Category: Sport

Crusheen 0-10 – Sixmilebridge 0-04 at Cusack Park, Ennis

TITLE RETENTION eventually superseded water retention as the menfor-all-seasons Crusheen maintained their history making assault on the senior championship. In a pitch that would in normal circumstances be deemed totally unplayable, it was the defending champions that also proved to be unplayable in a barnstorming second half display that ultimately stamped their superiority on Clare hurling for the second successive year, the first time that such a feat had been completed in 12 years.

To win a championship, a team has to be able to prevail in all conditions and essentially, it was the holder’s superior ability to adapt to the rainsoaked mudbath that greeted the final which saw them grind out the victory.

Aside from Crusheen’s match-win ning flurry of six successive points midway through the half, the contest was far from pretty and for anyone watching the TG4 screening from the comfort of their living room, it must have been more akin to a local rugby match than a showpiece hurling occasion for long periods.

There were endless rucks and throw-ins as the ball repeatedly plugged in the mud but to their great credit, Crusheen were able to raise their game sufficiently and shut the door with a superb defensive display while unlocking it at the other end with a far more efficient strike rate.

All seven defenders and occasional sweeper Paddy Vaughan must take huge kudos in nullifying Sixmilebridge’s threat but it must be said that brothers Cian and Cathal Dillon were immense throughout, as was Gearoid O’Donnell in the forward division.

Last year’s experience certainly stood to the Blood and Bandages as they literally soaked up the Sixmilebridge pressure and hit on the counter-attack at every opportunity. And after a tentative first half, it seemed as if Crusheen had an extra man or two in the second period as they won the physical battle and always appeared to have a spare player at the breakdown to clear their lines.

It was not understating it either to say that this was simply a season defining masterclass from the champions, considering the unprecedentedly dire weather conditions. No one could have grumbled had referee Rory Hickey called a halt to proceedings at any stage of the contest. After all, it’s a miracle that no one was seriously injured in the treacherous underfoot conditions.

Sixmilebridge certainly wouldn’t have complained in the second half but they may look back with a tinge of regret that they failed to take a host of scoring opportunities. Five first half wides saw their second quarter superiority fall on stoney ground as a more efficient Crusheen took all of their opportunities to lead by the minimum at half-time.

And with Sixmilebridge’s young charges being stuck in the mud for long periods, the onus fell on Niall Gilligan and Tony Carmody to inspire, with captain Gilligan perhaps attempting to take on too much in an attempt to find a lifeline. He chose to put a first half penalty over the bar while immediately after halftime, the ‘Bridge legend bore down on goal but hit his shot into the mud instead of aiming for the top corner of the net.

Those misses allied to Crusheen’s second half dominance conspired to turn the tie decisively in the champions favour and once they opened up midway through the half, the writing was on the wall for the Bridge.

Crusheen were also quick to settle into the contest in the opening half when a brace of Jamie Fitzgibbon points as well as a Paddy Vaughan free saw them hold a 0-3 to 0-1 lead by the end of the first quarter. The ‘Bridge’s point came from a Gilligan 20 metre free that could have easily resulted in a goal for Caimin Morey who fielded a Carmody delivery before being pulled down by John Brigdale.

The second quarter was the ‘Bridge’s but while they pulled level through Danny Morey and that Gilligan penalty that he earned himself, they still found themselves trailing at the break after a defensive error was punished by Gearoid O’Donnell.

The ‘Bridge might have made up for that first half profligacy on the restart when Tadgh Keogh expertly picked out fellow 2002 title winner Gilligan to gather and head for goal but he struck his effort into the muddy goalmouth which took the sting out of the shot for goalkeeper Donal Tuohy.

Crusheen wiped their brows and hit back to decisive effect as they shut up shop at the back, thanks in the main to the unstoppable Cian Dillon while also beginning to find holes in the Sixmilebridge rearguard.

Four points from Gearoid O’Donnell (2), Paddy Meaney and Fergus Kennedy in an amazing two minute blitzkrieg around the turn of the final quarter left their opponents shellshocked. And while Gilligan and Co. tried their upmost to find a way back into the contest, they were left continually frustrated by Crusheen’s miserly rearguard that threatened to match Kilmurry Ibrickane’s remarkable feat of keeping their opponents scoreless for an entire half in a county decider.

