A general view of Cusack Park, Ennis. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Clare SFC Final
Éire Óg, Ennis 1-10 Kilmurry-Ibrickane 0-6
By Eoin Brennan at Cusack Park
Éire Óg ensured that they are not only at the helm of Clare football once more but also joint-top of the county senior roll of honours following a 21st title in Cusack Park, Ennis.
The Ennis side collected their third Jack Daly Cup in four years in front of a disappointing crowd of 3,554 and an equally drab weather-beaten contest.
The result was all that mattered for Paul Madden’s side whose three-in-a-row big was agonisingly stopped after penalties in last year’s semi-final against Cratloe. They would make no mistake this time around once Gavin Cooney found the net for the only goal of the game in the 12th minute.
Underdogs Kilmurry Ibrickane had started the better and established a three points cushion with early points for Keelan Sexton (2) and Daryl Callinan.
However, a defensive error coughed up possession for Mark McInerney to feed 2021 and ’22 captain Cooney to fire a low shot to the right corner of the ‘Bricks net at 1-0 to 0-3.
Cooney would see a subsequent effort canon off the crossbar but it was solaced by a three point burst through Darren O’Neill, Colm Walsh O’Loghlen and Cooney that aided Éire Óg passage to a 1-4 to 0-4 interval edge.
Kilmurry Ibrickane did their utmost to hit back on the restart but two points would be as close as they would ultimately get to the Ennis side.
Instead, Éire Óg would keep their West Clare opponents scoreless for the final quarter while adding five points themselves, led by Gavin Cooney’s superb lineball from inside the 20 metre line underneath the main stand.
Colm Walsh O’Loghlen raided for his fourth point while Darren O’Brien, Mark McInerney and Philip Talty all got in on the scoring action as Éire Óg remarkably completed a third Clare senior crown in four years.
Scorers for Éire Óg: Gavin Cooney 1-2 (1 sideline), Colm Walsh O’Loghlen 0-4), Darren O’Neill (’45), Darren O’Brien, Mark McInerney (f), Philip Talty 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kilmurry Ibrickane: Daryn Callinan 0-3 (1f), Keelan Sexton 0-2 (1f), Daniel Walsh 0-1.
Éire Óg: Shane Daniels; Manus Doherty, Aaron Fitzgerald, Ronan Lanigan; Ciaran Russell, Ikem Ugwueru, Einne O’Connor; Darren O’Neill, David McNamara; Nially McMahon, Darren O’Brien, Oran Cahill; Mark McInerney, Gavin Cooney, Colm Walsh O’Loghlen
Subs: Gavin Murray for McMahon (24), Dean Ryan for O’Connor (HT, inj), Luke Pyne for O’Brien (52), Philip Talty for Walsh O’Loghlen (54), Aidan McGrath for Cooney (61).
Kilmurry Ibrickane: David Sexton; Ciaran Morrissey, Andrew Shannon, Mark Killeen; Darragh Sexton, Darren Hickey, Martin McMahon; Evan Cahill, Diarmuid King; Shane Hickey, Daniel Walsh, Josh Moloney; Keelan Sexton, Daryn Callinan, Dermot Coughlan
Subs: Caoilfhionn O’Dea for Coughlan (27, inj), Aidan McCarthy for Moloney (HT), Joe Campbell for D. Hickey (32-34, BS), Cathal Talty for Callinan (51), Conor Kearney for McMahon (52).
Referee: Fergal O’Brien (Broadford).
