*Darren O’Brien leads the charge for Éire Óg. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
ÉIRE ÓG ran out fourteen point winners over Ennistymon in an incredibly drab semi-final encounter to tee up a final showdown with Kilmurry Ibrickane.
Éire Óg 1-13
Ennistymon 0-2
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Jim Gavin and his football review committee may have found the perfect example to justify some of their proposed rule changes to the game of Gaelic football, particularly the case of the three versus three structure whereby teams will be required to keep at least three players in the opposition half at all times.
It’s certainly not the Éire Óg viewpoint that they would analyse but rather Ennistymon who once again failed to showcase their attacking credentials which they have. The North Clare side didn’t score from play in the entire semi-final, a feat that some die in the wool football spectators stated hasn’t been seen in a Clare SFC semi-final before. Indeed, they didn’t register a single score for the entire opening half in what was a truly demoralising showing on their behalf.
Favourites Éire Óg were not outstanding but they were very good, Ennistymon were not brutal but they were very bad.
From the throw-in, Éire Óg laid down a marker when Darren O’Neill from the centre of the park after fielding the ball and split the posts to get them up and running.
After returning to the starting fifteen, Éinne O’Connor produced a characteristic move when he dipped and weaved past the opposing defence before burying the ball beyond Noel Sexton and suddenly they had 1-1 on the board inside the first 132 seconds of the game. This seemed to zap the belief from the underdogs who retreated into their shell, a shell which saw them hold onto the ball in their own half-back line for inordinate periods of time.
Brendy Rouine missed a score able free for Ennistymon on fourteen minutes with scores beginning to dry up at either end. Ennistymon’s focus on keeping possession even saw Cillian Rouine complete a kippy-uppye in possession, such was the amount of space and time Éire Óg were willing to offer them in their own half-back line because they knew from there, the threat was minimal.
O’Neill had his second score, this time from a free after Seán Rynne swiped with his fist resulting in a yellow card and the placed ball. Defender Darragh Conneely picked up a black card to put Ennistymon down to fourteen temporarily and Éire Óg made it 1-3 0-0 at the interval with Mark McInerney converting a 45m free.
David Fitzgerald was introduced at half time to make his first appearance of the championship for Ennistymon and to his credit, he ran direct on the half a dozen or so times he was in possession. Éire Óg were able to call on Clare senior Gavin Murray to enter the fray at the break, he like all of the subs for the Ennis side were determined to prove a point and put themselves in contention for a bigger role come county final day.
Colm Walsh O’Loghlen kicked a peach of an effort which curled in to perfection and Murray made his presence known with a well-taken score on thirty three minutes.
There was a widespread cheer when Ennistymon finally opened their account, Brendy Rouine splitting the posts after Fitzgerald was fouled on thirty four minutes.
Rouine kicked another free on forty eight minutes but that was all they would contribute to the scoreboard with Éire Óg keeping their account ticking over and without having to hit full steam ran out winners by a margin of fourteen points. A second bookable offence saw Joey Rouine dismissed before the final whistle.
Getting back to a county final has been the target for Éire Óg, they have done it without having to produce any excellent performances which may bring with it a small sense of worry because they certainly haven’t been pushed to their limit in any championship encounter. However their panel is extremely strong and so is the appetite among the panel of players, as evident by the substitutes all eager to make an impression. Paul Madden’s side will have learned less this weekend than their final opponents but they have no injuries to contend with. Best for the winners included, Darren O’Neill, Ikem Ugwueru, Colm Walsh O’Loghlen and Aaron Fitzgerald.
Diarmuid Fahy was a huge loss to their cause which forced a rejig to Ennistymon’s plans and may have eroded some self-belief coming into against the favorites. That said, there’s bound to be a strong sense of frustration within Ennistymon. They didn’t lay a glove on their opponents in a meaningful sense and really bowed down from the challenge. On forty seven minutes, Cillian Rouine made a booming run through the middle of the field, he set up David Fitzgerald and the shot was blocked, the resulting play led to a free which Brendy Rouine score, this sequence illustrated that they are a very difficult team to stop when they attack, they have the players, they have the talent but if they do not find a greater balance in their approach, they will not fulfill their potential at senior level.
Scorers Éire Óg: M McInerney (0-5 4f 1’45), D O’Neill (0-3 1f), É O’Connor (1-0), C Walsh O’Loghlen (0-2), G Murray (0-1), C Russell (0-1), P Talty (0-1).
Scorers Ennistymon: B Rouine (0-2 2f).
Éire Óg:
1: Shane Daniels
2: Ronan Lanigan
3: Aaron Fitzgerald
7: Manus Doherty
5: Ciaran Russell
6: Ikem Ugwueru
20: Éinne O’Connor
8: Darren O’Neill
9: David McNamara
10: Niall McMahon
11: Darren O’Brien
12: Oran Cahill
14: Gavin Cooney
15: Mark McInerney
13: Colm Walsh O’Loghlen
Subs:
21: Gavin Murray for McMahon (HT)
19: Luke Pyne for Cooney (46)
18: Aidan McGrath for Cahill (53)
4: Dean Ryan for McNamara (55)
22: Philip Talty for Walsh O’Loghlen (57)
Ennistymon:
1: Noel Sexton
4: Darragh Conneely
3: Joey Rouine
2: Ciaran McMahon
5: Liam Cotter
6: Cillian Rouine
7: Joshua Guyler
9: Keith White
18: Eoin Rouine
10: Joshua Vaughan
15: Seán Rouine
12: Tiernan Hogan
8: Brendy Rouine
11: Seán Rynne
14: Éanna Rouine
Subs:
32: David Fitzgerald for Eoin Rouine (HT)
23: Keelan Guyler for Éanna Rouine (43)
21: Brian McNamara for J Guyler (47)
20: David McNamara for Hogan (49)
Referee: Chris Maguire (Wolfe Tones)
