Month: October 2011

Categories
News

Kind words for all as judge seeks forgiveness

IN HIS FINAL speech on the bench at Ennis District Court, Judge Joseph Mangan asked for forgiveness of anyone he wronged or anyone who suffered as a result of his actions over the years.

After telling listeners twice that he was overwhelmed by the tributes, he said that he was seeking “forgiveness to anyone I may have wronged or anyone who suffered through any mistake I made during my time on the bench. I appreciate that forgiveness might not be readily forthcoming but that’s not to stop me seeking it”.

“I’m overwhelmed by these plaudits. I’m at a loss to know what I’ve done to deserve them,” he said, as he prepared to bid farewell to a career as District Court Judge.

The career spanned almost 30 years; 17 and a half of which were spent travelling around the country, before he was appointed to his native Clare in 2001.

During that time, he came across people from all walks of life and, in his farewell speech, he didn’t forget any of those. From court clerks, to gardaí, to prison service staff, to the caretakers of Ennis Courthouse to solicitors, to probation service staff, to traffic wardens, to the media – there were words for everyone.

He had a particular word of praise for retired caretaker of Ennis Court- house, Ned Monahan, and said he was “particularly pleased” to see Ned in attendance in the packed courtroom. He also had high praise for Ned’s successor, Seamus Mullane, who is the current caretaker.

He said he had “nothing but the best of memories” of gardaí who served in the Clare district and paid special tribute to those who prosecuted courts in front of him. “You never see an inspector at a photo call but when things go wrong they are the ones who get the flak,” he said.

He said that the State Solicitor for Clare, Martin Linnane, adopted a “passionate and common sense way” in dealing with prosecutions, “never seeking a pound of flesh”. He said that solicitors in Clare have adopted a “standard of advocacy that is second to none in this country”. He said he was particularly flattered that eight judges turned up to wish him well and said that recently retired Judge Michael Patwell had been a huge support to him over the years.

In reference to Judge Eamon O’Brien, who has sat at Ennis Court on occasions in recent years, Judge Mangan said, “You could be seeing more of Eamon in the future. I don’t know what the odds are but I think they are better than Dana!”

He said that the Clare District was unique in that there have only ever been four judges appointed – Judges Dermot Gleeson, Gordon Hurley, Al O’Dea and himself.

He described the court clerks as the “unsung heroes” of this court, who, “do all the donkey work” and like garda inspectors rarely appear in front of the cameras but pick up the pieces when things go wrong. He paid tribute to his wife Susan and four children for their support over the years.

Thanking all who attended for the occasion, he stood up for the last time at 4.05pm on Friday. Showing emotion and trembling and with a pile of retirement cards in his hand, he rose for the last time and walked quietly to the judge’s chambers. It was the end of a memorable career on the bench.

Categories
News

‘A reputation bordering on legendar y’

RETIRED Judge Joseph Mangan’s reputation is “bordering on the legendary”, is a “rare intellect”, with a “mind like an encyclopedia”.

As warm tributes were paid to the District Court Judge, who sat in court in Ennis for the last time on Friday, his love of literature, general knowledge, foreign languages and Gaelic games were remembered.

The 66-year-old, who is from Kilmihil, announced on Thursday that he was going to retire the following day, after a 27-year career as a judge. Despite the short notice, colleagues from across the country travelled to Ennis Courthouse for his farewell on Friday afternoon.

The judge, who was appointed to the bench in 1983, has been the presiding judge in Clare since July 2001. During that time, he has sat at Ennis District Court, along with the courts across the county and in Gort, Athenry and Kinvara in Galway. He was one of the country’s longest-serving judges.

Among those in attendance included eight judges, many of who had worked closely with Judge Mangan over the years. They were Judges Tom O’Donnell, Gerard Haughton, Aeneas McCarthy, Gerard Furlong, David Riordan, Michael Patwell (retired), Eamon O’Brien and Tim Lucey.

Judge O’Donnell, who sat in Limerick for several years prior to his appointment as Circuit Judge earlier this year, referred to Judge Mangan as a “wonderful colleague and good friend”. He recalled how when he was appointed a judge, “he marked my card and told me what to do and how to behave”.

“His reputation is bordering on the legendary,” said Judge O’Donnell.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy, who sits in Ennis District Court on occasions, said Judge Mangan is “certainly a rare intellect” with a wide variety of knowledge. He said he always has a “constructive contribution to make”. “He is extremely interesting to have a pint with and is great company,” he said.