Points from Paddy Meaney and Vaughan at the other end more or less put a tin hat on the result but Gilligan did manage to end Sixmilebridge’s 35 minute scoring washout on the hour mark with a consolation point.

Considering the atrocious inclement conditions, nobody will hark on the fact that Sixmilebridge’s final total was the lowest in 52 years as this was entirely Crusheen’s day. A day in which they carved out their own piece of history with a exhibition of hurling expertise, and successfully mastered not only their opponents but the weather Gods as well.

Crusheen
Donal Tuohy (7), John Brigdale (7), Cronan Dillon (7),Alan Brigdale (7), Ciaran O’Doherty (7), Cian Dillon (9), Cathal Dillon (8), PatrickVaughan (7) (0-2f), Joe Meaney (7), Gearoid O’Donnell (8) (0-3), Jamie Fitzgibbon (7) (0-2), David Forde (7), Paddy Meaney (7) (0-2), Gerry O’Grady (7), Fergus Kennedy (7) (0-1)

Sixmilebridge
Derek Fahy (7),Tadgh Keogh (7),Aidan Quilligan (7), Seadna Morey (7), John Fennessy (7), Paidí Fitzpatrick (7), Robert Conlon (7), Shane Golden (7),Tony Carmody (8), Jamie Shanahan (6), Rory Shanahan (6), Declan Morey (6), Danny Morey (7) (0-1), Niall Gilligan (7) (0-3 1f, 1 Pen) Caimin Morey (7)

Subs
Trevor Purcell (6) for Conlon (46 mins), Brian Culbert (6) for Declan Morey (46 mins). David O’Connor for Carmody (55 mins)

Referee
Rory Hickey (Éire Óg)

MAYBE we should have known that Crusheen’s name was written on the Canon Hamilton in 2011.

You see, the last man to captain back-to-back county final winning teams was St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield’s Lorcan Hassett in 1998/’99, while the second of those titles came at the expense of Sixmilebridge.

So with 2010 winning captain Gerry O’Grady filling the same role in ’11 and with the ‘Bridge as opposition, the rune stones around Inchicronan might well have told us that Clare hurling’s greatest prize was heading north to the Village of the Little Cross once more with O’Grady emulating Hassett.

There’s more. The same stones might have been a superstitious lot, pointing to that third time lucky factor when it comes to teams defending their title – where Clonlara and Cratloe had failed in ’09 and ’10 respectively, Crusheen would go on to succeed.

And there’s more again. Consider that the 25-year team honoured on county final day – the flying Magpies of ’86 were captained by Anthony Scanlon, a man who also led them to back-to-back triumphs the following year.

All of the above points to the fact that this was meant to be.

Regardless of piseoga, rune stones and all that, one thing is certain: when Gerry O’Grady finally left Cusack Park’s Ard Comhairle for a pitchside reunion with his teammates with Canon Hamilton in hand, it was all still a bit of a blur.

“It hasn’t sunk in really,” he said on the achievement of lifting the Canon on successive years. “We came here to today just to battle it out and do everything to get over the line. Thankfully that’s the way it worked out. The conditions were so bad out there it was about battling, fighting it out and keeping the workrate up.”

They did more than that, of course, restricting the ‘Bridge to two points from play and only four points, while running up what must of felt like a veritable cricket score of 0-10, such were the conditions of the day.

Where did it come from?

“It was the most important game we’ve played in our lives,” said O’Grady in response. “We lost in 2007 to Tulla and this was our third final. If we had gone away from three finals and only won one of them, it would have been a bad return.

“That was really driving us on here today. We wanted that second title. When you get to a final you have to take your opportunity. The backs were very good and in the second half we took the chances we got up front. We opened them up and when we were able to stretch our lead we were able to hold out after that.”

The quietly spoken captain was be ing kind to ‘Bridge. This was a rout.

