Éire Óg seal final place with strong finish

Éire Óg   2-15
Lissycasey  1-10

Éire Óg will play titleholders Kilmurry-Ibrickane in this Saturday’s Cusack Cup (Division 1) football final at Kilmihil after they overcame the challenge of Lissycasey in last Saturday’s semi-final played at Lissycasey.

It’s a result that didn’t seem likely at the half way stage when the home side held a five-point lead. They were still five clear as the end of the third-quarter approached but from there to the finish there was only one team in it.

Lissycasey and Clare goalkeeper Joe Hayes had made two outstanding saves in the opening half that played a huge part in keeping his team in front.

The home side took the lead in the opening minute when midfielder Sean Hayes kicked a fine point. David Considine doubled the home side’s advantage when he converted a free in the third minute. A minute later the Lissycasey keeper made the first of a number of good saves when he denied his former St Flannan’s and Clare teammate Stephen Hickey, before Éire Óg hit points from Graham Glynn, Bryan Dolan and Dean Ryan to open a one-point lead.

Enda Finnucane responded with a Lissycasey point to level at 0-3 each before Hayes denied Graham Glynn.
Clare senior panelists Francie Hayes and Niall Kelly had points for Lissycasey before David Considine fired home the game’s first goal at the mid-point of the half.

Each side added two points in the second quarter with Graham Glynn and Dean Ryan on the scoreboard for the winners, while Martin O’Connor and Sean Hayes had the home side’s points. The half-time score was 1-7 to 0-5 in Lissycasey’s favour.

The town side had made a key move during that opening half when they moved Dean Ryan to wing-forward following the introduction of the experienced Brian Frawley to midfield. Another key move made by manager James Hanrahan and his backroom team was the switching of Ciarán Russell to centre back.

Points were exchanged early in the second half with Sean O’Meara scoring for Éire Óg before Niall Kelly replied from a free for Lissycasey.
Eoin Glynn pointed for the winners before the margin was brought back to the minimum when Stephen Hickey goaled. A Matt Kilroy point left the home side two points ahead entering the final quarter.

Éire Óg hit a purple patch and points followed from Sean O’Meara (free) and Conor Brennan to tie the game with 10 minutes to play.
The town side followed with 1-5 without reply to kill off Lissycasey’s dream of a third Cusack Cup final appearance. Eoin Glynn was the goalscorer while substitutes Darren O’Meara, Danny Russell and Cian Darcy, with a superb long-range free, were amongst the point scorers.

Lissycasey’s only response was a Francie Hayes point in the final minute. To add to Lissycasey’s woes, they finished the game with 14 men after full-forward Niall Kelly was red carded in the closing minutes.

Éire Óg: Eoin Slattery, Ciarán Russell, Aaron Fitzgerald, Conor Dolan, Sean Corry, David Russell, Conor Brennan, Dean Ryan, Darran O’Neill, Eoin Glynn, Bryan Dolan, Liam Corry, Graham Glynn, Stephen Hickey, Sean O’Meara.
Subs: Brian Frawley for L Corry; David Monghan for Hickey; Darren O’Meara for G Glynn; Cian Darcy for S O’Meara; Danny Russell for D Ryan.

Lissycasey: Joe Hayes. Martin Moran, Gerry Moran, Martin O’Connor, Matt O’Shea, Francis Hayes, Dermot Nagle, Sean Hayes, Enda Finnucane, Oisin Talty, Daniel Clohessy, Matt Kilroy, David Considine, Niall Kelly, Paul Nagle.
Subs: Oisin Hanrahan for Oisin Talty, Conor Finucane for David Considine, Cyril Sheehan for Dermot Nagle.

Referee: Pat Cosgrove, Corofin.