*Joey Rouine wins the ball ahead of Joe Campbell. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
ENNISTYMON’s championship campaign has been brought back to life after recording a three point win at the expense of serial winners Kilmurry Ibrickane.
Ennistymon 1-09
Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-09
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
It was edge of the seat stuff at the home of the GAA in Co Clare as Ennistymon and Kilmurry Ibrickane locked horns in the second round of the Clare SFC. It was proper championship football with fire in abundance, hard-hitting tackles and of course vocal questioning of the majority of decisions made by the match officials.
Needing a response after a first round flop, Ennistymon issued a statement and if they can reproduce their second half display and extend such energy for a longer spell, they showed they can be genuine contenders for the Jack Daly.
Young guns set the way for the North Clare side, wing-back Liam Cotter was immense and an abundance of energy, powering forward to create countless attacks. Another of the players in their first championship year, Sean Rynne was also to the fore, he kicked 1-02 and remained a constant threat while Brendy Rouine who sat the Leaving Certificate earlier this year continued to show experience way beyond his years.
Welcoming Keelan Sexton back into the fold after he spent a portion of the summer in Boston was a glorious boost for Kilmurry Ibrickane who were without Mark Killeen and Paudie Murrihy through injury while veteran Enda Coughlan was not handed a starting berth. Injuries continue to be a source of annoyance for Ennistymon with the trio of Sean Rouine, Sean O’Driscoll and Darragh Conneely still sidelined.
Indeed it was Sexton who opened the scoring from a free with just under five minutes played. His namesake Darragh Sexton doubled the advantage when Joe Campbell set him up. An excellent Niall Hickey white flag followed to put James Murrihy’s side 0-03 0-00 in front with ten minutes on the clock.
Two chances had been spurned by Ennistymon but it was third time lucky when David Fitzgerald put Diarmuid Fahy through and he got them off the mark on twelve minutes. Ciaran Morrissey replied in the next attack to cancel out the opener.
With two points in succession, Ennistymon began to find their groove. Their second point of the hour saw the wing-backs combine, Liam Cotter kicked the ball through a ruck to Tiernan Hogan and one third of their attacking half-back line duly converted.
A turnover from David Fitzgerald was finished off by an excellent Sean Rynne point. Interestingly, the Inagh/Kilnamona senior hurlers were divided with Fitzgerald, Rynne, Kevin Hehir, the Guyler brothers and Cathal McConigley in the Ennistymon camp while the McCarthy brothers, Aidan and Jason were lining out for the Bricks.
Rynne’s score was a timely lift even though Kilmurry Ibrickane replied with an impressive Dermot Coughaln effort off his right boot and Keelan Sexton’s second point. Points from Brendy Rouine and David Fitzgerald closed out the half and left the minimum between the sides.
Rouine levelled matters for the first time on thirty four minutes before Ciaran Morrissey and Niall Hickey put last year’s beaten finalists two points ahead.
With fifty one minutes on the clock, the game turned on its head. Brendy Rouine started the move, he retreated back to the on-rushing David McNamara who passed out wide towards Sean Rynne, he found Diarmuid Fahy quickly he pushed it to David Fitzgerald, he broke two tackles and offloaded to Rynne and he smartly finished to the back of the net to put the North Clare men in front.
From here, Mark Shanahan’s side pushed on and grew in confidence, kicking 0-02 without reply before Keelan Sexton had the final score of the evening on sixty one minutes.
Sexton picked up a second yellow card before the final whistle while his manager James Murrihy had entered the book earlier in the half. The Bricks were enraged with the referee, Chris Maguire for the second half, the final free count of 23-10 in Ennistymon’s favour appeared to be their main argument.
While they can protest, this was a game that Kilmurry Ibrickane would have found a way to win in the past. The constant wave of Ennistymon runners towards them was an area they struggled with and they coughed up very soft frees over the hour. It’s a setback but only a minor one for them as they will definitely be in the shake-up for honours over the coming weeks, it now just means a win is essential against Clondegad in a fortnight. Ciaran Morrissey and Niall Hickey impressed for the 2020 champions.
Along with the fresher legs, Ennistymon knew they were fighting for their championship lives. This is the type of hunger they must bring to the table in each encounter if they are to finally deliver on their potential. Rynne, Cotter and Rouine were exceptional with Adam Ralph, David McNamara and Kevin Hehir also prominent.
Scorers Ennistymon: S Rynne (1-02), B Rouine (0-03 3f), D Fahy (0-02 1f), T Hogan (0-01), D Fitzgerald (0-01)
Scorers Kilmurry Ibrickane: K Sexton (0-03 2f), N Hickey (0-02), C Morrissey (0-02), D Sexton (0-01), D Coughlan (0-01)
Ennistymon:
1: Noel Sexton
3: Adam Ralph
25: Joey Rouine
6: Cillian Rouine
5: Liam Cotter
4: Cathal O’Reilly
7: Tiernan Hogan
8: David McNamara
9: Cathal Malone
10: David Fitzgerald
2: Ciaran McMahon
11: Diarmuid Fahy
12: Eoin Rouine
14: Brendy Rouine
15: Sean Rynne
Subs:
13: Ryan Barry for E Rouine (23)
20: Josh Guyler for Hogan (HT)
29: Kevin Hehir for McMahon (41)
Kilmurry Ibrickane:
1: David Sexton
3: Darren Hickey
5: Ciaran Morrissey
4: Martin McMahon
7: Darragh Sexton
18: Shane Hickey
25: Josh Moloney
8: Aidan McCarthy
9: Daniel Walsh
32: Joe Campbell
11: Michael O’Dwyer
10: Andrew Shannon
19: Keelan Sexton
17: Dermot Coughlan
12: Niall Hickey
Subs:
2: Jason McCarthy for D Hickey (15) (inj)
13: Daryn Callinan for O’Dwyer (47)
29: Colin Brigdale for N Hickey (52)
26: Mark McCarthy for Campbell (57)
Referee: Chris Maguire (Wolfe Tones)