Coole FC 6 – Inch Crusaders 1 at The County Grounds, Doora

COOLE FC captured their second trophy this year with an emphatic victory over Inch Crusaders in the final of the second division league cup at the County Grounds on Sunday.

Last season’s third division league champions led by just a goal at half time but produced a storming second half display to take the trophy back to Gort.

Weather conditions were far from ideal but just like the victorious Gort hurlers, Coole FC didn’t let the heavy rain undermine their performance.

The County Grounds had been due to host the meeting between Clare and Galway in the Oscar Traynor Cup on Saturday but that was called off due to rain shortly before kick off.

However the pitch was deemed playable on Sunday morning where Inch and Coole met with the prize of some early season silverware on offer.

And it was the Gort based club who made the early breakthrough when Kyle McCarthy scored the game’s opening goal. The former Oscar Traynor panelist found the net with well-hit 20 yard strike.

Coole were ahead at the break be- fore a deluge of goals early in the second half set them on the road to victory. McCarthy’s strike partner, Danilo Bento grabbed two goals in the space of five minutes to leave Inch with a mountain to climb.

McCarthy then brought his tally for the game to two, when he converted from the penalty spot. Managers Barry McCarry and Stephen Cunniffe emptied the Coole bench as the goals continued to rain in. Substitute Liam Papendorf got his name on the scoresheet with a well-executed volley with fellow sub Savio Morentes also finding the net. Midfielder David Cahill played an instrumental role in Coole’s success, setting up three of his side’s goals. Padraig Talty struck Crusader’s lone response before Coole captain Eoin Glynn lifted the trophy.

Coole FC
Abner Cordielo, Gary Morrissey, Alex Brocard,Aidan O’Boyle,Wanderson Lasouta, Padraig Landers, David Cahill,Alan Mannion, Eoin Glynn, Kyle McCarthy, Danilo Bento

Subs
Dave Franklin, Stephen Quinn, Savio Morentes, Liam Papendorf, LeoVercnea,Anthony Coppinger

Inch Crusaders
Andy O’Flynn, DavidTalty, Thomas O’Doherty, Dean Rickter, Mark Connellan, SeanTalty,Alan Clerkin, Brian McDonnell, Padraig Talty, James Rynne,Thiago Santanna

Subs
Conor Neylon for Santanna, ColmRyan for McDonnell, Rory Killeen for Rynne

THE victorious Lifford league and cup double winning team of 1975/76 will be the focus of celebrations when the club marks its 50th anniversary on Saturday night.

Club members past and present will gather in the Auburn Lodge Hotel to recall memories of the club’s half a century in existence.

The mid-seventies is regarded, as a golden period in the club’s long history and a special presentation will be made to members of Lifford’s double winning team on the night.

“We’re hoping for a big night to mark the 50th and the focus will be on the double winning team”, said long serving club member John O’Neill.

The club was set up in 1961 a year before the formation of the first Clare soccer league. It grew out of the ashes of another club – Ennis United – whose members played in the Limerick District Soccer League. Lifford’s founding members includ- ed Michael O’Gorman, Frank McInerney, Jimmy Coughlan, Noel Bane and Declan and Freddy Ensko. Both Michael O’Gorman and Frank McInerney were also centrally involved in setting up the Clare soccer league in 1962. Lifford played its first game in autumn of that year and under the captaincy of Syl Cosgrove, claimed the Fergus Cup in 1963. O’Neill explained that another cup victory was secured in 1968 when Lifford played under the name of Rockmount. The seventies saw Lifford enjoy a sustained period of success at adult and youths level. “The 70s were the highpoint for the club. We were always competitive”, said O’Neill. The emergence of Avenue United in 1983 presented a new challenge and new rivalry to Lifford. The club established a schoolboy’s section in 1984 with a Ladies team following in 1988. Lifford produced a number of schoolboy internationals including Gary Flynn and Alan Brooks. The Ladies team too provided a conveyor belt of talent to Irish teams. Lifford ladies also enjoyed a spectacular period of success from the early nineties onwards, winning numerous county and national titles.

For 31 years Lifford played their home games at land on the site of Our Lady’s Hospital before moving in 2007 to Cassidy Park, a € 500,000 development in Drumcliffe.