Judge Michael Patwell recalled looking at Judge Mangan “with fear and trepidation” when he was practising as a solicitor, but that he later became his “unofficial mentor” when he was appointed a judge in 1990.

He said that Judge Mangan has a “mind like an encyclopedia” and quipped that if anyone is ever on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, the ideal friend to phone is Joseph Mangan.

“It’s amazing what the man knows and the languages he can try his hand at,” he said.

County Registrar Pat Wallace told the judge that his day in the sunset has come and said, “You always maintained your independence and free spirit”.

Solicitor Brian McMahon, on behalf of the legal profession, said he was always treated with the “utmost courtesy” by the judge. “Being a judge now in the District Court is very trying and testing. You have handled all of that without fear or favour,” he said.

State Solicitor for Clare, Martin Linnane, noted that the judge was strict in his application of the 42-day rule for completion of Books of Evidence, adding, “I thought you could have at least given us 42 days’ notice!”

“You have shown great patience to many solicitors who go on at length,” he told the judge.

Chief Superintendent John Kerin said the role of the District Court Judge is “complex and difficult” and said that in the face of an increasing workload, the judge treated everyone fairly, “regardless of their standing or background in society”.

Owen Ryan of the Probation Service in Clare and Bill Hamill of the HSE, also paid tribute to the judge, as did the President of the Clare Law Association, Mairead Doyle and Brendan McDonald of the Courts Service.

Mr McDonald said that Judge Mangan had “seen more change than any judge in the country”.

Chief Court Clerk in Ennis, Josephine Tone said she and her staff would be sorry to see the judge retire.

“He never let himself be compromised or influenced. He was always impartial and fair. He had a social con- science, showed sensitivity and was caring for those with addictions or on the margins of society,” she said. He said that the judge always thought long and hard before distributing the proceeds of the court poor box to various organisations every year “for the betterment of the people of Clare”.

“He was always available for courts at any hour of the day or night,” she said. Ms Tone also paid tribute to his wife Susan who she said was always “pleasant and hospitable” to court clerks who called to the house in the course of their work.

Categories
News

Town council reveals flood defence plans for Ennis

DETAILS of proposed new flood defences for housing estates near the Watery Road in Ennis have been outlined in a report by Ennis Town Council.

The proposed development comprises of an embankment along the eastern side of the River Fergus between the southwestern edge of Willow Park housing estate and the western perimeter of Westbourne. The embankment is to be constructed on the existing flood plain, which is located between the river and the Watery Road.

The works also comprise a pumping station and an area of ground that will be excavated to form a retention pond for temporary floodwaters.

The Willow Park residents association (2) and David Casey made submissions on the proposed development.

The report states, “David Casey (12/8/11) – raises concerns that the proposed development will result in flood waters been directed to Cusack Road / Victoria Court side of the river and that as such the said development should be refused; Willow Park residents association (9/9/11) – wishes to object to the proposed development on the grounds that it will leave Willow Park vulnerable to increased water levels during flood events.”

The planning report, prepared by Executive Planner, Andrew Hersey, responded to concerns raised by residents of Willow Park and Elm Park that the development will result in an increased chance of flooding to the estates. Referring to reports compiled by area engineers, Mr Hersey writes, “It is stated in these reports that the floor levels of dwellings in Willow Park exceed that of the proposed embankment.”

The report continues, “In this respect the proposed development will not result in an increased chance that this estate will flood during severe weather events. With respect of Elm Park, I note the report from the area engineer on file which states that flooding occurred to Elm Park as a consequence of localised flooding from the road which resulted as a consequence of a blocked storm drain specifically during the flooding event of November 2009 and not as a result of flooding from the river. Works will be carried out on said drain so that this will not happen in the future and that the council are seeking funding with regard to the same.”

The report states that the proposed embankment will be on par with the level of dwellings in Elm Park. “In this case the embankment would have to significantly breach during severe weather conditions so as to cause flooding.”

Mr Hersey recommended that the development proceed having regard to a number of conditions.

Categories
News

O’Gorman Mahon letters reveal life of Ennis born political figure

THE exploits of an Ennis man who was considered to be one of the most flamboyant figures of 19th century politics are set to be exposed to the present and future generations thanks to the University of Chicago.

