This article is from page 44 of the 2008-08-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 44 JPG
MAYBE Shannon, in a club cham- pionship gone wrong weather-wise, could be the spark for St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield to roll back the years to when they were the most feared club in the land.
Remember when they were kings in °99 — county, Munster and All-Ire- land champions, but when those titles would have counted for little had they failed to finally exorcise their Clare- castle demons in championship.
It finally happened in Shannon, a semi-final showdown moved from Cusack Park because of the inclem- ent weather. So it was that this fixture fell in Cusack Park and was trans- ferred to Shannon.
So it was that St Joseph’s produced their best display in three years. With seven survivors from their storied championship years from 1998 to ’O1 still manning gaps all over the field they blitzed a Sixmilebridge team re- duced to bagging a consolation goal two minutes from time.
But that’s not to suggest that this St Joseph’s is an ageing team digging out one final kick at the big time — at the kernel of this their impressive seven-point win was the fusion of old and new.
The work of the last few years in getting the blend right seems to be clicking into place. St Joseph’s have finally emerged from a three-year championship slump with their new team, built on familiar foundations, but with enough young blood to give enthusiasm and no little adventure.
Cue their first half display in this one when they ran a ragged Sixmi- lebridge off the park and into their dressing room at half-time trailing by 1-11 to O-7. Double scores and St Joseph’s were full value for eve- ry point of that lead as they left the ‘Bridge floundering in their wake.
It was champagne hurling at times, with intensity and hunger for the sli- otar and scores that following over- whelming a Sixmilebridge side that only offered some token resistance through Caimin Morey up front.
St Joseph’s had big performers eve- rywhere — David Hoey sniping pos- Session in the half-back line; Ken Kennedy beside him keeping Niall Gilligan very quiet; Marty O’Regan having his best championship game ever in the corner; Greg Lyons’ in- dustry in the middle; Seanie McMa- hon’s impressive championship debut as a forward; Michael McNamara’s haul of scores.
Of course a 1-1 inside three min- utes was the perfect launching pad. Darragh O’Driscoll fired over the Opening point, while the goal came after David Fitzgerald could only bat a 60-yard sideline cut from Conor
Hassett into the path of Michael Mc- Namara who flashed to the net from ATE TECK
St Joseph’s never really looked back and though Sixmilebridge responded with two Niall Gilligan points, it was “The Parish’ who really caught the eye as they chased after the two points with a real sense of purpose.
Conor Hassett knocked over a cou-
ple of long range frees for fun while Michael McNamara had the facility to pop up anywhere and then more importantly pop over the points. Mc- Namara put St Joseph’s 1-4 to O-2 in front by the 13th minute and there was much more to come.
Caimin Morey did reduce the gap to three points by the 15th minute as a clear pattern began to emerge.
Whenever the “Bridge looked like edging towards parity, St Joseph’s just moved through the gears at will and eased away towards half-time. David Hoey and Seanie McMahon stepped up with inspirational scores by the 20th minute, while a two-point scoring burst from Greg Lyons in the closing minutes of the half again showcased St Josephs’ hunger.
The “Bridge were just hanging in there thanks to points from Derek Fahy, Niall Gilligan and Caimin Mo- rey in the closing ten minutes of the half, but even at that the last act was played out by the hardworking Dam- ian Kennedy when he got his name on the scoresheet in the final few seconds.
There never looked like being a way back for Sixmilebridge, albeit that they had the wind advantage to come. St Joseph’s had the hunger again though and points by Michael McNamara and Conor Hassett post- ed their early intentions.
A tally of 1-4 in the second half was never going to be enough for the “Bridge, especially against a St Joseph’s team that were rampant at times. There was the individual bril- liance of Greg Lyons’ scores, and the teamwork behind Michael McNama- ieee
Teamwork and individual brilliance are potent forces that could carry St Joseph’s a long way in 2008.