O’Callaghan’s Mills thrills as Clare Cup remains on home soil

*O’Callaghans Mills forward, Conor Henry. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill

An already momentous weekend for O’Callaghan’s Mills was fittingly completed by a fairytale fin-ish when prevailing by the minimum to garner a first Clare Cup crown in 28 years on home soil on Sunday evening.

O’Callaghan’s Mills 0-18
Clooney/Quin 1-14
Venue: Hamilton Park, Kilkishen

One hundred years on from the opening of Hamilton Park in Kilkishen, it arguably hosted its most significant result as the Mills, backed by only seven of the team that lined out against Sixmilebridge in the county senior final a mere three years ago, defied all the odds to secure some much-needed silverware.

In essence, this victory was borne out of sheer grit as only leading by two at the break, having had the aid of a gale force wind, the home side seemed as if they would rue seven first half wides.
Crucially however, while Clooney/Quin inevitably made up the ground, the Mills never allowed the visitors to nudge in front in a tense second period that was made all the more claustrophobic by the proximity of the 1,000 plus crowd and the magnification of every possession.

In the end, the Mills just appeared to want it slightly more which on their own home patch and due to their added sprinkling of experience when compared to their fresher opponents, was to-tally understandable.

Groundsman Killian Nugent certainly made the most of his familiarity with every blade of grass on the pitch as the goalkeeper converted six long range placed balls. Captain Aidan O’Gorman was inspirational as was a four point haul from Conor Henry while Mike Cotter did well in his unenvia-ble role of trying to curb Clooney/Quin talisman Jack O’Neill.

On the flip side, John Cahill surpassed that shadowing role on Mills’ chief marksman Colm Cleary, while Callum Hassett, O’Neill and the lively Dannan Fox were others to lead the charge for Clooney/Quin.

Indeed, it all seemed to be going according to plan for Tommy Corbett’s side when the Clare mi-nor class of 2022, O’Neill, Sam Scanlan and Fox combined for the latter to grab the only goal of the game entering the second quarter to power Clooney-Quin in front for the very first time at 1-5 to 0-6.

Facing into such a dominant wind, the visitors wouldn’t have been overly-perturbed to concede five of the last six points that included braces for Aidan O’Gorman and Killian Nugent as the Mills had it all to do to protect an 0-11 to 1-6 lead against the conditions.

However, not only did they match Clooney/Quin point for point on the restart but might have bol-stered their cushion, only for a Colm Cleary shot to be excellently repelled by goalkeeper Cathal Hannon at the turn of the final quarter.

Nugent duly arrowed over the resulting ’65 to ensure a three point margin at 0-15 to 1-10 but a subdued Clooney/Quin did finally spark into life to regain full parity within two minutes.

Experienced duo Mike McNamara and substitute Cillian Duggan lessened the damage before Dannan Fox picked up a break to level the tie for only the fourth time.

Indeed, it was still a precarious stalemate entering the last five minutes until a monster Nugent free from his own ’65 was accentuated by a Colm Cleary point by the 57th minute at 0-18 to 1-13.

Cillian Duggan did halve the arrears in the next passage of play but a ravenous Mills hunted in packs for the remainder to dig their heels in and cling on for easily the club’s most famous title since ending a 62 year famine in 1990.

Scorers for O’Callaghan’s Mills: Killian Nugent (0-6, 5f, 1’65); Conor Henry (0-4); Colm Cleary (0-3, 2f) Aidan O’Gorman (0-2, 1f); Bryan Donnellan, Stephen Donnellan, Fionn Hickey (0-1 each)

Scorers for Clooney-Quin: Jack O’Neill (0-5, 3f); Dannan Fox (1-1); Darragh Keogh (2f), Cillian Duggan, Callum Hassett (0-2 each); Eoghan O’Brien, Mike McNamara (0-1 each)

O’Callaghan’s Mills
1: Killian Nugent

3: Conor Cooney
2: Mike Cotter
4: Keith Donnellan

8: Cormac Murphy
6: Aidan O’Gorman
7: Aidan Fawl

10: Mike McGrath
9: Fionn Hickey

18: Mikey McMahon
11: Sean O’Gorman
12: Stephen Donnellan

15: Conor Henry
14: Bryan Donnellan
13: Colm Cleary

Subs
20: Darragh Moroney for McGrath (42)
21: Sean Cotter for McMahon (50)
23: Mark Pewter for S. Donnellan (61)

Clooney/Quin
1: Cathal Hannon

5: John Cahill
2: Shane McNamara
4: Enda O’Halloran

7: Darragh Keogh
19: Mike McNamara
27: Paul Clune

8: Jimmy Corry
18: Donagh O’Sullivan

10: Eoghan O’Brien
15: Sam Scanlan
12: Callum Hassett