In what is considered to be boon to historians of 19th century Ireland, the library at the university is now giving free on-line access to thousands of documents relating to Charles James Patrick Mahon – better known as The O’Gorman Mahon, who hailed from Newpark House in Roslevan.

The O’Gorman Mahon, who lived from 1800 to 1891 was a key figure in Ireland and internationally, first coming to prominence when, along with Tom Steele, nominating Daniel O’Connell to stand for parliament in Ennis in 1828 – an election that paved the way for Catholic Emancipation the following year.

Some of Mahon’s numerous correspondents include: Ellen Courtenay, Daniel O’Connell, Ferdinand de Lesseps, Lord Palmerston, Ann Choquet, John Adams-Acton, Henry Cardinal Manning, Captain William O’Shea, Lord Francis Conyngham, Charles Stewart Parnell, William Gladstone, John Redmond, James O’Kelly, T.P. O’Connor, and G.O. Trevelyan.

“Perhaps the most noteworthy segment of the correspondence is the group of nine letters from Charles Stewart Parnell, dated from 1880 to 1888, including three written from Kilmainham Prison,” a spokesperson for Chicago University has revealed.

“In addition, there are three drafts of letters from Mahon to Parnell, including one of a reply to a telegram sent by Parnell. It was written after the O’Shea divorce proceedings had been completed and Parnell was attempting to reassert his authority in the party,” the spokesperson added.

Mahon was elected M.P. for Clare in 1830, while 49 years later he was also returned as an M.P. and again in 1885 as the parliamentary career in the county spanned nearly 60 years.

However, he earned a worldwide reputation as a career solider. The Czar of Russia appointed him lieutenant in his international bodyguard, a position above many of his generals. He held the rank of captain or general under most of the flags of Europe and colonel in the French army under Napoleon III. In the 1860s, he was a general on the side of the Uruguayan government in their civil war and fought in the American civil war on the side of the North.

Categories
News

Crime concerns in Shannon

CONCERNS over burglaries and the theft of scrap metal and home heating oil will be on the agenda when the Joint Policing Committee meets in Shannon later this month.

One of the JPC meetings is held in public every year and the next Shannon meeting, on Monday, October 24 (Oakwood Arms Hotel), at 8pm, is open to the public.

Those with queries on crime prevention and general policing are invited to attend the meeting and submit any questions in advance of the event. It will give members of the public the chance to make their views known or ask questions of members of the committee which includes gardaí, local councillors and community representatives.

The chairman of the Shannon JPC, Councillor Tony McMahon, said that home security is an issue for homeowners in the town. However, he said that overall, residents are generally happy with the crime levels in the town.

“In Shannon, we don’t have a whole lot of issues. Security has been a concern. There have been a number of break-ins. There are concerns in some areas. Heating oil and scrap metal seem to be the focus of a lot of attention. People need to be alert and aware of that. Overall, though, policing is working quite well in Shannon.

“There is always a concern about drugs but when we look at the figures presented at each meeting the gardaí seem to be in control,” said Mr McMahon.

“Public order is not a huge factor,” he added.

He said that a number of local disputes, which have led to concern in some parts of the town “wouldn’t reflect on the overall situation in the town”.

“In general, the crime levels are as good as can be expected in a town of its population,” he said.

“We would like to see more gardaí on the beat but there are a number of gardaí on bikes which is good,” he added.

A number of local schools including community alert, neighbourhood watch and business watch schemes have been set up in Shannon and surrounding areas over the past few years. These have been credited with preventing some crime in the area.

“They seem to be working very well. The two community gardaí there are to be commended,” said Mr McMahon.

He is urging people to attend the public meeting. “It is essential that people attend public meetings. It’s a forum giving people the opportunity to express their concerns,” he said.

Those interested in submitting queries should do so to the Shannon Town Clerk Liam O’Connor: email shannontclerk@eircom.net or phone 061 362319 by 5pm on Friday.

Categories
Sport

Breakthrough brings delight

THE old ‘if you enlist, you must drill’ quote sprang to mind on Sunday as Clondegad manager Dermot Coughlan was placed in the unenviable position of having to face his native side in the intermediate final. On any other day, he would have been roaring on Kilmurry Ibrickane but after four years in charge of Clondegad that had seen the club come so close, no more so than last year’s final defeat to St Breckan’s, Coughlan had to prioritise head over heart to get his side over the line.

