Cathal O’Reilly is fouled by Ikem Ugwueru and Niall McMahon. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Niall McMahon is one of Éire Óg’s unsung heroes. A dual player, he plays corner back for the hurlers while he is a defensive wing forward for the footballers, never one to grab the headlines this doesn’t bother him in the slightest.
*David McNamara shields the ball from Joey Rouine. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill ÉIRE ÓG were driven on by the devastation of losing the Clare SHC final by a single point in their quest to retain the county football title, midfielder David McNamara has said.
*Mark McInerney and Paul Madden stand for the national anthem. Photograph: Paul Madden A PROUD ÉIRE Óg man to the core, it’s fitting in a way that such a genuine clubman like Paul Madden holds the distinction of managing their senior footballers to back to back titles for the first time.
*David McNamara scrambles to win the ball with Oran Cahill and Ikem Ugwueru closing in. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill ENNISTYMON can take more positives than negatives from their 2022 Clare SFC campaign but they remain dejected with the outcome of Sunday’s county final.
*Gavin Cooney accepts the Jack Daly from Clare GAA Chairman, Kieran Keating. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill FOR TWO years running, Gavin Cooney had the honour of walking up the steps of Cusack Park to lift the Jack Daly for Éire Óg.
*Éire Óg players celebrate at the final whistle. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill ÉIRE ÓG HAVE retained their title as Clare senior football champions wrestling off the challenge of Ennistymon.
*Keelan Sexton. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill BOTH OF THIS YEAR’s Clare SFC finalists are reliant on building the play from the back in what Clare forward Keelan Sexton expects to be a very defensive county final.
Cathal O’Connor. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill FRESH FROM WINNING a second Clare SHC medal with Ballyea, county footballer Cathal O’Connor gave his take on this weekend’s meeting between Éire Óg and Ennistymon.
*Kevin Hehir distributes the ball with Aidan McCarthy behind him. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill INJURIES have been an unfortunate constant of Ennistymon’s memorable run to a first Clare SFC final since 2018 and regrettably for Kevin Hehir, he’s been the latest addition to their long list of casualties.
*Éire Óg’s Manus Doherty works the ball up field from defence. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill WHEN ÉIRE ÓG claimed the Jack Daly in 2021, Manus Doherty was among their standout players, it led to a breakthrough with the Clare senior footballers and the defender is intent to collect another senior title this coming weekend.
