This article is from page 68 of the 2011-10-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 68 JPG
TO say that St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield have navigated under the radar to reach a county final is putting it mildly, but their cover was well and truly blown by this command performance.
Underdogs beforehand they swept to a comprehensive victory that some afficionados in maroon could scarcely believe – those on the outside that is, because within the lair of the team they felt it coming as selector Kieran Kelleher explained afterwards.
“Even after losing the first two games in the championship there was ambition in this team,” he revealed seconds after their six-point win. “Before the Shannon Gaels game we had a challenge against Monaleen and the lads played well on that day and seemed to get more focused and get more of a drive in them.
“We knuckled down against Shan- non Gaels and got a good win. The lads have worked hard over the last month – they are a great bunch of lads and the just rewards are here today. We told them there was no point coming into a semi-final and not playing well. We had to go the whole way,” he added.
They were listening, especially Alan O’Neill, whose addition to the team in recent games has been one of the catalysts for a football uprising in The Parish not seen since the Doora Rapparees marked the cententary of the 1798 Rebellion by beating the storied Ennis Dals in the final.
“Alan came into us late, the fact that he’s involved in hurling and football in the parish and with the county, we didn’t want to bring him in too early. He came in very fresh and he has been a real driving force for us,” revealed Kelleher.
“The two goals were top class. He carried the ball 80 yards for that goal – the determination in him was something his father used to do, to inspired those around him and drag people into the game. It showed that if we ran at them we could open them up. The second goal was huge too because it came at a time when we were making a few mistakes and needed it to get over the line.
“It’s great to be there. We haven’t looked at Kilmurry yet but record is second to none. What they’ve achieved over the last few years is remarkable. Apart from winning seniors, a Munster club and contesting an All-Ireland they were going for six-in-a-row in under 21 a few years back.”
Who stopped them? St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield of course.