Éire Óg have claimed the Jack Daly for the first time since 2006 as they were crowned Clare SFC champions for the nineteenth time.
Éire Óg 1-11
Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-09
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Flares made their way to Cusack Park for the first time of this year’s club campaign as Éire Óg claimed the most prized possession in Clare football after overcoming the stern test of battle-hardened Kilmurry Ibrickane on Sunday.
Both Gavin Cooney and Aidan McCarthy started for their clubs, question marks surrounding their availability due to quad and hamstring injuries respectively had clouded the build-up to the decider.
Despite Éire Óg having the brighter start, just a single point separated the sides at the first water break. Cooney was first to break the deadlock with less than three minutes played but championship top scorer replied to get Kilmurry Ibrickane off the mark with ten minutes played.
Éire Óg’s response to the leveller was immediate with the lively Philip Talty producing a fine score which was followed by a Cooney free. Daryn Callinan from a free reduced the deficit before the teams got their first respite of the afternoon.
Éinne O’Connor, one of the top players in this year’s campaign stepped up on the resumption, the wing-back powered forward from in-front of the seated stand with possession, dancing and dodging past three challenges before offloading the ball to Mark McInerney who gladly palmed the ball to the back of net to give Éire Óg a five point cushion on seventeen minutes.
A long range effort from Conall Ó hÁiniféin followed by two more Cooney scores along with white flags from Michael O’Dwyer and Daniel Walsh left the Ennis side 1-06 0-04 ahead at half-time. The Bricks could have been ahead but goal chances from Keelan Sexton and Walsh were denied by excellent saves from Nathan Murray and Aaron Fitzgerald.
Aiden Moloney’s Kilmurry Ibrickane for large spells of the second half were the more dominant, they kept their opponents without a score for twenty three minutes as they reduced the deficit to two points.
However there was one big kick left in Paul Madden’s men and they finished with the last three scores of the contest to secure a historic win and ensure there would be celebrations aplenty in the county town.
Darren Hickey, Andrew Shannon and Keelan Sexton stood out for the Bricks while Éire Óg had outstanding displays from Éinne O’Connor, Aaron Fitzgerald along with industrious showings from Darren O’Neill and Gavin Cooney.
They may have been without Dermot Coughlan and Shane Hickey for the entire championship but Kilmurry Ibrickane really felt their absence on this occasion. Diarmuid King another starter has missed the majority of the campaign while Aidan McCarthy was clearly unable to get to fifth gear.
On the other hand, Éire Óg were brimming with talent both on and off the field, Eimhin Courtney one of their key men when reaching the 2014 decider contributed a point from the sideline and this introduction of fresh legs strengthened their cause as the game progressed.
Injuries or not, Éire Óg are fully deserving of their title. Their style of play greatly influenced by Seanie Buckley made them a formidable side to break down and this is evident by the fact they did not concede a single goal throughout the 2021 championship, a feat to certainly be proud of.
Scorers for Éire Óg: G Cooney (0-5, 3f), M McInerney (1-0), D Reidy (0-2), P Talty (0-1), C Ó hAiniféin (0-1), A McGrath (0-1), E Courtney (0-1).
Scorers for Kilmurry Ibrickane: K Sexton (0-5, 4f), D Callinan (0-1f), M O’Dwyer (0-1), D Walsh (0-1), C Morrissey (0-1).
Éire Óg:
1: Nathan Murray
4: Ronan Lanigan
3: Aaron Fitzgerald
2: Manus Doherty
7: Ciaran Russell
6: Conall Ó hÁiniféin
5: Éinne O’Connor
8: Darren O’Neill
9: David McNamara
12: Niall McMahon
20: David Reidy
10: Aidan McGrath
15: Mark McInerney
14: Gavin Cooney
13: Philip Talty
Subs:
11: Ikem Ugwueru for McMahon (39)
19: Dara Walsh for Talty (48)
18: Tadhg Connellan for McGrath (54)
17: Eimhin Courtney for McInerney (59)
22: Conor O’Halloran for Reidy (64)
Kilmurry Ibrickane:
1: David Sexton
18: Jason McCarthy
4: Mark Killeen
3: Darren Hickey
15: Martin McMahon
11: Enda Coughlan
6: Ciaran Morrissey
7: Darragh Sexton
8: Daniel Walsh
9: Aidan McCarthy
13: Keelan Sexton
19: Michael O’Dwyer
12: Andrew Shannon
14: Daryn Callinan
17: Eamon Bracken
Subs:
23: Mark McCarthy for Callinan (39)
24: Colin Brigdale for Coughlan (48)
11: Enda Coughlan for Morrissey (51)
10: Joe Campbell for Bracken (57)
Referee: Jim Hickey (Cratloe)
