Mortimer who found the back of the net and Clonad never really recovered after that.

Ben Deegan and Ashton Keenan added further points as Camross went up a gear at the start of the half. Cormack added another 65 for Clonad to just about keep them in the game.

Camross then reeled off three-points in a row with Lorcan Burke getting two huge points in a row while David Mortimer would hit the other.

Daniel Thornton who impressed off the bench for Clonad found a brilliant point, but it was quickly cancelled out by Robbie Delaney.

As the game was coming to a close Camross were in control and were at their ease, Ben Deegan hit two more points, one from a free and the other from a 65.

John Onions nailed another free for Clonad which was to be their last score in the 54th minute.

The victors hit the last two points from Ciaran Keenan and Ben Deegan as Camross advance to the semi-finals SCORERS:

Camross: David Mortimer 1-4, Ben Deegan 0-7 (0-5fs, 0-1 65), Ashton Keenan and Ryan Cuddy 1-1 each, Robbie Delaney 0-3, Lorcan Burke 0-2, Ciaran Keenan 0-1.

Clonad: John Onions 0-5 (0-3fs), Barry Cormack (0-1f, 0-2 65s), Fionn Holland 0-4 each, Daniel O'Sullivan, Ross Holmes and Daniel Thornton 0-1 each.

CAMROSS: Thomas Dunphy; Michael Phelan, Daniel Breen, Bryan Bredin; Eoin Dowling, Andrew Collier, Lorcan Burke; Matthew Collier, Kevin Byrne; Robert Delaney, Darrell Dooley, Ben Deegan; Ryan Cuddy, Ashton Keenan, David Mortimer.

Subs: Ciaran Keenan for Cuddy (34m), Rob Tyrell for Dooley (42m).

CLONAD: Jimmy Farrell; Gareth O'Brien, Jack Ahern, Liam Whelan; Charlie Hand, David O'Brien, Shane Cahill; Barry Cormack, James Whelan; Patrick O'Callaghan, Fionn Holland, Jim Holland; Ross Holmes, Daniel O'Sullivan, John Onions.

Subs: Daniel Thornton for J Whelan (43m), Colin Delaney for Holmes (56m).

Referee: Jamie McDonald