Premier league and cup success has eluded Lifford since the seventies but with the establishment of the club’s new underage academy, O’Neill is confident about the club’s future.

“We’ve come close to winning it (league) a few times but we’re well set up for the future. We have 30 kids signed up for the academy. Things are moving on”.

Lifford’s 50th Anniversary night takes place at the Auburn Lodge, Hotel Ennis on October 29. There will be a performance on the night from 12 piece orchestra, the West Coast Big Band.

Lisca nnor 1-4 West Cla r e Gaels 1-3 At Hennessy Memor ia l Pa r k, Milt own Ma lbay THE INCLEMENT weather and heavy conditions underfoot meant that this decider was dominated by the defences of Liscannor and West Clare Gaels.

The final started with Liscannor taking the play to their opponents and before long Emer Hillary had laid off a lovely pass to Aishling Torpey who opened the scoring for the northerners. Liscannor were more assertive in the first quarter but against the run of play, Ailish Brew goaled for the Gaels.

Midfielders Shauna Harvey and Collette Keniry kept pushing the at- tack, setting Rachel Clancy free to put the Gaels 1-1 to 0-1 ahead. Despite several Liscannor attacks involving Martina Scales, Sharon Roche and Katie Considine, it took another ten minutes for the next score to register and it was Siobhan Marrinan who oblidged for West Clare Gaels.

After 25 minutes, up and coming Under 13 Katie Considine set free a very industrious Aishling Torpey to take her second point of the game for Liscannor, just before they went in for the break at 1-2 to 0-2 in favour of the ladies from the Corca Baiscinn.

On the resumption, Aishling Torpey had only one thing on her mind but was prevented from goaling, winning a penalty in the process and levelling the game herself at 12. Player-of-the-Match Torpey ran the West Clare Gaels defence ragged in the third quarter, picking off two valuable points in succession to push them two points clear by the 48th minutes, where they would stay until the end.

Liscannor
Aoife Shannon,Therese Shannon, Sinead Considine, Roisin Rouine, Roisin Considine, Fiona Considine, Sarah Clair, Martina Scales, Emer Hillery, Sharon Roche,AishlingTorpey (1-4, 1f, 1-0 pen), Mairead Healy, Katie Considine, Clionadh Considine, Moira O’Donoghue, Niamh Fitzhenry, Sinead Shannon, Elaine Shannon,Aisling Nagle, Sarah Leigh.

Management
Marie Considine, Emma Slattery, Yvonne Flaherty,Anna O’ Connor and Ciara Slattery.

West Clare Gaels
SineadTevlin, Brid Foran, Grainne Harvey, Lauren Keane, Mary Beth Downes, Marie Foran, Emma McMahon, Shauna Harvey, Collette Keniry, Lauren McMahon (Capt), Ailish Brew(1-0), Rachel Clancy (0-1), Shauna Melican, Ciara Lynch, Siobhan Marrinan (0-1)

Subs
Caoimhe Harvey (0-1), Naoise Murray,Amy Keane, Rose Marrinan, Naoise Murray, Michaela Lynch, Becky Madigan

Newmarket-on-Fergus 2-14 – O’Callaghan’s Mills 1-05 at O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge

EXPERIENCE at the highest level was the decisive factor in this the first of two county final victories for Newmarket at the weekend. Having lost last year’s decider to double champions Crusheen, the Blues were back with a vengeance, with former seniors Michael McInerney, Dominic McMahon, Brian ‘Beano’ McMahon and captain Brian Clancy guiding their side to a first Junior A title in eight years.

The Mills themselves have been knocking on the door repeatedly in the knock-out stages these past few years but they can have few complaints after failing to take their chances, particularly in terms of goal opportunities over the hour.

As the 16 scores to six total emphasises, Newmarket were the sharper and more clinical side throughout, with an unanswered tally of 1-5 by the end of the opening quarter setting the tone for the win.

Mill’s full-forward Damien O’Connell opened the scoring in the first minute but they would have to take a backseat as Newmarket ruthlessly replied with a 16 minute purple patch. Michael McInerney and Dominic McMahon were both to the fore in that flurry of points while McInerney also set up Shane Liddy for the opening goal in the tenth minute.