“To be honest we are delighted. There were a lot of near misses down through the years and I suppose you wonder is your day ever going to come. I knew playing Kilmurry Ibrickane, my own club, that they had experience and they knew how to win. I knew it would go down to the wire and I said during the week that whoever got the breaks on the day would take it and I suppose we got the breaks today and maybe that was the difference in the end.

“The thing about is that we were creating. Against St Breckan’s last year, we didn’t create and I felt that today we were creating enough chances but never putting them away. But you always feel that some of those chances would eventually go your way and it duly did when Tony Kelly got onto the end of the move to stick it in the back of the net and give the breathing space to bring us home.”

They needed all that breathing space against an obstinate Kilmurry Ibrickane second string that never said die over the hour and who better than Coughlan to sum up the spirit of his own club.

“You don’t win two Munster clubs, six Under 21’s, four minor and five county senior championships in the last nine or ten years by giving in and they brought that philosophy onto the field today. You could see the five or six very experienced players they had. But look it, a two point lead or a 12 point lead for us made no difference because they [Kilmurry Ibrickane] were always going to fight it out to the finish.”

However, Coughlan’s highly emotional week was not just confided to football matters.

“I have to say on a personal note, it was a tough week. I lost a fatherin-law, a good friend of mine, Tom Mc [Namara] so I was delighted we could do it today down in his home club. It was an emotional week I suppose and I’m just delighted it worked out for us in the finish.”

So after making the breakthrough, what will senior football hold for Clondegad according to their manager.

“I always said it is harder to come up out of intermediate than it is to survive at senior. Any team that has gone down have never gone straight back up. Some have taken seven or eight years so if it was that easy, why aren’t the senior teams going straight back up?

“It’s a dogfight down there and you probably have a bit more breathing space and play with a bit more freedom in your football at senior.”

With the shackles of intermediate football finally broken off, Clondegad and Coughlan will relish the prospect of pitting their wits against the very best in Clare for 2012.

Categories
Sport

An end to the nightmare

CLONDEGAD captain Gary Brennan summed it up best in his speech by stating that he had to take a second look at the cup to make sure it wasn’t all a dream. It wasn’t a dream, it was finally reality for Clondegad after the nightmare of recent finals and for Brennan, it was difficult to put his feelings into words.

“It’s hard to to be honest because it hasn’t really sunk in yet. I’m just absolutely delighted. We’ve put a lot of work into it and I suppose it’s relief more than anything because we really felt we had a chance and if we had been beaten today, I suppose it would have been really hard to come back again. So I suppose we are relieved but also absolutely delighted.”

Relief because they never really put Kilmurry Ibrickane away at any stage despite holding the larger share of possession and chances.

“I wouldn’t say we were nervous coming into the game. We felt quite calm and confident, and not over confident at the same time, but look games go that way. Kilmurry are a fantastic club with a great pedigree and a lot of those players have won county championships and Munster championships so they don’t give up easy and were never going to give in.

“We were coming under severe pressure but the goal just pushed us ahead again and made it that bit harder for them to come back.”

And with Brennan leading a very young squad into top flight action next year, did he feel that this maturing crop could blossom at senior level?

“We won’t worry about blossoming yet,” he says with a smile, “we will worry about surviving to start with and we’ll see where we go from there. But look, there is great work going on in the club, a lot of good young players coming through and hopefully we can start building ourselves as a senior club but it will be all about survival to start with.”

Categories
Sport

Clondegad finally land Talty Cup

Clondegad 1-10 – Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-09 at Cooraclare

THE DREAMS of generations of Clondegad followers were finally realised on Sunday as the intermediate side’s long held tussle for the Talty Cup was surmounted. The victory bridged a 67-year gap to the last Clondegad side led by Flan McCarthy to secure the crown but really it is only in recent seasons that their love-hate relationship with the trophy really ignited. Final defeats in 2004, ’06 and last year’s loss to St Breckan’s left them wondering if they would ever reached the promised land of senior football but through sheer persistence and determination, they eventually got over the line.

And that’s essentially what was needed on a day when the pressure piled upon their shoulders certainly had an effect as they led from start to finish without ever putting away their opponents. However, getting over the line by whatever means possible was Clondegad’s only concern and in that regard, Tony Kelly’s 46th minute goal must go down as one of the most important in the club’s history.

