For outgoing Éire Óg manager Paul Madden it was a case of reflecting on a job well done as the Townies celebrated their 2024 county senior success, but as he bowed out after eight years in charge the message from the Inn at Dromoland was that the work will go on, writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh.
A lot done, but more to do was the old Bertie Ahern slogan from many General Elections past. Still, this motto was present and correct in the Inn at Dromoland last Friday night as the Éire Óg footballers celebrated their latest county senior title success.
And as they did it was a case of out with the old and in with the new, even if the latter is as yet unknown as the Townies vowed to circle the wagons once more in 2025 in a bid to bring a fourth county senior title success to the capital.
It was so, as the medal presentation for the first holders of the new Jack Daly trophy marked the final act of Paul Madden’s hugely successful senior management career with the Ennis side after he decided to step down after eight years in charge.
He did so with the applause and appreciation of every one of a red and white hue ringing in his ears after the Townies returned to the summit of affairs in Clare after the disappointment of losing out at the semi-final stage in 2023 when gunning for a three-in-a-row.
“Someone said to me that I was leaving the set-up on a high after winning the county senior title, but my last game in charge was a loss against Loughmore-Castleiney which still pains me…