Gilligan’s lethal touch secures Bridge victory

Sixmilebridge 2-12 Newmarket 0-11

Sixmilebridge, the upstart old rivals and near-neighbours who had assumed their mantle in recent decades, would finally be put down, shown their place. With an incredible 13 titles between 1964 and 1981, Newmarket had leaped to the head of the roll of honour in Clare, but not since that most-satisfying against-the-odds win with a fading team in 1981 had they even appeared in a county final.

Now, a good young team on the up in Cusack Park for a Clare SHC semi final. What happened? Where was all the fire? Certainly none in evidence in an entirely innocent first half, devoid of almost any intent, from either side. Newmarket opened well, a pointed free inside a minute from Brian Clancy Christy Chaplin thundered into the fray, his rocket from 80m opening the scoring for the Bridge, and for the next sixty minutes of play, despite the best efforts of Brian ‘Beano’ McMahon for Newmarket, it was the Bridge’s natural leader dominating affairs.