David McNamara clashes with Aidan McCarthy. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
INAGH/KILNAMONA ran out deserving victors against a previously unbeaten Éire Óg to progress to the last four of the TUS Clare SHC.
Inagh/Kilnamona 2-16
Éire Óg 0-20
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
A first semi-final appearance since 2021 awaits Inamona who were the better side over the hour. Indeed that campaign three years ago was the last time they also contested a county final, they cannot get carried away with their latest win but must acknowledge its significance too.
Defensively solid, Inamona limited Éire Óg’s starting six forwards to just 0-6 from play. Of the twenty points scored by the Townies, half of this return was from placed balls. Had it been said to those involved with Inagh/Kilnamona that they would manage to keep Hurler of the Year nominee Shane O’Donnell scoreless and limit David Reidy to 0-2 from play then their confidence on the final outcome would rightly have soared.
That said, Éire Óg kept Aidan McCarthy to two points from play but like O’Donnell he was also effective in laying off the ball so their influence was not completely nullified and at club level it rarely is going to be.
Éire Óg topped the Group of Death, they defeated Clooney/Quin, champions Clonlara and Ballyea but it now counts for nothing as they are out of the championship and they came out second best against a finely balanced Inagh/Kilnamona.
Following the first round disappointment of losing to Scariff, Inagh/Kilnamona have produced three fine displays, setting down a marker with wins over O’Callaghans Mills and Broadford and now making a statement by eliminating Éire Óg.
It was a dream start for Inamona who had a goal dispatched when the game was just seconds old. Eoghan Foudy caught the sliotar from a Darren Cullinan delivery, took on his man and struck it to the back of the net in what was his biggest and most important contribution in the championship to date.
Chief scorer Danny Russell opened Éire Óg’s account with a placed ball before Aidan McCarthy and Darren O’Brien traded efforts. Seán Rynne was the man to put Inagh/Kilnamona three ahead on five minutes he was also turned over in possession in his next involvement which allowed the Ennis side work the ball up field and find O’Brien who recycled to Oran Cahill to make it a two point game on six minutes.
Gavin Cooney in his first start of the championship was beginning to get on a lot of ball on the wing in front of ‘The Shed’, he retrieved possession for Éire Óg and set up Danny Russell to bring them to within a point on nine minutes.
Inamona then hit three points without reply, two frees from McCarthy with David Fitzgerald opening his account after giving a glimpse of the power he brings to the table when running in possession, he was picked out with a peach of a sideline cut at the other side of the field by Fred Hegarty in what typified their ability of hurling superbly when on top, their supporters are well aware of what they can produce when the chips are down too.
Russell and Hegarty exchanged scores, then a brace from Russell and David Reidy followed but they were cancelled out when Rynne and Fitzgerald split the posts.
Their four point lead became a seven point advantage when Niall Mullins blocked an attempted Oran Cahill clearance, he blocked it so well that the ball ran perfectly in front of him to jab the sliotar, sprint forward and leave it in the back of Darragh Stack’s net on twenty five minutes. Frees at either end from McCarthy and Russell left it 2-9 0-8 when half time arrived.
Four of the first five scores in the second half brought Éire Óg to within four points on thirty eight minutes. They almost had a goal as part of this tally, Shane O’Donnell made a superb catch before popping to Danny Russell but his effort was well stopped by Éamonn Foudy.
At the other end, Liam Corry made a vital block to stop Aidan McCarthy from goaling, the Clare forward showing his lust for goal after turning over David McNamara, blistering forward to lose his man, only for Corry he’d have been rewarded with a major.
Darren O’Brien leaped into the air to offload to Reidy prior to this attempt and Russell converted after it to make it four point game on forty six minutes.
Confidence was beginning to grow among the Éire Óg supporters when Robert Loftus split the posts, it was score for score with Seamus Foudy, Russell and McCarthy all contributing as the gap was reduced to two.
