There was no substitute for experience as three of the last four champions secured places in the Clare SHC Quarter-Finals on Saturday afternoon.

With holders Feakle’s championship lives on the line on Sunday against an in-form Éire Óg, the previous three winners Clonlara (2023), Ballyea (2021 and ’22) and Sixmilebridge (2020) joined Éire Óg, Kilmaley and Clooney-Quin in the last eight in two weeks.

Donal Madden’s Clonlara were made to fight all the way before finally clinching Group 1 with a minimum 0-22 to 1-18 victory over Crusheen in Dr. Daly Park, Tulla.

An Ian Galvin-inspired Clonlara always seemed the likely winners, having weathered the early Crusheen storm to lead for the final two-thirds of the contest. 

However, without the talismanic John Conlon, Clon remarkably fired as many wides as scores (22 in total), with such an inordinate profligacy leaving Crusheen in a tie that arguably should have been beyond them.

Consequently, a six-point cushion would be slashed to just one in the 58th minute when Fergus Kennedy fired the only goal of the game to ensure a grandstand finish.

A brace of points from substitute Bryan McLeish were matched by Conor O’Donnell and Breffni Horner before time ultimately ran out on Crusheen’s recovery hopes as Clonlara relievedly protected their perfect start while Crusheen bow out of the championship.

The other quarter-final berth from Group 1 was garnered by last year’s finalists Sixmilebridge, who cemented back-to-back victories with a 1-27 to 2-14 final round triumph over a relegation-threatened St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield.

Despite being without 2024 All-Ireland winners Cathal Malone and Seadna Morey for the second successive tie, the ‘Bridge still had the distinct edge on experience, guile and physicality as they carved out a 0-16 to 1-06 interval lead before 1-1 from former county senior Shane Golden on the resumption effectively put the result beyond any doubt.

Alex Morey was once more unerring from placed balls with twelve points for a ‘Bridge side destined for another tilt at the Canon Hamilton Cup while Paudie O’Donovan and Eoin Burke got the consolation goals for the Parish in either half.

With Kilmaley already safely through to the business end as Group 4 tabletoppers before a ball was pucked in Round 3, Sixmilebridge were hosts for the winner-takes-all quarter-final showdown between Ballyea and Cratloe that finished 0-23 to 0-16 in the former’s favour.

Cratloe, led by Podge Collins and Rian Considine, managed to soar 0-11 to 0-07 clear by half-time as Diarmuid Ryan successfully curbed fellow countyman Tony Kelly in a fascinating duel. 

However, Ballyea proved the dominant side on the turnover as having finally reeled in Cratloe by the two-thirds mark, Robbie Hogan’s side would outscore their flagging opponents by 0-12 to 0-03 for the remainder, with Kelly (5), Cian Kirby (3) and Niall Deasy (2) to the fore to seal their place in the last eight for the first time since winning it last in 2022.

Kilmaley meanwhile, had the luxury of resting captain Mikey O’Malley and most influential player Conor Cleary and still having ten points to spare over Scariff by 1-31 to 2-18 in Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg.

Matthew Crotty gave Donal Moloney’s Scariff the perfect start with a goal from the throw-in but a Tom O’Rourke major eventually turned the tide as Kilmaley went in 1-14 to 1-10 in front by the midway mark.

With Tom O’Rourke (1-8), Mikey O’Neill (0-8) and Colm Killeen (0-6) to the fore, Kilmaley eventually pulled away as the second half developed to maintain their perfect start while inflicting a third consecutive defeat on a Scariff side that are destined for the demotion play-offs.

The final two quarter-final spots will be decided on Sunday as it’s a straight shoot-out between Inagh-Kiilnamona and Broadford in Cusack Park at 2pm, while at 4pm, the final knock-out stage position will be between defending champions Feakle who take on Group 3 leaders Éire Óg and intermediate champions Wolfe Tones who face neighbours Newmarket-on-Fergus, with a win or draw sufficient for Feakle to protect their title defence.