Of course, Kilmurry Ibrickane being the ferocious competitiors they are pushed them all the way and never made it a comfortable journey for the champions elect. And if Tony Kelly hadn’t finally converted that goal, one wonders how this game would have actually turned out. Kilmurry Ibrickane knew that if the game was still in the melting pot in the final quarter, they had the experience to cause an upset and they certainly lived up to that reputation as Kelly’s goal was sandwiched by five Kilmurry points that left supporters chewing their nails right up to the final whistle.

Clondegad deserved their victory however as they were by far the more creative side over the hour, even if they were hampered in their progress by 12 wides and three missed goal opportunities.

Kilmurry Ibrickane were fully aware of the scoring prowess of Gary Brennan, Padraig McMahon, Brian Carrigg and Tony Kelly and so counteracted that by playing Thomas Lernihan as a sweeper, just as they had done to great effect in the second half of the semi-final against O’Curry’s when facing into a gale.

The gale was all on the playing side in the opening ten minutes as Clondegad hit the ground running with all four aforementioned attacking protagonists heavily involved. Tony Kelly picked out Gary Brennan for the opening score inside the first minute, the county senior doubled that advantage a minute later following a foul on McMahon while further scores for McMahon, Carrigg and Kelly opened up a 0-5 to 0-1 lead by the tenth minute.

The game appeared to be getting away from Kilmurry Ibrickane but they duly packed the defence and with chief marksmen Odran O’Dwyer and Adrian Murrihy often the only forwards in the Clondegad half, they finally got a footing in the game. Points from O’Dwyer and Murrihy closed the gap to two by the turn of the opening quarter while frustrating Clondegad at the other end when pressuring them into five successive wides.

Clondegad did finally emerge from that malaise to pick off scores from McMahon and Gary Brennan but by half’s end, another Murrihy score left only a goal between the sides at 0-7 to 0-4.

Again Clondegad flew out of the blocks on the restart, led by the inspirational Kieran Browne, without ever wrestling clear of a stubborn Kilmurry side. Gary Brennan did knock over a free in the 33rd minute but two further wides along with three missed chances in front of goal ensured that they would not ease clear. Shane Brennan put Padraig McMahon through on goal only to be smothered by the brave goalkeeping of David Talty who had to succumb to a head injury and be replaced by Darren Sexton.

If Clondegad thought that the replacement goalkeeper would weaken Kilmurry’s resolve, they were to be sorely mistaken as Sexton produced an even better stop to somehow deny Tony Kelly, only three minutes after his introduction. So when Shane Brennan’s goalbound shot was blocked by Thomas Greene in the 40th minute, Clondegad must have wondered what they had to do to get a goal.

They did finally break their nine minute scoring deadlock with another Gary Brennan free but Kilmurry Ibrickane took inspiration from their dogged defending and brought the lead back to three through the unerring accuracy of Odran O’Dwyer who rattled off two points within a minute by the turn of the final quarter.

Kilmurry began to believe once more which made Tony Kelly’s goal a minute later all the more significant after good work from Gearoid

Categories
Sport

Johnnie come lately for Kilmurry

MANAGER Patrick Murrihy was speechless at the end of it all, words failing him after the tumult of the final minutes when his charges looked to be staring defeat in the face only for Johnnie Daly to save the day with a brilliant point.

It was no wonder – he was as breathless as his players, still gathering himself in the minutes after the game as he deferred to trainer/coach John Kennedy.

“It wasn’t anything less than we ex- pected. We knew that Cratloe were a serious team and they proved that,” said Kennedy. “When we were five or six points up we could have kicked on and we didn’t. Cratloe never give up and it was very close.

“Football can be cruel and it went to the wire right a the end. It was a real intense game and scores were very hard to come by.

“No better man to get a chance at the end than Johnnie Daly who had just come on and kicked a great point. An old head and experience is what was needed at that stage and he did it and it was a score worthy of winning the game,” he added.

It was enough to book Daly’s sixth county final day out and Kilmur ry’s third in four years, but already Kennedy was looking for more.

“We have a lot of work to do with our forwards because we didn’t turn out superiority into scores,” he said. “The aim at the start of the year was to get to a county final and we’re there.

“You couldn’t be happy with the display of our forwards today. We showed well for the ball and won a lot of good possession but we didn’t translate it. We could have been comfortable with ten minutes to go if we had transferred it into scores but we didn’t.

