St Joseph's go the extra mile to take Clare IHC honours

Tulla shattered as Davy Conroy inspires St Joseph's back to senior status at Cusack Park

FRANTIC FINAL: Tulla were heartbroken to lose successive Clare IHC deciders as St Joseph's took command at Cusack Park. Pic: Brendan Moran/SPORTSFILE

Clare IHC Final: St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield 0-23 Tulla 1-15 (AET) 

With 2023 shaping to be a landmark year for St Joseph’s as they mark 25 years since the SHC victory that ended a 40-year famine and kickstarted their greatest era, they’ll now mark the moment as a senior club after an epic intermediate final win after extra-time.

It may have taken a 64th-minute point from star man Davy Conroy to get them to extra-time, but once there St Joseph’s took flight with a dominant display that left Tulla shattered after a second successive final defeat.

After Tulla led by 0-7 to 0-6 at the break despite missing a penalty, and with David McInerney and Daragh Corry to the fore, they looked like taking control when Niall Bolton’s 44th-minute goal gave them a 1-8 to 0-9 lead. However, St Joseph’s never let the gap grow, with Conroy constantly pulling them back as matters ended 1-12 to 0-15 after 60 minutes.

It was always going to be St Josephs’ day when they hit extra-time running with points by Alan O’Neill, Donal O’Halloran and Jack Hannon — the first time more than two points had separated the sides.

Tulla did peg one back through Sean Withycombe before the break, but St Joseph’s never let up with substitutes Senan Crosby, Jarlath Colleran and Matthew Power landing key scores as they eased to a five-point victory.

Scorers for St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield: D Conroy (0-11, 7f), C Barron (0-2), D O’Halloran (0-2), T Hannon (0-2), M Power (0-2), A O’Neill (0-1), J Colleran (0-1), S Crosby (0-1), C Ruane (0-1).

Scorers for Tulla: S Wthycombe (0-7, 5f, 1 ‘65) N Bolton (1-1), D Corry (0-2), D McInerney (0-2), W Halpin (0-1), A Conheady (0-1), C Murphy (0-1).

St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield: P Madden; F Kelleher, D Nagle, B Clancy; A O’Neill, D McMahon, A Mungovan; B Guilfoyle, C Ruane; J §Hannon, D Conroy, T Hannon; D O’Shea, E Hanrahan, C Barron. Subs M Power for Hanrahan (41), E Talty for McMahon (47), E Thynne for Barron (6), D O’Halloran for J Hannon (6), J Colleran for Nagle (62), S Crosby for Ruane (71).

Tulla:  D Vaughan; K Conlon, P Lynch, L McInerney; S Torpey, T Leyden, F Kearney; D Withycombe, P Mulconroy; N Bolton, D McInerney, J O’Gorman; S Withycombe, D Corry, C Murphy. Subs D Meehan for D Withycombe (40), S Hunt for Torpey (51), W Halpin for Mulconroy (55), A Conheady for Murphy (56).

Referee: K Corry