*Doora/Barefield celebrate. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
In bridging a seven year gap to their last success in the competition, St. Josephs Doora-Barefield caused a big upset when they defeated Corofin in the intermediate football championship final at Cusack Park this Sunday afternoon.
St Josephs Doora/Barefield 1-16
Corofin 2-08
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Trailing by a goal at half time, the Parish took control straight from the resumption and were full value for their five point win. Corofin battled to the end but St Josephs dominated the key areas and fully deserved their third success in this championship. They return to senior ranks after a lapse of just two years.
A goal separated the sides at half time with Corofin 1-5 to 0-5 ahead.
That all important major came from the boot of Robin Mounsey who first times a Jamie Malone cross to the net in the twenty fourth minute. The goal gave Corofin a six point lead but it proved to be their last score of a half which saw the Doora/Barefield men finish strongly, shooting three unanswered points in the closing six minutes.
Straight from the resumption the Hannan twins tore through the Corofin defence but Kieran Carkill in the Corofin goal stood firm and saved well.
In their first attack of the half Corofin had a point from Robin Mounsey to open a four point led but St. Josephs responded with four unanswered points to draw level with just eight minutes played in the half.
Points were exchanged twice in the next ten minutes before the winners struck for the crucial goal seven minutes from the end of normal time.
Eoghan Thynne was fouled as he pointed and referee Barry Kelly called back the play and awarded a penalty which Thynne’s brother Kieran converted to give his side the lead for the first time since the second minute.
St. Josephs now held the upperhand in all areas and they landed four unanswered points to open a seven point lead. The winners dominance in this period is all the more praiseworthy given that they played with fourteen men as corner back Conor O’Brien spent ten minutes in the sin bin having picked up a black card just before the mid point of the second half
Substitute John Keane goaled for Corofin seven minutes into added time but St Josephs had the final say when substitute Tom McDonald landed his second point with the last kick of the game.
The strength of the Doora/Barefield panel can be gauged from the fact that three substitutes contributed 0-7 of the team’s tally on a day when Cian McDonagh, Darragh O’Shea, the Thynne brothers Kieran and Eoghan, Leo Duggan and the Hannan twins Jack and Tom played key roles in the victory
After the game Clare GAA chairman Joe Cooney presented the Talty Stores Trophy to the winning captain Eoin Hanrahan.
Scorers St Josephs Doora/Barefield: Conor Brannock (0-5, 3f); Kieran Thynne (1-1, 1-0 penalty); David O’Brien (0-3, 1f); Tom McDonald, Tom O’Brien (1 45 and 1 free), Tom Hannon (0-2) each; Leo Duggan (0-1);
Scorers Corofin: Robin Mounsey (1-1); Gearoid Cahill (0-3, f); John Keane (1-0); Jamie Malone (0-2); Diarmuid Cahill, Kevin Keane (0-1) each
St. Josephs Doora/Barefield:
1: Tom O’Brien
4: Conor O’Brien
2: Peter Collins
19: Aodhan O’Shea
6: Kevin Harrington
18: Alan Killeen
7: Cian McDonagh
9: Jack Hannan
8: Darragh O’Shea
14: Leo Duggan
21: Tom Hannan
10: Kieran Thynne
13: Eoghan Thynne
12: Eoin Hanrahan
15: Conor Brannock
Subs:
17: David O’Brien for Hanrahan (25)
11: Cathal Duggan for L Duggan (56)
20: Tom McDonald for K Thynne (61)
22: Conal Kelleher for Brannock (64)
3: Phillip Ryan for E Thynne (65)
Corofin:
1: Kieran Carkill
8: Eoin Clancy
3: Brendan Keane
4: Damien O’Loughlin
5: Colm Rice
6: Fionn Clancy
7: Shay Malone
9: Kevin Keane
21: Cilléin Mullins
10: Sean O’Brien
12: Gearoid Cahill
14: Gearoid Kelly
22: Diarmuid Cahill
13: Robin Mounsey
15: Jamie Malone
Subs:
20: John Keane for Kelly (41)
18: Conor Leen for O’Brien (44)
19: Fergus Killeen for S Malone (54)
23: Eoin Davoren for D Cahill (54)
24: Damien Ryan for Mullins (58)
Referee: Barry Kelly (St Josephs Miltown)
