Category: Sport

Corofin Harps 1 – Manus Celtic A 0 at Corofin

THE INCLEMENT weather has ensured a slow start to the season and this game was indicative of that malaise as these sides slugged it out for the points. There was no shortage of endeavour and commitment but due to a lack of quality in the final third for the majority, it seemed as if it was destined to end on a scoreless deadlock until Damien Ryan popped up with a late piece of magic to send his side to the top of the table.

It was a goal worthy of winning any game as a long throw from Brendan Keane was added to by brother John into the path of Ryan who deftly backheeled the ball just beyond the reach of goalkeeper Pakie Healy.

It was cruel on Celtic who had fought the good fight up to that point but in truth, the tide had already turned in Corofin’s favour as the second period progressed, with the physical presence of John Keane as a makeshift centre-forward a constant thorn in Manus’ side.

The first half saw numerous half chances for either side but none that would have troubled the sides’ respective goalkeepers to any great extent. Mikey Geraghty and John Molloy got into good positions for Manus but failed to create a meaningful shot on Fergal Neylon’s goal. While up the other end, Corofin had a few long range sights of goal that drifted over the bar but did have the best chance of the half when Ryan gathered possession at the edge of the box, dummied one defender before his deflected shot fell into the waiting arms of Healy in the 38th minute.

Manus hit back immediately on the restart and had a glorious chance after only 30 seconds when Jamie Fahy dispossessed around halfway and bore down on goal. However, he hesitated at the vital time and saw his shot sail wide of the far post.

From that point on however, Corofin targetted John Keane up front and it began to pay dividends.

In the 54th minute, a Damien Ryan cross from the left was headed down by the big centre-forward into the path of the onrushing Luke O’Loughlin whose stinging shot was tipped onto the sidenetting by Healy. Five minutes later, Ryan and Keane combined once more, this time from the opposite side but Keane headed wide.

Manus emptied the bench in search of a winner and were successful on the counter-attack with John Molloy having their best opportunity eight minutes from time but his shot was kept out by Neylon.

That save proved crucial in the wake of Corofin’s winning goal only two minutes later when Ryan finished with aplomb but there was still plenty of goalmouth action to come before they would secure their second win of the campaign.

Manus’ inspirational centre-half Kevin Clohessy pushed up to midfield and had a shot on target from the edge of the box as did Mikey Geraghty and substitute Jonathan Griffey while John Keane had a volley moments after the goal but none would change the scoreline that puts Corofin top and leaves Manus rooted to the bottom. However, there is still a long, long way to go.

Corofin Harps
Fergal Neylon, Brendan Keane, Stephen Quinn, Michael Concannon, Brendan Neylon, Ian Hassett, John Keane, Darragh Shannon, Luke O’Loughlin, Damien Ryan, Dean Hathfield (Garry Molloy, 54 mins)

Manus Celtic A
Pakie Healy, Ian Considine, Patrick Galbraith,Tola Crowe, Kevin Clohessy, Jamie Fahy (Jonathan Griffey, 75 mins, inj),Aaron Greene (Martin Molloy, 69 mins), Stephen Geraghty, Mikey Geraghty, John Molloy, Mikey McDonagh (James McAllister, 69 mins)

Man of the Match
John Keane (Corofin) Referee Terry Kennedy

West County Hotel Clare
& District Soccer League Fixtures Saturday 05/ 11/ 11 Inter League Youths Cup County Grounds: Clare V Roscommon Referee: D.McCarthy 2.00 Assistant Referees: M.Monaghan,T.Guilfoyle

Sunday 06/ 11/ 11
F.A.I. Junior Cup Clare/Kerr y/ Desmond Area Third Round Mounthawk Pk: Classic V Avenue United Kerry Officials 2.00 Dingle: Dingle Bay Rovers V Bunratty Cratloe FC Kerry Officials 2.00 Fairgreen: Manus Celtic V Broadford J.Stanford 2.00 Lees Road: EnnisTown Rock V Newcastlewest P.Gleeson 2.00 McDonagh Pk: Newmarket Celtic V Ballingarry M.O`Brien 2.00 Note: In event of a draw10 mins e/wextra time and penalties if necessary. Munst er Junior Cup 2nd Round Kilmaley School: Connolly Celtic V Shannon Olympic A M.Talty 11.00 Note: In event of a draw10 mins e/wextra time and penalties if necessary. Husquarna Maloney Garden Machiner y Premier Division League Fairgreen: Hermitage A V Burren United P.Gleeson 11.00 Scariff: Mountshannon Celtic V Lifford A T.Guilfoyle 11.00 Lets Bet Spor ts Bookmakers First Division League Seanchoill Parteen: Bridge Celtic V Bridge United A D.McCarthy 11.00 Lees Road: Turnpike Rovers V Corofin Harps M.Maxwell 11.00 Kilrush: Kilrush Rangers V Rhine Rovers D.Brosnan 11.00

Avenue United 4 – Burren United 3 (AET) at Lees Road, Ennis

THERE was plenty of entertainment on offer as Avenue United edged past Burren United in a seven-goal thriller at Lees Road on Sunday.