That goal was cruel on the Mills particularly after they had just spurned a glorious chance of their own at the other end when Rory Neville picked out fellow corner-forward Cathal McKeogh at the back post but his shot was excellently blocked by the body of Shane Kelliher.

McKeogh did make up for that miss when starting O’Callaghan’s Mills second quarter fightback but further scores from Michael McInerney and Shane Liddy limited the half-time damage at 1-7 to 0-4.

Liddy’s frees also pushed his side further ahead on the resumption before the Mills were handed a lifeline. A goalmouth scramble in the 37th minute allowed substitute Aidan O’Gorman pull through a crowd of players to the net and gathering momentum, they also had two further goal chances that might have altered the narrative of this decider.

Expert defending from Clancy and McMahon ensured that didn’t happen though and after literally weathering the storm, Newmarket finished strongly by outscoring their opponents by 1-5 to 0-1 in the final quarter.

There were goal chances aplenty for either side as the game became more open and fragmented, with Michael McInerney central to the two that fell Newmarket’s way. In the 50th minute, his delivery over the top saw Dominic McMahon beat goalkeeper James Hook to the ball to pull to the net while two minutes later the imposing forward would see his rasping shot canon off the butt of the post to safety.

With only minutes remaining, Newmarket held an eleven point lead but the Mills never threw in the towel and goal efforts for McKeogh and substitute Enda McNamara had to be endured before Newmarket would finally realise their title dream at the second attempt.

Newmarket- on- Fergus
Ian Mulcahy (7), Seamus Meehan (7), Brian Clancy (8), Shane Kelliher (8), Paudie Hayes (7), Brian McMahon (8), Darren Cullinan (7), Neil Ryan (7) (0-1), Niall Enright (7), Martin Frawley (6), Paul McInerney (7), Michael McInerney (9) (0-3), Dominic McMahon (8) (1-3), Gerry Hannon (7) (0-2), Shane Liddy (7) (1-5 3f)

Sub
LiamClancy (6) for Frawley (47 mins)

O’Callaghan’s Mills
James Hook (7), Michael McGrath (8), Barry Heffernan (7), Ollie Nash (7), Brendan Hannon (7) (0-1f), Conor Cooney (7), Darren Cooney (8), Noel Nash (6), John McGrath (7), Paul Murphy (6), Robbie Madden (7) (0-1), Ian Donnellan (6), Rory Neville (6), Damien O’Connell (7) (0-1), Cathal McKeogh (7) (0-2)

Subs
Aidan O’Gorman (7) (1-0) for Donnellan (24 mins), Enda McNamara for O’Connell (52 mins), Eoin McInerney for McGrath (52 mins)

Man of the Match
Michael McInerney (Newmarket- on- Fergus) Referee Fergie McDonagh (St Joseph’s Doora/

Whitegate 0-14 – Killanena 1-09 at Ogonnelloe

KILLANENA’S senior dream only lasted one season as they dropped back down to intermediate level at the first time of asking. Indeed, it was a tense battle of the last two intermediate champions with Whitegate just doing enough to hang onto their status for another year. Emigration and injury had taken it’s toil on both threadbare squads during the year as they were forced to play off for their senior championship lives and in the end, it was Whitegate’s rearguard that showed the way to consolidate their place in the 2012 championship.

In total, all but two of Whitegate’s points came from the back, with goalkeeper Andrew Fahey central to that defensive charge with half of their total from placed balls. County senior Brendan Bugler (3) and John Minogue (2) as well as All-Ireland Intermediate winning goalkeeper Fahey (5) had Whitegate 0-11 to 0- 02 clear by the 28th minute but they would only hold a five point advantage into the break after a David McNamara 20 metre free gave Killanena some much needed hope.

Indeed, that suckerpunch was to hurt Whitegate as they would not score again until the 50th minute. Instead, Killanena gathered momentum, hitting three successive points to get to within two at 0-11 to 1-06. Eric Minogue did stop the rot with ten minutes to go followed by an- other Fahey long range free but with the bit between their teeth, Killanena threw everything at their neighbours that yielded three more points to cut the deficit to the minimum by the hour mark.