As momentum was with the Townies, a foul on Danny Russell saw referee John Bugler award a penalty after consulting his umpires. With fifty eight minutes played, there was two points between the teams when David Reidy stepped up, however Éamonn Foudy produced a fine save to ensure that Inamona wouldn’t fall behind. The 65m free was slotted over by Danny Rusell to leave just one points between the teams.
Captain Darren Cullinan added a much needed point for Inamona on fifty nine minutes, their first in seven minutes to ease their breathlessness. Éire Óg were down to fourteen minutes as the five minutes of additional time commenced, wing back Robert Loftus getting a second yellow card.
Conner Hegarty’s first score of the evening was Inamona’s last and despite Marco Cleary pointing at the other end it didn’t make a dent to The Combo’s quest in pushing into the final four.
Tomás Kelly’s side followed their strong finish to the group stages with what must be classed as a big win over Éire Óg, not the margin but the manner of it and the psychological lift it will give them. The past will show their inability to build on similar boosts so their challenge is to now make it count. They must also focus on their trend of fading in and out of games, to go seven minutes in the final quarter without a score cannot be replicated if they are to keep winning.
Éamonn Foudy was outstanding between the posts while others to impress were Darren Cullinan, Jason and Aidan McCarthy, the full-back trio of Shane Woods, Keith White and Conor Rynne were solid while at less frequent times Sean Rynne, David Fitzgerald and Fred Hegarty were very effective.
Bowing out in the quarter-finals for the second year running is a big blow to Éire Óg who had aspirations and expectations of lifting the Canon Hamilton. Many of their players who excelled in the championship to date were too quiet on this occasion. The amount of new players blooded at senior championship this season is a big win for Gerry O’Connor and his management but it won’t ease the pain of exiting.
Once again, a big talking point for a deciding moment in an Éire Óg game is a placed ball and their supporters will be questioning if Danny Russell should have been their penalty taker, however such a debate would not have existed if Foudy didn’t produce such a good save. Over the hour, Danny Russell led the way with Gavin Cooney up until his injury, Liam Corry and Robert Loftus doing well.
Scorers Inagh/Kilnamona: A McCarthy (0-7 5f), E Foudy (1-0), N Mullins (1-0), S Rynne (0-2), D Fitzgerald (0-2), F Hegarty (0-2), S Foudy (0-1), D Cullinan (0-1), C Hegarty (0-1).
Scorers Éire Óg: D Russell (0-12 8f 1’65), D Reidy (0-3 1f), D O’Brien (0-1), O Cahill (0-1), D McNamara (0-1), R Loftus (0-1), M Cleary (0-1)
Inagh/Kilnamona:
1: Éamonn Foudy
4: Conor Rynne
3: Shane Woods
2: Keith White
5: James Hegarty
6: Jason McCarthy
7: David Fitzgerald
9: Seamus Foudy
8: Conner Hegarty
12: Fred Hegarty
11: Sean Rynne
10: Darren Cullinan
13: Niall Mullins
15: Aidan McCarthy
14: Eoghan Foudy
Subs:
17: Evan McNamara for Eoghan Foudy (49)
22: David Mescall for Mullins (53)
30: Mark Callinan for S Foudy (59)
21: Ronan Mescall for Cullinan (62)
Éire Óg
1: Darragh Stack
2: Liam Corry
3: Aaron Fitzgerald
4: Niall McMahon
7: Oran Cahill
6: Ciaran Russell
5: Robert Loftus
8: Jarlath Collins
9: David McNamara
10: David Reidy
14: Shane O’Donnell
27: Gavin Cooney
13: Conor Perrill
11: Danny Russell
12: Darren O’Brien
Subs:
20: Marco Cleary for Perrill (HT)
18: Luca Cleary for Cooney (41) (inj)
19: Fionnan Treacy for McNamara (44)
17: Eoin O’Regan for O’Brien (48)
25: Luke Malice for Corry (51) (inj)
Referee: John Bugler (Whitegate)
