Éire Óg Ennis manager reflects on 'the most physical game of hurling I've ever seen in all my life'

His side edged past Loughmore-Castleiney in an extra-time thriller.

SAVAGE: Eire Og Manager Gerry O'Connor and Loughmore-Castleiney Manager Eamonn Kelly shake hands at the final whistle. Pic: ©INPHO/Natasha Barton.

Gerry O’Connor hailed “the most physical game of hurling I've ever seen in all my life” after Éire Óg Ennis outlasted Loughmore-Castleiney in an extra-time nailbiter.

The Clare champions lived on their nerves throughout normal time, with Danny Russell drilling a last-gasp free into the wind from the sideline to force the extra 20 minutes.

“I'll tell you, that was the most difficult free he's probably ever taken. But if there was any man on this earth that you'd want taking a free for you with time almost up, it's Danny Russell,” said O’Connor.

“He has been an incredible leader for us all year, and we were in no doubt that he was going to score.

“Danny is one of many that were on song. We had to be really at the top of our game to compete in a game like that. The final result definitely didn't do any justice at all to the challenge that Loughmore brought.

“It was an incredible arm wrestle, and the most physical game of hurling I've ever seen in all my life. It was just savage.

“We knew exactly what Loughmore were going to do. They were going to launch long puck-outs down on top of our defence all day. It's very difficult to plan for that, because they're so good. They have a very simple tactic, but it's very effective.

“Their primary target is to win breaking ball, so we had to match them for that, and we did.” O’Connor heaped praise upon his defence for holding Loughmore to 1-16 across 80 minutes of hurling.

“They were awesome. There's no other word for it. They were absolutely incredible. Like young Robert Loftus, for an 18-year-old, just after finishing his Leaving Cert.

“The amount of performances. Ciarán Russell and Aaron Fitz(gerald), who've been around this club for a long, long time. These lads are well into their 30s. We're just thrilled to be across the line.” Half their starting team will be back in action on Sunday, aiming to make a second Munster final when they take on St Finbarr’s.

“Next Tuesday night, we'll have the 20 hurlers and the 12 footballers will go back to the footballers and they'll train with the footballers. That's the way we do it,” said O’Connor.

“We've been very lucky that both management teams on the football and the hurling front are logical men, and we're GAA men, and we're Éire Óg men, and we communicate as often as we possibly and humanly can.

“There's a lot of tired bodies in there, and we're very conscious that they have to go again next Sunday.” They’ll have to bring all that fight and fire again for the challenge of Ballygunner in a fortnight’s time.

“Bring them on,” said O’Connor. “We'll absolutely relish the prospect of playing and representing Clare in the Munster final.”