21st celebrations as Éire Óg return to helm

Clare Senior Football Championship Final

Éire Óg 1-10 Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-6

“The Townies are back and we’re not going anywhere’ was the passionate concluding words to captain Aaron Fitzgerald’s speech as Éire Óg bounced back to Jack Daly winning ways in Cusack Park, writes Eoin Brennan. 

Having only lost one of their last 21 matches and that to Cratloe in last year’s semi-final after penalties, the Ennis side’s third senior crown in four years was fully merited as they rolled with the punches of a difficult day weather and opposition-wise before finishing in powerful fashion.

The ‘Bricks, fueled by an intriguing mix of youth and vast title winning experience, certainly made Paul Madden’s side sweat after hitting the ground running with the first three points through Keenan Sexton (2) and Daryn Callinan.

However, on a day in which they almost needed a perfect performance, crucially they coughed up possession at halfway for Mark McInerney to pick out Gavin Cooney for a decisive 12th minute goal that would completely wipe out the West Clare’s side early work at 1-0 to 0-3.

Cooney would flick a subsequent back post attempt off the crossbar but now in the ascendency, Éire Óg made their dominance count with successive points through Darren O’Neill, Cooney and Colm Walsh O’Loghlen to carve out a 1-4 to 0-4 interval lead.

Kilmurry Ibrickane did inevitably rally but quick-fire points through Daryn Callinan and Daniel Walsh at the turn of the final quarter would only lessen the damage to two.

If anything those points only poked the bear as Éire Óg would flex their muscles by holding off any further resurrection with the last five points. Gavin Cooney arrowed over a sublime lineball inside the 20 metre line, Colm Walsh O’Loghlen raided for a fourth points while Darren O’Brien, Mark McInerney and substitute Philip Talty all got in on the scoring act to cement a record 21st Clare title, only equally by Kilrush Shamrocks.

Éire Óg: Shane Daniels; Manus Doherty, Aaron Fitzgerald,Ronan Lanigan; Ciaran Russell, Ikem Ugwueru, Einne O’Connor; Darren O’Neill, David McNamara; Nially McMahon, Darren O’Brien, Oran Cahill; Mark McInerney, Gavin Cooney, Colm Walsh O’Loghlen

Subs: Gavin Murray for McMahon (24), Dean Ryan forO’Connor (HT, inj), Luke Pyne for O’Brien (52), Philip Talty for Walsh O’Loghlen (54), Aidan McGrath for Cooney (61)

Scorers: Gavin Cooney (1-2, 1sl); Colm Walsh O’Loghlen (0-4);Darren O’Neill (’45), Darren O’Brien, Mark McInerney (f), Philip Talty (0-1 each)

Kilmurry Ibrickane: David Sexton; Ciaran Morrissey, Andrew Shannon, Mark Killeen; Darragh Sexton, Darren Hickey, Martin McMahon; Evan Cahill, Diarmuid King; Shane Hickey, Daniel Walsh, Josh Moloney; Keelan Sexton, Daryn Callinan, Dermot Coughlan

Subs: Caoilfhionn O’Dea for Coughlan (27, inj), Aidan McCarthy for Moloney (HT), Joe Campbell for D. Hickey (32-34, BS), Cathal Talty for Callinan (51), Conor Kearney for McMahon (52)

Scorers: Daryn Callinan (0-3, 1f); Keelan Sexton (0-2, 1f); Daniel Walsh (0-1)

Referee: Fergal O’Brien (Broadford)