That understandably set up a nervous finish but fittingly it was goalkeeper Fahey who cemented the victory in the 62nd minute when he hit his seventh score to keep his side at the highest level and send Killanena back down to intermediate.

Whitegate
AndrewFahey (0-7 5f, 2’65), Cathal Mulvihill, John Bugler,Trevor Kelly, Jason Malone, Brendan Bugler (0-3), John Minogue (0-2), Ian Fahy, Tomás McNamara, Eric Minogue (0-1), Patrick Minogue, Shane O’Rourke, Patrick Burke,Terence Fahy, GeorgieWaterstone (0-1f)

Subs
Ray Cahill for Waterstone, Eoin Quirke for O’Rourke

Killanena
David Noone, Enda Collins, Joe Clancy, Pat Noone, Eoin McMahon, John O’Mara, Stephen McMahon, Mikey Noone, Padraig Brady, Fintan McNamara, Shane Moroney, John Noonan, Gerry McNamara, David McNamara,Alan McNamara

Sub
Jack Houlihan for Noonan

Referee
TomStackpoole

Newmarket-on-Fergus 1-16 – Clarecastle 2-06 at Clareabbey

NEIGHBOURS Newmarket and Clarecastle have had some memorable county final clashes in the last 50 years and while this wasn’t one of them, the Blues deservedly maintained their final hold over the Magpies.

This was the 14th county final derby meeting between the pair in that period, with Newmarket proving to be the Magpies bogey side on 12 occasions and while it wasn’t the county final that both sides would have aspired to at the beginning of the year, it still attracted a sizeable crowd.

Newmarket were full value for their latest title after sowing the seeds of victory in a clinical opening half display that saw them score the first six points of the game by the 30th minute. As ever, central to that scoring feat was county senior Colin Ryan who gave an exhibition of placed balls over the hour in an unerring mix of frees, ‘65’s and a late lineball.

Indeed, while his team-mates opted to try and kill off their opponents early with goals that was met with defiance from goalkeeper Donnagh Murphy and some dogged defending from the Magpies’s last line, Ryan’s experience in tacking on points saw him pick up the first five scores of the game, four of those from placed balls.

Jonathan Clancy had Clarecastle’s best chance of a goal but after being put under pressure, his effort hit the side netting. David Barrett put the Blues six clear in the 30th minute but the Magpies did spare themselves from an opening half whitewash two minutes into injury-time when Eamon Callinan converted a free from 35 metres.

Newmarket came storming out of the blocks once more on the restart, with county seniors Colin Ryan (2) and an inspirational long-range James McInerney point from 65 metres extending their advantage to eight by the 34th minute.

The game seemed to be drifting away from Clarecastle but they received a major shot in the arm with two quick-fire goals in as many minutes to make a contest of it once more. The first stemmed from a Darragh Moloney delivery that was broke by Derek Quinn to the unmarked Danny Scanlon who had the simple task of hitting to an empty net. And only two minutes later, a slice of fortune got the Magpies to within two points of their opponents when a Derek Quinn shot for a point rebounded off the upright into the path of Darragh Moloney to pull past goalkeeper Kieran Devitt.

The intensity was lifted once more and the Blues almost replied in kind but David Barrett hit his goalbound effort into the ground, although Colin Ryan did point the rebound.

With the bit between their teeth however, Clarecastle hit back once more, this time a superb solo effort from captain Tyrone Kearse who gathered possession on his own ’65 before soloing to halfway and arrowing over the bar.

Game on it appeared but Newmarket ruthlessly shut the door on their neighbours around the turn of the final quarter when an Anthony Kilmartin goal was sandwiched by Colin Ryan frees to restore a seven point lead.

Clarecastle kept plugging away with Eamon Callinan picking off three frees to cut the deficit to five with seven minutes remaining. However, the Blues finished the job when Ryan expertly cut a sideline over the bar followed by two successive Anthony Kilmartin points to complete their A, B and C hat-trick of adult titles.

