Miltown and Cratloe centrefielders Conor Cleary and Conor Ryan  (Photo: The Burren Eye/Clare Echo)

A thriller in Corofin where Miltown availed of two terrific performances at either end of the field to squeeze past Cratloe and into the hat for the Quarter Final draw. The imperious Darragh McDonagh at full forward netted twice in the second half to keep Cratloe’s much improved showing from the opening round at bay. On any ordinary day McDonagh’s performance was enough for the Man of the Match gong but that honour has to go to St. Joseph’s goalkeeper Colin Hayes who pulled off six magnificent stops from the Cratloe attack to keep his goal unbreeched - one of them from Podge Collins’ low penalty spot kick which would have drawn the sides level with less than ten minutes to go. 

Cratloe were a transformed team from that which was comfortably dismantled by Éire Óg in Round One but will rue the chances that went abegging in front of goal to go with the twenty points they converted over the hour. Ryan Harkin’s six points as well as four from the welcome return of Podge Collins and the accurate place kicking of goalkeeper Cian O’Gorman ensured the East Clare side offered much more going forward than their paltry 0-04 total a fortnight ago but St. Joseph’s Miltown who lined out without the influence of their county talisman Cormac Murray and veteran defender Gordon Kelly always had a reply to each of Cratloe’s dominant spells. Eoin Cleary accounted for 0-07 over the hour to bolster McDonagh’s goals and another in the opening half from Euen Lineen.  Paul Frawley was electric from half back and the fielding of Conor Cleary and Ralph Whelahan, who added a point of his own did a lot to achieve a second win on the bounce and ensure qualification in advance of meeting the reigning champions in Round Three.