Kilrush bridge 21-year-gap

As ecstatic as Kilrush people were following the clubs first minor championship win since 1990, nobody in Miltown would deny that the new minor B champions, must have been one of the most motivated teams ever to play football.
Speaking after the game Kilrush mentor Pat ‘Rico’ Clancy nearly deafened the packed stand, such was the passion with which he delivered his verdict to a startled press corp. It was this type of passion that drove the Kilrush youngsters to glory, with 15-year-old Liam Madigan especially eye catching.
The Kilrush number 15 scored a hat-trick of goals from play, one as opportunistic and as calmly despatched as the next. Madigan also slotted over three points from frees to cap a superb innings.
“It’s been a long time coming for Kilrush. We’re 21 years waiting for this. People might say it’s only a B but it’s gone so long now we had to win something,” Pat Clancy said after the match, his voice rising with each passing word.
“I think today Kilrush have turned a corner and we will be back. You have to start somewhere. We’ve won nothing in 21 years. Today lads, we have made a start. We are back,” he added even more forcibly, testing the embattled dictaphones like they had never been tested before, almost deafening most of Miltown.
Yet perhaps that’s the type of undiluted drive Kilrush football needs to plot a way back to supremacy in Clare.
It certainly worked in the opening half as Kilrush led 1-5 to 0-2 at the interval. Madigan slipped in his first goal in the tenth minute, capitalising on Con Prendeville’s through ball.
Gearóid O’Brien and Jonathan Stack landed points for Kilrush, which was quite an achievement given that the pitch was shrouded in dense fog.
Gearóid Kelly scored both of Corofin’s first-half points from frees. Two Jamie Malone points, the second a top class effort, allied to two more Kelly frees helped Corofin to reduce the deficit after half time. Now just 1-5 to 0-6 down, Corofin were right back in it.
With Kilrush needing a score, Jonathon Stack was fouled and Liam Madigan stroked home the penalty. Four minutes later, Madigan netted soccer style for what was Kilrush’s last score of the half.
Ten minutes from time the winners were dealt a blow when team captain Darragh Bolton was sent off having received a second yellow card.
The goals though put distance between themselves and Corofin, who were now eight points behind, eight minutes from time.
They showed plenty of spirit however and tagged on 1-2 in the closing minutes. Jamie Malone scored their goal from the penalty spot, after Dean Fitzgerald had been fouled while Gearóid Kelly completed his side’s scoring from frees.
The after match celebrations showed what winning meant to Kilrush. Twelve of this team is underage again next year. As Pat Clancy said, Kilrush have made a start.
Liam Madigan played superbly for Kilrush, while Con Prendeville, often dropping deep from centre-forward, Padraig Browne, Thomas Moloney and Darragh Bolton all played well.
Jamie Malone, Gearóid Kelly and Colm Turner tried very hard for Corofin.

Kilrush: Thomas Moloney; Ben Cody, Padraig Browne, Jack Browne; John Kelliher, Conor Downes, Niall Brennan; Brendan Ellis, Darragh Bolton (captain); Jonathon Stack, Con Prendeville, Cathal Carrig; Gearóid O’Brien, Cian Murray, Liam Madigan.
Subs: Conor Ellis for Jack Browne, Colin Crowley for Fiachra Crowley.
Scorers: Liam Madigan (3-3, 0-3f); Gearóid O’Brien, Jonathon Stack (0-1 each).
Wides: 5  Frees won: 15
Yellow cards: Niall Brennan, Liam Madigan, Darragh Bolton.
Red card: Darragh Bolton (second yellow).
Corofin: Liam Corbett; Jack Hayes, Brian McGahern, Luke Conroy; Jonathon Lane, Donacha Egan, Diarmuid Cleary; Jamie Malone, Manus Malone (captain); Robbie O’Loughlin, Colm Turner, Fergus Killeen; Jason McCarthy, David Corbett, Gearóid Kelly.
Subs: Eoin Clancy for Jonathon Lane, Dean Fitzgerald for Robbie O’Loughlin, Eoin Davoren for David Corbett, Brendan O’Leary for Diarmuid Cleary.
Scorers: Gearóid Kelly (0-6f); Jamie Malone (1-2).
Wides: 2  Frees won: 29
Yellow card: Jonathon Lee, David Corbett.
Referee: Michael McGann, Michael Cusack’s.