Although the Canon Hamilton still eludes them, Newmarket are certainly moving in the right direction as their adult teams won championships this year in Junior A, Senior B and Junior C. And with a Clare Cup semifinal against Kilmaley this weekend, the push to make next year’s Senior A county final is already gathering momentum.

Éire Óg 1-14 – Ruan 0-06 at Clarecastle

THE last time the Townies were roaring hot favourites to take down Ruan in a county final was way back in ’59, but they failed to land the Canon Hamilton Cup on the back of yet another tour de force from Jimmy Smyth, Frank Custy, Jazzer Meaney et al.

Ruan would have needed Smyth, Custy, Jazzer et al at their pomp on this day, such was the superiority exerted by this Éire Óg team that produced a command performance to win their first ever intermediate hurling title and return to the senior ranks after a three-year hiatus.

The rains came – to Cusack Park that saw the game relocated to Clarecastle, but the downpour failed to dampen the Townies’ spirits at they hacked home through the mud like rare breeds of thoroughbreds made for the heavy going.

It was a Eureka moment for Ennis hurling, simply because this victory finally banished the ghosts of the quarter-final defeats to Whitegate and Killanena in the last two years and their relegation at the hands of Ballyea on this same Clarecastle sod back in 2008.

That they really meant business here was reflected in the 11-point margin at the end, but it was apparent from the opening seconds as a thunderous shoulder charge by captain Mark Fitzgerald spoke volumes, for the team and for the mindset.

This was for Francie Mahon, for the Town, but above all for themselves.

They were in the mood, up for the battle as well as the hurling and from there a combination of superior stickwork, physicality and work-rate powered them to their best display of the year.

It may have been a lottery at times, given the conditions, but Éire Óg’s numbers always came up thanks to an imperious half-back line of Tadhg McNamara, Fergus Flynn and Kevin Moynihan, an industrious midfield and a forward division that buzzed through the rain to notch up the points to kill this county final early in the second half.

They got the perfect start with three points inside seven minutes – David O’Halloran and Ronan Keane were on the mark from play while Danny Russell, who notched 0-5 over the hour from placed balls, landed a free.

However, it was Barry Nugent’s 13th minute goal that proved crucial. After John Punch had opened Ruan’s account with a ninth minute free, Nugent’s deft flick to the net from a long Fergus Flynn free put the Townies 1-3 to 0-1 ahead and well on their way to victory.

They only managed two more points in the half, via a Danny Russell free in the 23rd minute and a good effort from play by Thomas Downes, but it was enough to give them a 1-5 to 0-3 lead as a sterling defence restricted Ruan to a couple of points from Patrick Keegan midway through the half and another on the stroke of half-time from Aidan Lynch.

A point from Caimin Howard two minutes into the second half brought the gap back to four points, but the Townies’ response again showed their intent as points from play by Noel Whelan and Barry Nugent by the 35th minute put them 1-7 to 0-4 clear.

From there they never looked like yielding – with points from Tadhg Hanrahan and Eoin Hanrahan all Ruan could muster for the remaining 25 minutes as the Townies coasted home.

Danny Russell’s 65 in the 38th minute restored their six-point advantage after Eoin Hanrahan had pegged one back for Ruan two minutes earlier – from there it was just a matter of seeing it out.

They did that in some style, with David Ryan’s booming effort in the 39th minute putting them seven clear, while they finished the game with five unanswered points as they restricted a forlorn Ruan outfit to a Tadhg Hanrahan point in the 42nd minute.

By the time Danny Russell (2), Ronan Keane, David O’Halloran and David Ryan added points to embellish the hour, there were actual fireworks going off at the venue to the delight of the huge Éire Óg support.

Why not? It’s Halloween week after all.

Éire Óg
Kevin Brennan (7), Cathal Whelan (7), Cormac O’Regan (7), Marc O’Donnell (7),Tadhg MacNamara (8), Fergus Flynn (9), Kevin Moynihan (8), Noel Whelan (7) (0-1), Mark Fitzgerald (8), Danny Russell (8) (0-5, 4f, one 65), David Ryan (8) (0-2), Ronan Keane (7) (0-2), David O’Halloran (7) (0-2), Barry Nugent (7) (1-1),Thomas Downes (7) (0-1).

