O-40s match for benefit fund

KILMURRY Ibrickane GAA Club will host an O-40s fundraising football match in Quilty at 8pm on Friday. All proceeds will go to the Geraldine Dillon (née Clancy) Benefit Fund. Geraldine, who is originally from Mullagh but lives in Clarecastle, was struck down by illness recently.

Geraldine is married to former Doonbeg footballer Paul Dillon, while former Kilmurry Ibrickane footballer Michael Clancy, who also now lives in Clarecastle, is her twin brother. Michael played on the 1977 intermediate championship-winning Kilmurry Ibrickane team, who defeated Doonbeg in the final.
This Friday’s game will feature a Kilmurry Ibrickane O-40s selection playing an equivalent Doonbeg team.
The Kilmurry team will include former players Aidan Moloney, Dermot Coughlan, Martin Keavey, Paul Hickey, Michael Clancy and goalkeeper Marty Morrissey.
A number of non-Kilmurry men will also pull on the green and red jersey for the night. These include Miltown men Martin Flynn, Michael Neylon and John O’Sullivan; Clarecastle’s Victor O’Loughlin and Kilkee’s John Enright. The team will be managed by Michael Considine, Tommy Power and Gerard McCarthy.
Speaking to The Clare Champion, Michael Considine hinted there is already some dissension within the Kilmurry camp regarding the participation of Michael ‘Malty’ McDonagh. Considine was not certain if the Miltown man will tog or not. If he does, Considine insists there is only one place for him. “Full-forward. Where else would you put him?” he asked incredulously.
Considine acknowledged that Pat ‘Butcher’ McCarthy would probably be expecting to be handed the number 14 shirt but says he will be deployed in a roving role. “We might bring him out as a third midfielder,” Considine mused optimistically. If Butcher expects to take all of Kilmurry’s frees, he might have to think again.
“Paul Hickey will be looking for them too. So they can fight away over it,” Considine sighed.
Doonbeg will be managed by Joe Joe Whelan, Tommy Tubridy and Tony Pender. A range of former Doonbeg and Clare footballers, including Kieran O’Mahony, Declan Conway, Francis McInerney, Padraig Conway, Gerry Killeen, Gerry McInerney, Cathal Hayes and Michael McInerney will again pull on the Magpies jersey, as will Noel Roche and Noelie McGrath (Kilkee); Christy O’Donoghue and Martin Morrissey (Cooraclare); Dinny McMahon and Kevin Shalloo (O’Curry’s); Kieran O’Neill (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield); Eamon Keane and Michael Bohannon (Shannon Gaels); John Dalton (Kilmihil) and Martin Haugh (Naomh Eoin).
Friday’s game will be refereed by Clare County Board chairman, Michael O’Neill, who will probably need two whistles such is the controversy that has erupted before a ball has even been kicked.