Junior success on the double for Magpies

Clarecastle 1-10   Éire Óg 0-10

EXPERIENCE in key areas proved a vital ingredient as Clarecastle completed the junior hurling and football double by beating their neighbours, Éire Óg, in the hurling final at Sixmilebridge on Saturday.

In a game played in atrocious weather conditions, they became the first club since Cratloe in 1964 to win both the junior hurling and football championships in the same season.

While Éire Óg made their neighbours fight all the way for the title, the Magpies were deserving winners of the tie, which was played in wet and bitterly cold conditions. The opening 20 minutes of the game were played in a downpour but credit must go to both sides for their committed approach in such difficult conditions.

The Magpies laid the foundations for the win in the opening half when, playing with the aid of the wind, they opened a nine-point lead. Éire Óg piled on the pressure in the second half but were unable to break down a strong Clarecastle defence to get through for the goal they needed to have a chance of getting back into contention.

Clarecastle played the final 21 minutes with 14 men after full-forward John Casey picked up a second yellow.
Points were exchanged twice in the opening 10 minutes before midfielder Gareth Barry gave Clarecastle a lead they held to the end when he pointed in the 12th minute. The new champions, who last won this title 27 years ago in 1985, dominated the early exchanges and the Éire Óg defence was fortunate not to concede a goal in the 13th minute.

At the midpoint of the half, they made the breakthrough and John Reidy, one of Clarecastle’s stars on the day, saw his low shot beat Brian Nestor in the Éire Óg goal.

Moments later, a number of players from both sides got involved in a row on the stand side of the pitch and this led to the booking of Fiachra Connellan and Francie Keane (Éire Óg), along with Kieran Lynch and Paddy Donlon from Clarecastle.

Clarecastle dominated for the remainder of the half and added five points, three from full-forward John Casey, who also picked up a yellow card shortly before the half-time whistle, and one each from team captain John Pyne and Pakie Healy. They went to the break with a 1-8 to 0-2 lead.

On the resumption, the Ennis side piled on the pressure but only managed a point from a free in the first 10 minutes of the new half. By the start of the final quarter they had the lead down to four points and Clarecastle’s defence was under a lot of pressure. Andrew Page at centre-back was in excellent form for the winners and together with Alan O’Loughlin at full-back and Rory Concannon in the corner, they repelled many Ennis attacks.

Ten minutes from the end, Clarecastle goalie Jeff Coughlan converted a great 65’ into the wind and with five minutes to go, the gap was back to six points after the Magpies’ captain John Pyne converted a free.

Éire Óg did most of the attacking in the closing stages and hit three unanswered points but they just could not get through for the goal they needed to keep their hopes of success alive.

Page, in particular, O’Loughlin and Concannon stood out in defence for the winners, while Paddy Donnellan got through a lot of work. Gareth Barry, particularly in the first half, and John Pyne held the upperhand at midfield, while up front John Reidy excelled for the winners.

Brian Nestor, Colin Malone, Niall O’Connor, Paul Moynihan and Conor Stack fought hard for the Ennis side.
After the game, Clare GAA chairman Michael O’Neill presented the John Daly Memorial Cup to the winning captain, John Pyne.

Clarecastle: Jamie Coughlan; Rory Concannon, Alan O’Loughlin, Kieran Lynch; Fergal Griffin, Andrew Page, Paddy Donnellan; Gareth Barry, John Pyne (captain); John Reidy, Jason Considine, Pakie Healy; Briain Lynch, John Casey, Niall Dunne.
Subs: Cathal Lynch for Healy (inj) and Stuart McMahon for Dunne.
Scorers: John Casey (0-5, 4f), John Reidy (1-0), John Pyne (0-2, 1f), Jamie Coughlan (65’), Gareth Barry and Pakie Healy (0-1 each).
Frees for: 13; wides: 7; 65s: 1.
Bookings: Kieran Lynch (17 minutes), Paddy Donnellan (17 minutes), John Casey (25 minutes and 39 minutes), Alan O’Loughlin (33 minutes) and Fergal Griffin(46 minutes).
Sent off: John Casey (39 minutes).

Éire Óg: Brian Nestor; Liam Corry, Colin Malone, Paul Moynihan; Jack Walsh, Anthony O’Halloran, Stephen Guilfoyle; Niall McMahon, Conor Stack; David Durack, Niall O’Connor, Francie Keane; Fiachra Connellan, Brian Dolan, Rory Gallagher.
Subs: Aidan McGrath for Guilfoyle, Robbie McGann for Walsh and Joel Hanna for Keane.
Scorers: Niall O’Connor (0-5, 4f), Brian Nestor (0-2f), Niall McMahon, Conor Stack and Rory Gallagher (0-1 each).
Frees for: 22; wides: 6; 65s: 1.
Bookings: Fiachra Connellan (17 minutes), Francie Keane (17 minutes), Paul Moynihan (39 minutes), Conor Stack (49 minutes) and Liam Corry (55 minutes).
Referee: Damian Fox, Clooney-Quin.