Subs
AdrianWalsh (6) for Noel Whelan [56 Mins], Ronan Cooney (6) for Cathal Whelan [61 Mins].

Ruan
Patrick Roughan (7), Gary Bell (7), Niall O’Connor (7), Leon Quirke (6), Killian Ryan (6), Jonathon Clohessy (7), Darragh Roughan (6),Tadhg Hanrahan (7) (0-1), Eoin Hanrahan (7) (0-1),Aidan Lynch (7) (0-2), Colin O’Donoghue (6), Michael Vaughan (6), Patrick Keegan (6), John Punch (6) (0-1f), Brendan Lyons (6).

Subs
Caimin Howard (7) (0-1) for Roughan [8 Mins],Alan Bell (6) for Punch [42 Mins].

Man of the Match
Fergus Flynn (Éire Óg) Referee Johnny Healy (Smith O’Briens)

Cratloe 2-10 – Ennistymon 2-7 at Cusack Park, Ennis

CRATLOE deserved this.

On the year for what they’ve been through in football and hurling, but above all on the day because when you parse what was a hugely entertaining decider that was in the balance until the end it was the boys in blue who produced when it mattered most.

A wonder goal from Michael O’Dwyer in the 40th minute that would have done his famous namesake from the Iveragh peninsula proud seemed to have set Ennistymon up for back-to-back titles.

It put them 2-6 to 1-6 clear, but crucially Ennistymon’s final score of the hour came via a 43rd minute free from Danny Rouine – from there it was all Cratloe as they turned the screw by hitting 1-3 without reply to win their second title in three years.

It was as if the realisation of another defeat – to go with the under 21 hurling final, as well as senior semi-finals in both codes – that would usher in their annus horribilis sparked them to life.

Something did, because in those closing stages, key players like Liam Markham, Padraig Collins and Conor McGrath stepped up to save day, as did the youngest member of the team David Collins with a 49th minute goal that gave Cratloe a lead they never looked like losing.

In a way that crucial goal was in keeping with the day, as the game swung like a pendulum for the most of the hour before Cratloe finally broke free and broke Ennistymon’s spirit at the death.

It was going Ennistymon’s way in the early stages, with two early points Sean McConigley and Danny Rouine by the third minute was followed up by a tenth minute goal after Conor McGrath had opened Cratloe’s account in the seventh minute. The goal came from a penalty coolly sidefooted home by McConigley after he had been fouled by keeper Jamie Joyce.

However, just when it seemed as if Ennistymon might kick on from this dream start of being 1-2 to 0-1 up, back came Cratloe with a goal from Conor McGrath inside a minute when he fly-hacked to the net after David Collins’ effort came back off the post.

So began this gripping encounter. Cathal McInerney and Danny Rouine traded frees by the 20th minute be- fore produced a rousing finish to the half with three brilliantly taken points from play to lead by 1-5 to 1-3 at half-time. Padraig Collins grabbed the first in the 21st minute before two booming efforts from midfielder Wesley Deloughery gave Colm Collins’ charged their two-point lead.

That finish was a portent of things to come but when Ennistymon made a blistering start to the second half when putting 1-3 on the board inside the first ten minutes it seemed as if the Marrinan Cup was heading for the town of the cascades for the second successive year.

Cathal Malone got them going with a point, while they then hit back after a Cathal McInerney free with points from Michael McDonagh and an inspirational effort from centreback Sean O’Driscoll before Michael O’Dwyer tore up the left wing and floated a brilliant goal into the top corner of the net to put his side a goal clear.

For a few moments it looked as if Cratloe would fade away, but by the 50th minute everything had changed.

Frees by Cathal McInerney and Liam Markham that sandwiched a Danny Rouine effort for Ennistymon was followed by another great goal strike, this time from David Collins when he blasted to the net after Noel Sexton had failed to collected Wesley Deloughery’s high lobbing ball.

Cratloe never looked back with points by Cathal McInerney and Wesley Deloughery closing out the game.