“We’ll be favourites because Kilmurry are favourites going into most games. You have to take that. They have great experience and we’ll be hoping that we can bring home the Jack Daly,” he added.

Categories
Sport

Kilmurry survive Cratloe onslaught

Kilmurry Ibrickane 1-7 – Cratloe 0-9 at Lissycasey

FOR a few fleeting minutes this had all the appearances of a changing of the guard. Out of the west, into the east, seismic shift and all that.

The young turks from Cratloe had hit five unanswered points to draw level by the 55th minute – they could smell something special.

The old dogs from the barony of Ibrickane were creaking as Cratloe had them on the run, more than that they had the legs on them and looked primed to close in on their biggest scalp in senior football since beating Ennis Thomas Davis at the same stage of the championship way back in 1887.

With Liam Markham and Martin ‘Ogie’ Murphy thundering forward from the half-back line, the Collins brothers humming and deadeye Cathal McInerney up front, the stage was set.

Everyone in Lissycasey could feel it, but it never happened because in the gap of danger and with perhaps the end of Kilmurry’s greatest ever era at hand, like the true champions they are, they bounced off the ropes to land the knockout blow through Johnnie Daly two and half minutes from time.

It was gripping stuff. Kilmurry had bossed this game for 40 minutes and had enough possession to kill the game early in the second half, but Cratloe’s derring-go, fitness and football helped tee up a titanic battle that has set the standard for this year’s championship.

And, it was Kilmurry who raised the bar highest in an impressive opening when they raced into a 1-3 to 0-1 lead after 15 minutes. With Noel Downes and Michael O’Dwyer revelling in the space of a two-man full-forward line, Enda Coughlan retreated to the third midfielder’s role he played so effectively in those two epic county finals against Éire Óg in 2004.

It worked with Downes opening the scoring on three minutes, while five minutes later a long ball from Coughlan miss-judged by Barry Duggan was brilliantly flicked by Downes into O’Dwyer who slammed to the net beyond Jamie Joyce.

It was vintage Kilmurry – they were tight at the back, 30-somethings Peter O’Dwyer and Paul O’Connor were shading the midfield war against Brendan Bugler and Conor Ryan and the forwards were dangerous in front of goal.

Cratloe, meanwhile, were ponderous in their approach and if anything suffering from stage fright in the club’s first county semi-final in 124 years.

When Kilmurry followed up O’Dwyer’s goal with an Ian McInerney free and a brilliant Enda Coughlan point on 15 minutes after good work in the build-up by Ian McIn- erney, Noel Downes and Michael O’Dwyer, it looked a case of men against boys.

But whether it’s small ball or big, Cratloe are nothing if not resilient and two Cathal McInerney frees by the 24th minute – to add to Liam Markham’s opener in the eighth – raised their spirits before McCarthy’s fine effort from play eased Kilmurry 1-4 to 0-3 clear at the break.

Ian McInerney and Cathal McInerney swapped pointed frees inside four minutes of the re-start, before an exquisite crossfield ball from Stephen Moloney teed up Mark McCarthy for his second point to put five between the sides.

Kilmurry were in control, but as their wides started to mount Cratloe gradually played their way back into the game with pointed frees from Cathal McInerney and Liam Markham by the three quarter stage, pegging it back to a three-point game.

From there Cratloe took complete control – Conor Ryan and Brendan Bugler took a stranglehold of midfield as the Blues gradually turned the screw only to lack the killer instinct to win the game.

Two more Markham frees by the 50th minute left only a point between the sides, while Cathal McInerney levelled matters in the 54th, only for a couple of glaring misses to cost Cratloe their slice of history.

Padraigh Chaplin should have put Conor McGrath through on goal in the 53rd minute, but in electing to go for a point drove the ball wide from 18 yards, while McGrath, who was brilliantly policed by Shane Hickey throughout, should have pointed in the 56th minute only to be foiled by a brilliant Peter O’Dwyer block.

These misses effectively saved Kilmurry, who then showed nerves of steel in lifting the siege, with substitutes Niall Hickey and Johnnie Daly combining to seal their great escape.

Daly gathered the ball 35 yards from goal, turned and showed his enduring class when thumping the ball between the sticks for a great point.

Cratloe were crestfallen – their day will mostly definitely come but it was Kilmurry’s day as they close in on a third county title in four years.