Replay Required After Drawn Football Final

St Joseph’s Miltown 0-9 Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-9

A LAST gasp 45m free converted by goalkeeper Ian McInerney was enough to send the Clare Senior Football championship final to a replay next weekend.

It was a tense finish to a close game but on the balance of play; it was a fair result.

It was a first half with few talking points as the teams took their time settling into the game, and Keelan Sexton was the only player to score in the first ten minutes with two frees.

Ian McInerney was called into action early when Kieran Malone broke through and received a pass, his shot was low but McInerney was equal to it and the danger was averted.

Eoin Cleary got Miltown up and running in the 11th minute from a placed ball, and the next score in the game was ten minutes later when Keelan Sexton took his tally to three.

A few moments earlier, Keith King had a snapshot blocked after a lovely high ball in from Enda Coughlan found Sexton free, who laid it off to King. This was one of very few scoring opportunities in this period.

Miltown then finished the half with a rally, Kieran Malone slotted a point from a central position before Eoin Cleary landed his second.

Michael Hogan had earlier fired over a score to take Kilmurry’s total to 0-4 and with the last kick of the half Seanie Malone levelled affairs with a point.

The first score of the second half arrived in the 35th minute when Conor Cleary laid off to Cormac Murray after a fine run and Murray popped over from 20 yards out.

An unusual moment occurred when Seanie Malone helped the opposition when his intended pass to Sean O’Brien ended up going over his own crossbar for a point.

Two more points from Murray and second half introduction Eoin Curtin stretched Miltown’s lead but a Sexton free soon had the gap to one at 0-7 to 0-6.

This was after Gordon Kelly pulled down Sexton as he bore down on goal.

It was Sexton’s job to level the game for the third time with his fifth point from a free but within a matter of seconds, Kieran Malone had surged 50 yards before firing over to see Miltown Malbay lead with seven minutes remaining.

Keelan Sexton notched his sixth point from a placed ball before Conor Cleary landed what looked the game-winning point in the 61st minute.

Ian McInerney hadn’t received this script though and when the ‘keeper was called upon to take a 45m free in the 63rd minute, he was coolness personified as he bisected the posts to send the Kilmurry crowd wild, and ensure 60 minutes more would be needed to crown a county champion.

St Joseph’s: Seán O’Brien; Enda O’Gorman, Seanie Malone, Eoin O’Brien; Aidan McGuane, Gordon Kelly, Gearóid Curtin; Oisín Looney, Conor Cleary; Micheal Murray, Eoin Cleary, Kieran Malone; Brian Curtin, Darragh McDonagh, Cormac Murray.

Kilmurry Ibrickane: Ian McInerney; Mark Killeen, Darren Hickey, Ciarán Morrissey; Daniel Walsh, Martin McMahon, Daragh Sexton; Keith King, Aidan McCarthy; Shane Hickey, Enda Coughlan, Michael Hogan; Daryn Callinan, Dermot Coughlan, Keelan Sexton.

2019 Clare SFC winners Miltown St Joseph’s. Photograph by John Kelly.

The Kilmurry Ibrickane lads arrive for the team photo before their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

The Kilmurry Ibrickane team which drew with Miltown in the senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

KIB fans before their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Gordon Kelly (C) of Miltown and Keith King (C) of Kilmurry Ibrickane, with referee Chris Maguire before their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Keith King (C) of Kilmurry Ibrickane leads out his team behind the band before their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Gordon Kelly (C) of Miltown leads out his team before their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Eoin Cleary of Miltown in action against Keith King (C) of Kilmurry Ibrickane during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Eoin Cleary of Miltown in action against Ciaran Morrissey of Kilmurry Ibrickane during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Cormac Murray of Miltown in action against Mark Killeen of Kilmurry Ibrickane during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Brian Curtin of Miltown in action against Michael Hogan of Kilmurry Ibrickane during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Darren Hickey of Kilmurry Ibrickane in action against Darragh Mc Donagh of Miltown during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Darragh Mc Donagh and Kieran Malone of Miltown in action against Enda Couglan of Kilmurry Ibrickane during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Michael Hogan of Kilmurry Ibrickane in action against Gearoid Curtin of Miltown during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Shane Kickey of Kilmurry Ibrickane in action against Gordon Kelly and Eoin Cleary of Miltown during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Martin Mc Mahon of Kilmurry Ibrickane in action against Gearoid Curtin of Miltown during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Aidan Mc Carthy of Kilmurry Ibrickane in action against Gearoid Curtin of Miltown during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Daniel Walsh of Kilmurry Ibrickane in action against Gordon Kelly (C) , Cormac Murray and Kieran Malone of Miltown during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Cormac Murray of Miltown in action against Mark Killeen of Kilmurry Ibrickane during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

The 1994 county final winning Faughs team, captained by Seanie Lyne, who were honoured at half time during the senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

The 1994 county final winning Faughs team, captained by Seanie Lyne, who were honoured at half time during the senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Keith King (C) of Kilmurry Ibrickane in action against Conor Cleary of Miltown during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Ian Mc Inerney of Kilmurry Ibrickane who scored the equalising point against Miltown during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Michael Hogan of Kilmurry Ibrickane in action against Gearoid Curtin of Miltown during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Conor Cleary of Miltown in action against Keelan Sexton of Kilmurry Ibrickane during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Seanie Malone of Miltown accidentally scoring a point against his ovn team despite Dermot Coughlan of Kilmurry Ibrickane during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Seanie Malone of Miltown looks on in horror as a pass back to his goalie accidentally goes over the bar during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Enda Couglan of Kilmurry Ibrickane in action against Enda O Gorman of Miltown during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Keelan Sexton of Kilmurry Ibrickane in action against Brian Curtin and Gordon Kelly (C) of Miltown during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Enda Couglan of Kilmurry Ibrickane protests to referee Chris Maguire during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Gordon Kelly (C) of Miltown is spoken to by referee Chris Maguire during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Sean O Brien of Miltown in action against Keelan Sexton of Kilmurry Ibrickane during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Enda O Gorman of Miltown in action against Shane Kickey of Kilmurry Ibrickane during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Ciaran Morrissey of Kilmurry Ibrickane in action against Gearoid Curtin of Miltown during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Daryn Callinan of Kilmurry Ibrickane in action against Eoin Cleary of Miltown during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Darragh Mc Donagh of Miltown in action against Martin Mc Mahon of Kilmurry Ibrickane during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

David O Brien, Miltown manager on the sideline during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Young Miltown fans celebrate as their team goes up by a point during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

A young Miltown fan cheers on his team near the end of their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

A young Miltown fan reacts as a free is awarded against his team late on during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

A Kilmurry Ibrockane fan looks on in anticipation as Ian Mc Inerney takes a free to equalise the game late on during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

A Kilmurry Ibrockane fan looks on in anticipation as Ian Mc Inerney takes a free to equalise the game late on during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Kilmurry Ibrickane’s former player and now a fan, Johnny Daly, celebrates as Ian Mc Inerney scores a free to equalise the game late on during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

David O Brien, Miltown manager and Aiden Moloney, Kilmurry Ibrickane manager embrace on the sideline following their senior football county final draw at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

A relieved looking Aiden Moloney, Kilmurry Ibrickane manager, following their senior football county final draw at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Young Miltown Malbay fans come to terms with the draw during their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Ian Mc Inerney of Kilmurry Ibrickane, who got the equalising point from a late free with his daughter Erin following their senior football county final at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.

Aiden Moloney, Kilmurry Ibrickane manager, takes a call following their senior football county final drawn game at Cusack Park. Photograph by John Kelly.