Clare SFC: Éire Óg off to winning start, St Joseph's edge Doonbeg

CLARE WRAP: Two-in-a-row champions Éire Óg laid down an early marker in their senior championship defence when scoring the most decisive win of the opening round that saw six games down for decision in the group stages of the 12-team competition. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Two-in-a-row champions Éire Óg laid down an early marker in their senior championship defence when scoring the most decisive win of the opening round that saw six games down for decision in the group stages of the 12-team competition.

The Ennis outfit, who in 2023 are bidding to become the first side since Kilrush Shamrocks in the 1970s to put three titles back-to-back, cruised to a 1-15 to 0-7 victory over Clondegad in their Group B clash Cusack Park on Saturday evening to serve notice that they’re the team to beat once more.

An impressive scoring return of 1-6 by Philip Talty saw the Townies home to an 11-point victory as they eased away from a Clondegad side that was on the back foot from the early stages, trailing by 0-7 to 0-2 at the break before the only goal of the game after 48 minutes decided matters.

In the other Group B clash a 61st-minute goal by Cian Mahony helped St Joseph’s Miltown edge a tight encounter against Doonbeg in Cooraclare on Friday evening as they eased to a 1-14 to 0-14 win.

Mahony was the star man for Miltown with 1-6 to his name, hitting 0-4 in the first half, as did Cormac Murray, when the back-to-back champions from 2018 and ’19 led by 0-10 to 0-8 at the break.

David Turbridy’s accuracy from frees and placed balls kept Doonbeg in touch throughout, only for Mahony’s smart finish finally decided matters in injury time.

Cusack Park was the venue for the most competitive game of the weekend when on Friday evening 2020 champions Kilmurry Ibrickane had a one-point victory over St Breckan’s on a 2-10 to 2-9 scoreline.

An 18th-minute goal from Liam Tierney helped St Breckan’s into a 1-5 to 0-6 interval lead, but the contest really exploded to life in the opening minutes of the second half as goals by Caoilfhionn O’Dea and Tierney’s second left matters resting at 2-5 to 1-6.

However, from there Kilmurry gradually took a grip on proceedings with Dermot Coughlan’s goal from a free in the 41st minute proving crucial during a scoring burst of 1-3 without reply that gave them a four-point cushion at the three-quarter stage, from where they held firm to win.

The second Group A game saw St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield come from behind in the last ten minutes to score a 1-11 to 0-12 win over 2022 semi-finalists Corofin. The all-important score was Oisín O’Donnell’s 21st-minute goal that gave Doora-Barefield a lead their doggedly defending down the stretch.

Last year’s defeated finalists were Ennistymon impressed when sending reigning intermediate champions Kildysart packing on a 2-10 to 0-9 scoreline in the first Group C game in Corofin on Friday evening.

A power-packed second-half display did for the North Clare as they cut loose after leading by 0-5 to 0-4 at the break. A 33rd-minute goal from Keelan Guyler put them four clear, while All-Star hurler David Fitzgerald marked his introduction with a 47th-minute that put them 2-8 to 0-5 clear and out of sight.

In the other game in Group C, a brilliant display of marksmanship by 2013 All-Ireland winning hurler Cathal McInerney propelled Cratloe to a 0-12 to 1-7 win over Lissycasey in Clarecastle on Saturday afternoon.

A 29th-minute goal from Shane Griffin helped Lissycasey into a 1-4 to 0-6 lead but on the turnover, Cratloe recovered strongly from this sucker punch with McInerney’s five-point haul, after Liam Markham had opened their account, proving crucial.