*Éire Óg’s Ronan Lanigan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
REMARKABLY Éire Óg last lost a game in the Clare SFC in 2021 but they are not the holders of the Jack Daly.
Despite going through the group and knockout stages of the championship last season without losing, Éire Óg were still dethroned as county champions and became the first team in the county to lose their grip of the title by way of a penalty shootout.
When it came to last year’s semi-final, they were 1-17 apiece with Cratloe following extra time but on penalties, Colm Collins’ side won 4-2 and went on to win the Clare SFC for the third time.
That exit and the manner of it is likely to have Éire Óg eager to renew acquaintances with the Jack Daly but there is a lot of football to be played before now and county final time.
Paul Madden has returned for an eighth season at the helm of the Éire Óg footballers. “I’d like to think there is renewed hunger in the camp but to be fair there was never a shortage of hunger. Last year we were mentally and physically fatigued when it came to the crunch against Cratloe and maybe there was signs of it against Doora/Barefield in the quarter-final but we didn’t lose a game, we lost on penalties to the eventual champions and while we know we were below par we weren’t a million miles away.
“There was a fairly honest assessment and reflection of the year done by the players and the consensus was after a nice break when we finished on October 1st that there was renewed hunger to go again and that’s why we decided to come back as a management,” he added.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Paul admitted that the manner in which players spoke at a panel meeting following their exit last year is what enticed him to return. “My personal resolve is generally always there because I’m really passionate about it, it was strengthened more by the players and what they wanted to get out of the year. It is very easy sit around a board table in December and January and bang your chest on all the things you will do differently but the effort and attitude of the players this year has been top class, that even goes for our county lads who haven’t been with us for the whole year”.
Madden’s selectors Peter Cosgrove and Shane Daniels have returned along with Tom Russell in the backroom team. They do have a change in coach, Seanie Buckley’s addition to the county management has resulted in the addition of Galway man Justin Burke as coach of the Ennis club. “Seanie is a fantastic coach and person on and off the pitch, he stepped up with the county, realistically you’re looking at full commitment with any club now, he was hoping to be involved up till the end of July and a bit with Clare but it was the end of June, there’s such a high standard at club level that we needed to replace Seanie and find someone to come in and be involved from the start of the year. I’ve known Justin Burke for a couple of years, he has done good things with emerging clubs in Galway, he comes from a good pedigree and is a big football man. We are hoping to be in a good place come Friday evening”.
No better place than Cooraclare against Kilmurry Ibrickane on Friday evening to give them a feel as to where exactly they are. “Kilmurry Ibrickane and Éire Óg have always had ding dong battles over the years even when one team is going well and the other wasn’t, form seemed to always go out the window because of the healthy rivalry between the teams, from what I’m hearing they are going very well and have a full squad to pick from”.
Madden continued, “In the case of when we play Kilmurry Ibrickane, Éire Óg might have been had terrible league and it will still be edgy affair because of the rivalry between the teams, both teams always manage to lift their game for each other despite how they’ve done earlier in the year. Being a town team with several county players past and present we’ll always be a target for somebody and that is going to be no different”.
Although Éire Óg haven’t a full squad to pick from, with county men Manus Doherty and Mark McInerney currently in the United States and injury doubts over midfielder, Gavin Murray, the strength of their panel will ensure this does not detract from their ability to get a result in the opening round. “We’re down three county players for Friday, any club without three county players would feel that, even without them it will be a tough team to pick, lads won’t get a game and they will be disappointed, there are lads that would hope to be starting that will be on the bench and they will have to settle with getting brought on. With the three lads, I’d expect to have them back and within our bigger squad for some part of the group stages, that is not to say they will get a game when they do come back. It is a tough group, Kilmurry Ibrickane, Lissycasey and Kilmihil, they will be three tough games and we have to be ready for them”.
Éire Óg come into the championship after winning the Garry Cup which secures their promotion to the Cusack Cup for next season. They’ve started the year in the right vein and with players of the calibre of Ronan Lanigan, Ciaran Russell, Ikem Ugwueru, Aaron Fitzgerald, Darren O’Neill and Dean Ryan they will be a match for anyone in and outside of the county. The return of Gavin Cooney from Australia is a huge addition to the Townies and certainly strengthens their cause.
Management: Paul Madden (manager), Justin Burke (coach), Peter Cosgrove (selector), Shane Daniels (selector), Tom Russell (backroom), Billy Woods (backroom), Mike Carmody (athletic performance), Victor O’Riordan (S&C)
Captain: Aaron Fitzgerald
Key Player: Ronan Lanigan
One to Watch: Luke Pyne
Fresh blood: Aidan McGrath (returned from abroad)
Departures gate: None
Treatment table: Gavin Murray (groin)
Titles won: 20 (1890, 1897, 1899, 1904, 1907, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1913, 1914, 1929 as Ennis Dalcassians, 1947, 1948, 1952, 1954, 1994 as Ennis Faughs, 2000, 2006, 2021, 2022)
Last year’s run: Beaten in a penalty shootout in the semi-final to eventual winners Cratloe.
Schedule:
Round 1 vs Kilmurry Ibrickane (August 2nd)
Round 2 vs Kilmihil (August 17th/18th)
Round 3 vs Lissycasey (August 31st/Sept 1st)
