Éire Óg end 15 year wait for Clare SFC crown

The Ennis men were by far the better team over the course of a cagey encounter, but after the west Clare showed their pedigree and never-say-die attitude to bring matters back to a two-point game with ten minutes remaining it looked as if a great escape to victory was on.

Eire Og Captain Gavin Cooney celebrates with teammates after the Clare SFC final win over Kilmurry Ibrickane at Cusack Park, Ennis.

Clare SFC final 

Éire Óg 1-11 

Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-9 

Éire Óg Inis were crowned Clare SFC champions for the third time when finally shaking off the dogged challenge of defending champions Kilmurry Ibrickane to bring the Jack Daly Cup back to Ennis for the first time in 15 years.

The Townies were by far the better team over the course of a cagey encounter, but after the west Clare showed their pedigree and never-say-die attitude to bring matters back to a two-point game with ten minutes remaining it looked as if a great escape to victory was on.

Éire Óg had led 1-6 to 0-4 at half-time thanks to a brilliantly worked 18th minute goal from Mark McInerney, while they’d stretched it out to a six-point advantage by the three-quarter stage.

But that was the cue for Clare star Keelan Sexton to start reeling in an increasingly nervy Éire Óg side — he landed four successive frees in as many minutes to make it 1-8 to 0-9 after 50 minutes.

Alas, they just couldn’t keep this stirring comeback going, with the cool head of county senior hurler David Reidy proving decisive for Éire Óg as he fisted two crucial scores in the closing minutes before substitute Eimhin Courtney sealed their first county title success since 2006. The ‘Bricks died with their boots on, but were reduced to 14 before the end as Joe Campbell was red-carded.

Scorers for Éire Óg: G Cooney (0-5, 3f), M McInerney (1-0), D Reidy (0-2), P Talty (0-1), C Ó hAiniféin (0-1), A McGrath (0-1), E Courtney (0-1).

Scorers for Kilmurry Ibrickane: K Sexton (0-5, 4f), D Callinan (0-1f), M O’Dwyer (0-1), D Walsh (0-1), C Morrissey (0-1).

ÉIRE ÓG: N Murray; M Doherty, A Fitzgerald, R Lanigan; C Russell, C Ó hAiniféin, É O’Connor; D O’Neill, D McNamara; N McMahon, D Reidy, A McGrath; M McInerney, G Cooney (Capt), P Talty. 

Subs: I Uguweru for McMahon (39), D Walsh for Talty (48), T Connellan for McGrath (54), E Courtney for McCarthy (59), C O’Halloran for Reidy (64).

KILMURRY IBRICKANE: David Sexton; J McCarthy, M Killeen, D Hickey; E Coughlan, C Morrissey, Darragh Sexton; D Walsh, A McCarthy; K Sexton, M O’Dwyer, A Shannon; M McMahon, D Callinan, E Bracken. 

Subs: M McCarthy for Callinan (39), C Brigdale for Coughlan (48), E Coughlan for Morrissey (51), Joe Campbell for Bracken (57).

Referee:  J Hickey (Cratloe)