Feakle end 36-year wait for Clare crown with performance of control and conviction
MOMENTOUS DAY: Feakle celebrate winning the Clare SHC final against Sixmilebridge. Picture: ©INPHO/Natasha Barton
At the full-time whistle, a multitude of Feakle players fell to their knees on the Cusack Park pitch, partly in disbelief but mostly out of pure relief that they had finally ended a 36-year wait to win a first Clare title.
The wait and longing had been so painful that the final whistle almost felt anticlimactic. The outcome was inevitable with 20 minutes remaining. It wasn’t supposed to be this straightforward but Feakle made sure that nothing was going to interfere with their destiny.
Everything about this performance was loaded with control and conviction, with the sassiness and slickness of their play fully complemented by the faith and trust in their gameplan. This could have been a rout. It would have been only for four excellent saves from Sixmilebridge’s brilliant goalkeeper Derek Fahy.
Feakle were more efficient and economical, with their conversion rate of 64% in stark contrast to the ‘Bridge’s 41%. Sixmilebridge had one more shot (29-28) but Feakle bossed the tone and tempo of the match from the first whistle, especially the physical and tactical battles.
It was even more satisfying again that Feakle could dominate with their best player, Shane McGrath – who had lit up the championship – failing to score from play. Yet McGrath was still hugely effective, having direct assists for 0-5, which neatly showcased how Feakle were sharing the load and always dictating the terms and conditions.
Sixmilebridge were a pale shadow of the side that had performed so impressively against Clonlara and Inagh-Kilnamona in their previous two matches but much of that was down to how Feakle kept hounding and hustling them out of their stride. That was really evident in the first half when six of Feakle’s ten scores were sourced off turnovers.
Feakle were always playing the game on their terms. They came into the match as underdogs largely because they were so new to this stage and because the ‘Bridge were so accustomed to it. Yet the east Clare side were calm, focussed and full of energy from the outset. They could have had a goal straight off the throw-in, before creating another chance nine minutes later, but Fahy made two fine saves.
Long Feakle deliveries were causing chaos early on, especially with the presence of Martin Daly close to goal, but most of Feakle’s authority in the first half came from the intelligence and slickness of their build-up play.
They restricted Sixmilebridge to just four shots in the opening quarter and led by 0-6 to 0-2 at the end of that period. Feakle were ahead by 0-8 to 0-4 when they had an opportunity to put even more daylight between the sides after Oisin O’Connor was hauled down for a penalty, but McGrath’s strike was brilliantly saved by Fahy.
Successive points from David Kennedy and Alex Morey suddenly had the deficit back to two. Feakle had gone 11 minutes without a score but there was no sense of panic, with quickfire points from Packie Daly and Stevie Conway shoving the margin back out to four again at the break, 0-10 to 0-6.
McGrath and Morey exchanged frees inside the opening two minutes of the half, before Feakle drove on with an unanswered 1-2, with the goal from substitute Owen McGann in the 42nd minute putting Feakle into an unassailable lead, 1-13 to 0-7.
Feakle had a grip on possession, but they did most of their damage in the third quarter off their own puckout, sourcing 1-2 off Eibhear Quilligan’s restarts in that period. The ‘Bridge attack just couldn’t get their hands on the ball as Feakle continued to feast on turnovers, with the superb Conn Smyth and Ronan O’Connor erecting a wall of defiance and resistance across the Feakle half-back line. Sixmilebridge’s Brian Corry was outstanding in the first half when scoring 0-1 and assisting two more points but he was restricted to just one possession in that third quarter.
Feakle did naturally back off after the goal and, while the ‘Bridge responded with the next four points from Corry, Morey, Shane Golden and Jamie Shanahan, they were chasing a runaway train by then. The ‘Bridge only managed 0-7 from play and, while Quilligan made an excellent save from Seadna Morey in the 57th minute, it was desperation stuff from the ‘Bridge by that stage. Feakle almost took umbrage at that goal attempt by replying with another pointed free from McGrath off that turnover.
By that stage, the countdown was firmly on as Feakle prepared to stroll into a total state of nirvana.
“Enough of this talking,” said the outstanding Oisin Donnellan at the end of his acceptance speech, “36 years is a long time to wait. We’ll have one hell of a party.” Fact.
S McGrath (0-8, 7fs, ’65), O McGann (1-0), S Conway, E Tuohy, O Donnellan (0-2 each), K Bane, M Daly, P Daly (0-1 each).
A Morey (0-5 frees), B Corry, S Golden (0-2 each), D Kennedy, B Carey, J Shanahan, L Fitzpatrick (0-1 each).
E Quilligan; O Clune, A Hogan, E Daly; K Bane, C Smyth, E Tuohy; E Noonan, R O’Connor; O Donnellan, S McGrath, S Conway; P Daly, M Daly, O O’Connor.
O McGann for O O’Connor (38), R Bane for P Daly (47), E Madden for Noonan (55), F Donnellan for M Daly (59).
D Fahy, C Flynn, B Fitzpatrick, N Purcell; C Deasy, S Morey, P Fitzpatrick; J Loughnane, M O’Halloran; L Fitzpatrick, J Shanahan, S Golden; B Corry, A Morey, D Kennedy.
C Morey for C Deasy (25), B Carey for Loughnane (38), A Mulready for Kennedy (38), F O Braoin for A Morey (60), L Kelly for Purcell (62).
J Mullins (Clonlara)
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