*Clare GAA Chairman Kieran Keating presents the Cusack Cup to Conor Finnucane, Lisssycasey’s captain. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
LISSYCASEY have claimed the Cusack Cup title for the second time in their history after easing past the challenge of holders Ennistymon.
Lissycasey 1-9
Ennistymon 0-2
Venue: Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown Malbay
Contesting the FutureTicketing Cusack Cup final for the first time since 2007, Lissycasey came out on top by a considerable distance to claim league honours for only the second time.
As was pointed out by Clare GAA Chairman Kieran Keating during his speech, Lissycasey’s last time winning the Cusack Cup was also a year in which they went on to obtain further silverware. The race for the Jack Daly will only kick off in the next couple of weeks, three if Clare’s hurlers lose to Kilkenny and five if they advance to an All-Ireland final, but this display and result will do wonders for the confidence of a youthful Lissycasey side.
Though not a fatal outcome for Ennistymon, it won’t aid their morale. Of their starting fifteen, a third of them would likely make their championship side if everyone is available so they certainly have the depleted card to fall back on given that they had a team and more of injured players and absentees.
Aoife Shannon from a strong musical family in Miltown Malbay gave a pitch-perfect rendition of Amhrán na bhFiann for spectators in Hennesy Memorial Park, it allowed the final to start on a high note but the standard soon dropped once the ball was thrown in.
Aaron Griffin opened the scoring on five minutes and it took another five for Lissycasey to double their lead with captain Conor Finnucane splitting the posts after Michael Meaney worked the ball quickly through the hands to tee him up.
Darren Keane struck for their third point on thirteen minutes when steadying himself to kick over a nice score, by this juncture Ennistymon had three bad wides to their name and it was evident that they were playing second fiddle to a livelier Lissycasey.
Daire Culligan made it 0-4 0-0 when converting a free on seventeen minutes. Noel Sexton was on alert, first with an interception with his hand and then he managed to kick the ball away to clear the danger and avoid the concession of a goal which would totally have resulted in a vanquishing Ennistymon challenge.
An exchange to highlight the type of afternoon it was for Ennistymon occurred on the twenty first minute. First, Niall Canavan delivered a peach of a pass to Ryan Barry but the control of the inside forward was not sharp enough which saw a glorious chance go abegging and while the North Clare side managed to recycle the ball back to Canavan his subsequent shot dropped short and another opportunity was wasted.
There was another example when Darren McNamara made the wrong decision of trying to shoot when Lissycasey hands were by his boot enabling them to make an easy block and turn over possession which they did and they worked the ball up field and extended their lead to five points when Culligan hit the target.
Culligan popped up with an assist for county senior Aaron Griffin for their next score while the final point of the half fell to the boot of Conor Finnucane to ensure Lissycasey led 0-7 0-0 at the sounding of John O’Connell’s half-time whistle.
Ennistymon’s scoring drought was finally tackled on the restart with a loud cheer after Niall Canavan converted a free on forty minutes.
While they managed to keep Lissycasey scoreless for the first nineteen minutes of the second half, Canavan’s free was Ennistymon’s sole contribution to the scoreboard which greatly diminished any chance of a comeback.
Even if there was any hope remaining it disintegrated entirely when Aaron Griffin raided for goal with fifty four minutes played. The goal was made by a fantastic run by Conor Finnucane who was selfless in his decision to offload to Griffin but the ease and pace at which he broke away from the Ennistymon defence and left them for dead will have Ger Quinlan and his management questioning the fitness of their side.
Tiernan Hogan kicked over Ennistymon’s second and final score on fifty two minutes with Darren Keane and Finnucane chipping in with the last two scores to record a justified ten point win for Lissycasey.
League success is not paramount when it comes to evaluating the overall year, just ask Ennistymon and O’Callaghans Mills who were the respective Cusack Cup and Clare Cup winners last season but failed to emerge from their championship groups. In the case of Lissycasey, this win a first in seventeen years is an indicator of how well Aiden ‘Horse’ Moloney has fared as manager, he inherited a side which was in transition having lost some key pillars of their team but he has given blooded young guns successfully to date and equipped experienced players with new roles which they have relished.
Championship encounters with Éire Óg and Kilmurry Ibrickane will give a more accurate impression as to where Lissycasey are at but can conclude the league and prepare for the Jack Daly race in an optimistic manner. Conor Meaney, Conor Finnucane, Darren Keane and Aaron Griffin impressed for the winners.
Although they listed a panel of 42 for this tie, Ennistymon’s aspirations for 2024 rely heavily on clearing up their injury crisis. Three of their county senior panellists Cillian Rouine, Brendy Rouine and Diarmuid Fahy were among those unavailable for selection along with Clare senior hurling squad members David Fizgerald, Cathal Malone and Sean Rynne. The shape, structure and dynamic of their side will change when they get back to full strength and it will have to because a similar line-up and display will not suffice in their bid to get back to the knockout stages of the Clare SFC. On the injury front, they will be pleased to have been able to introduce Seán Rouine as a half-time substitute having missed the bulk of their championship campaign with an ACL injury last year, he is just one of many additions they need to challenge for honours this season.
Absentees aside, it is inexcusable to only kick two scores in sixty minutes plus of football, Quinlan and his management will be frustrated with this showing, they missed five scoreable frees over the hour, this together with the lack of leadership on the field and aforementioned question marks on fitness leave them with plenty of work to do before their opening round encounter with Doonbeg.
Scorers Lissycasey: A Griffin (1-2), C Finnucane (0-3 2f), D Keane (0-2), D Culligan (0-2 1f)
Scorers Ennistymon: N Canavan (0-1 1f), T Hogan (0-1)
Lissycasey:
1: Killian Normoyle
4: Niall McCarthy
3: Michael Kelly
2: Michael Meaney
12: Niall Kelly
5: Daire Hill
6: Conor Meaney
7: Cyril Sheehan
8: Darren Keane
18: Shane Griffin
10: Luke Griffin
11: Enda Finnucane
13: Daire Culligan
14: Aaron Griffin
15: Conor Finnucane
Subs:
24: Cian Meaney for M Meaney (HT)
20: Darragh Killeen for Sheehan (HT)
29: Ryan Griffin for S Griffin (54)
19: Francie Hayes for E Finnucane (
Ennistymon:
1: Noel Sexton
3: Darragh Conneely
6: Joey Rouine
4: Conor Rynne
5: Liam Cotter
7: Josh Guyler
2: John Murphy
8: Eoin Rouine
9: Joshua Vaughan
19: David McNamara
11: Niall Canavan
15: Tiernan Hogan
26: Ryan Barry
10: Ciaran McMahon
13: Darren McNamara
Subs:
21: Brian McNamara for Conneely (19) (blood sub)
24: Seán Rouine for B McNamara (HT)
22: Mark Kelleher for David McNamara (39)
20: Joseph Casey for Murphy (45)
25: Sean Conneely for J Rouine (50)
23: Joe Dowling for Barry (50)
Referee: John O’Connell (Cooraclare)
