*Aidan McCarthy shrugs off Joe Dowling. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Opinions are divided amongst players and managers in Clare football as to who will be crowned Clare senior football champions for 2021 but all agree that the meeting of Éire Óg and title holders Kilmurry Ibrickane will be a close affair.
*Éire Óg manager, Paul Madden. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Dealing with big occasions are nothing new for Éire Óg manager, Paul Madden but he still expects to contend with nerves as the Ennis club take on Kilmurry Ibrickane in Sunday’s county football final.
*Kilmurry Ibrickane wing-back, Darragh Sexton. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Having emerged onto the senior side as part of a new wave in 2016, Darragh Sexton immediately saw Jack Daly success as the standard, a high bar that he is keen to preserve this Sunday when putting their title on the line against Éire Óg.
*Ciaran Russell drives forward as Brendan Rouine gives chase. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill When it comes to Éire Óg’s footballers winning senior titles, Peter Cosgrove has been an ever-present figure.
*Kilmurry Ibrickane manager, Aiden Moloney. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill That Aiden Moloney’s return to take charge of his native club has resulted in five county final appearances in six seasons is hardly a coincidence.
*Ciaran Morrissey tries to get away from Kilmihil’s Sean Crowley. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Team-mates for Clare, the sizeable contingents from Kilmurry Ibrickane and Éire Óg won’t be short of inside knowledge this Sunday when they emerge from the opposition trenches or in the current climate, opposite sides of the stand or even cert-approved dressing rooms …
*Gavin Cooney remains an injury doubt for Sunday’s final. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Éire Óg’s marquee forward, Gavin Cooney is in a race against time to be fit for what will be his first taste of a senior championship final.
*Donie Garrihy. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Questions will need to be asked of management before players to explain St Breckans’ below-par semi-final display, manager of the North Clare side, Donie Garrihy maintained.
*Enda Coughlan breaks past Cian Meaney. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Sharpness and the right attitude were pinpointed by Kilmurry Ibrickane boss, Aiden Moloney as key reasons for their progression to the Clare SFC final.
*Denis O’Callaghan is held by Mark McInerney. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill A “professional performance” laid the foundations for Éire Óg’s senior footballers securing their appearance in the biggest day of the Clare football calendar.
