Moreton leads Carrick to glory

LED by a man-of-the-match display from Colm Moreton, Carrick easily dethroned defending champions Cluainín 3-11 to 0-8 in Saturday’s Leitrim SHC final at Carrick-on-Shannon.

Moreton’s 21st-minute opening goal for Carrick was the game’s turning point, as Cluainín had shaded the proceedings prior to that.

Carrick led by 1-5 to 0-5 at the break and then stretched their lead to five thanks to Clement Cunniffe and Colm Moreton, who each chipped in with points, before Cathal McCrann added another score.

The Carrick men continued to pull ahead and stretched their lead to eight points with eight minutes remaining.

Cluainín’s top scorer Gavin O’Hagan opened his side’s second-half account with a 52nd-minute pointed free, only for Liam and Colm Moreton to add a goal apiece for the winners before the end.

In the closing minutes of the game, Cluainín added consolation points through Karl McDermott and Gavin O’Hagan.

SCORERS – Carrick: C Moreton 2-4; C Cunniffe

0-5 (3f); L Moreton 1-0; C McCrann and J Glancy

0–1 each. Cluainín Iomáint: G O’Hagan 0-4 (3f); K McDermott 0-2 (f); J O’Brien and P Clancy 0-1 each. CARRICK HURLING – C Moran; H Glancy, C Maguire, D Beirne; E Moreton, T Glancy, V McDermott; G O’Brien, C Cunniffe; D Tiernan, C McCrann, L Moreton; C Beirne, C Moreton, J Glancy. Subs: P McWeeney for O’Brien (44); J McNabola for D Beirne (58); C Behan for Tiernan (59); F McKiernan for Cunniffe (64).

CLUAINÍN IOMÁINT – E Clancy; P Clerkin, N McLoughlin, P Clancy; M Feeley, J O’Brien, D Ryan; D. Poniard, K. McDermott; M. Dolan, M. Poniard, K. Clerkin; P. Poniard, M. McKeon, G. O’Hagan.Subs: F. Rooney for Feely (22); J. Rooney for Clancy

(42); M. McKeon for P. Poniard (57); S. McTiernan for McKeon (58).

REF – J Doyle (Sligo).