Éire Óg claim Jack Daly Cup with third Clare SFC title in four years
CHAMPIONS: Éire Óg cemented a third Clare SFC crown in four years in front of 3,554 in Cusack Park, Ennis. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
There may have been a new Jack Daly Cup on offer but the recipients were more than familiar as Éire Óg cemented a third Clare SFC crown in four years in front of 3,554 in Cusack Park, Ennis.
The incessant drizzly conditions made for a war of attrition between the two most consistent finalists since the turn of the millennium but while Kilmurry Ibrickane are currently in transition, the Ennis side are a far more polished product as demonstrated by outscoring their West Clare opponents by 1-10 to 0-03 over the final three-quarters of the tie.
Their first score proved the most significant as while Kilmurry Ibrickane kicked the first three points with the aid of the breeze through Keelan Sexton (2) and Daryl Callinan, it would be wiped out by Gavin Cooney’s 12th minute goal.
The ‘Bricks might have snatched one themselves in their opening attack when Evan Cahill’s delivery across the square fell to midfield partner Diarmuid King at the back post, only for his shot to scrape the outside of the right post and wide.
Cooney would be far more clinical though after Mark McInerney intercepted at halfway and played an inch-perfect pass inside for the 2021 and ’22 captain to expertly place his effort to the right corner at 1-0 to 0-3.
Indeed, Cooney might have even doubled his bounty in the 24th minute when getting a back post flick to a Manus Doherty centre but this time the crossbar came to Kilmurry Ibrickane’s rescue.
While the ‘Bricks suffered a twenty minute barren patch including a Sexton ground shot that was repelled, Paul Madden’s side capitalized fully with the next three points through Darren O’Brien, Cooney and Colm Walsh O’Loghlen to hit the front for the first time.
Daryn Callinan and Walsh O’Loghlen did trade injury-time points but crucially Éire Óg protected their three point cushion by the break at 1-4 to 0-4.
Mark McInerney’s spectacular volley went off target on the restart while up the other end Evan Cahill’s superb drive was halted by Ike Ugwueru but in the scoreboard that three point margin was maintained until the two thirds mark thanks to scores for Walsh O’Loghlen and Callinan.
Daniel Walsh did lessen the deficit to two by the turn of the final quarter but that was as good as it got for the ‘Bricks who failed to score again for the remainder despite a few nervy moments.
Instead, Éire Óg incrementally put daylight between the sides by grabbing the last five points, sparked by a superb Gavin Cooney lineball inside the 20 meter line while man of the match Walsh O’Loghlen put two scores between the sides entering the final ten minutes at 1-7 to 0-6.
Darren O’Brien, Mark McInerney and substitute Philip Talty would all open their accounts with late scores to flesh out the final margin and bring the new Jack Daly Cup home to Ennis after finally joining Kilrush Shamrocks at the top of the Clare SFC roll of honour with a 21st title.
: G Cooney 1-2 (1sl); C Walsh O’Loghlen 0-4; D O’Neill (’45), D O’Brien, M McInerney (f), P Talty 0-1 each
: D Callinan (0-3, 1f); K Sexton (0-2, 1f); D Walsh (0-1)
S Daniels; M Doherty, A Fitzgerald, R Lanigan; C Russell, I Ugwueru, E O’Connor; D O’Neill, D McNamara; N McMahon, D O’Brien, O Cahill; M McInerney, G Cooney, C Walsh O’Loghlen
: G Murray for McMahon (24), D Ryan for O’Connor (ht, inj), L Pyne for O’Brien (52), P Talty for Walsh O’Loghlen (54), A McGrath for Cooney (61)
: D Sexton; C Morrissey, A Shannon, M Killeen; D Sexton, D Hickey, M McMahon; E Cahill, D King; S Hickey, D Walsh, J Moloney; K Sexton, D Callinan, D Coughlan
: C O’Dea for Coughlan (27, inj), A McCarthy for Moloney (ht), J Campbell for D. Hickey (32-34, BS), C Talty for Callinan (51), C Kearney for McMahon (52)
: F O’Brien (Broadford)
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