With the sides tied at 3-3 and a penalty shoot out looming, David Smyth produced a fine finish in the dying stages of extra time to win the tie for Avenue.

A rollercoaster game saw Burren take an early 2-1 lead before Avenue drew level before half time. An upset looked on the cards when Chris Maoczek poked home from close range to give Burren the lead midway through the second half. However there was still plenty of fight and football left in Avenue.

David McCarthy completed his hat trick to make it 3-3 with 20 minutes to play. The goal foreshadowed a period of Avenue dominance but the home side were unable to breach Burren’s resilient rearguard action.

But as the game stretched into extra time, Burren appeared to tire as Avenue through the pace and guile of Sean Corry and David Smyth, creating some good chances.

The game began with a flurry of activity with McCarthy giving Avenue an early lead. Burren equalised through Marine Ghiat and then took the lead through Maoczek. Avenue continued to probe for openings with Gary Flynn and Alan Roche exerting their authority in midfield. It looked like Burren might make it to half time in front but Avenue had other ideas. Flynn’s volleyed cross found McCarthy at the back post and he headed home to make it 2-2 despite protests of offside from the Burren defenders.

The visitors enjoyed a bright open- ing to the second half with Pat Nagle and Martin McDonagh taking the game to Avenue’s back four. Burren’s efforts were rewarded when they took lead in the 65th minute. Nagle did well to turn and shoot inside the Avenue area. His initial effort was blocked but the striker managed to force the ball to Maoczek for an easy tap in. Momentum ebbed back to Avenue and the Ennis side duly equalised. A sweeping move from right to left saw Smyth rescue the ball from the end line and tee up McCarthy at the edge of the area. A glorious culmination to fine approach play was provided by McCarthy’s powerful volley. Again Burren felt hard done by, claiming that the ball had crossed the line prior to Smyth’s cross. It was of no concern to Avenue who finally secured the match winner late in extra time. Cuddy’s long ball was headed goalwards by Russell and Smyth raced between two Burren defenders to execute a fine finish.

Avenue United
John Healy, Simon Cuddy, Shane Browne, Mattie Nugent, David Russell, David Smyth, Gary Flynn, Alan Roche, David Herihy, David McCarthy, Mikey Mahony

Subs
Sean Corry for Browne, Darren O’Meara for Mahony

Burren United
Craig Flannagan, LiamKeane, Eric Murrihy, Michael Reddan, Michael Keating,Alex Garcia, Marine Ghiat, Pat Connole, Martin McDonagh, Pat Nagle, Chris Maoczek

Subs
James Droney, James Keating

Referee
Pa Gleeson

St Flannan’s College 4-08 – Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon 0-06 at St Flannan’s College, Ennis

ST FLANNAN’S College of Ennis hosted Scoil Mhuire of Ennistymon in the Senior B decider on Tuesday and after last year’s thrilling final, the Ennis side also exacted full revenge to take the title away from the four-in-a-row hopefuls. Both sides had some impressive names on the programme, girls who have competed for club and county at Under 16 and Minor.

St. Flannan’s were well up for this meeting and started extremely spritely, Shaunagh O’Brien taking a great point on the volley in the first few minutes and Orla Devitt pointed at speed soon after. Aoibheann Malone claimed the Townies third point on 15 minutes. Some good play between Emer Hillery and Ashling Torpey failed to yield anything at the other end as Ashling Corbett put in some great blocking tackles and captain Sinead O’Keeffe snuffed out a lot on the Flannan’s half-back line. A very predatory Flannan’s forward section then went into overdrive and produced four goals in the remaining ten minutes of the first half with Niki Kaiser involved in three of them. First Shauna O’Brien rattled the upright and then she netted from the perfect pass from Kaiser who collected the rebound. Kaiser herself was next to grab a goal after a very strong solo and then she set up Orla Devitt for the third. Aoife Shannon almost palmed over a rocket from Niamh Markham but it just caught the crossbar and the three time champs were stunned by Flannan’s fourth goal in ten minutes. A strong Ennistymon rally fizzled out as several scorable chances went abegging. Aoibheann Malone then banged over the second of her five points from play just before referee Linda Russell called for half-time at 4-4 to 0-0.

Malone restarted with another point and Kaiser brought it up to 4-6 for the Ennis school before the seasider’s Emer Hillery/Aisling Torpey combo got going. Torpey converted two points, a sign of increased activity around the Flannan’s parallelogram and Hillery took a great point from play to reduce the deficit further at 4-6 to 0-3. A strong Flannan’s attack which included Devitt, Eleanor Carey, Kaiser, Shaunagh O’Brien, Anneka O’Brien and Malone poured massive pressure on the visitors and Malone poached two more points, interspersed by an Eva O’Dea point for Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon. Ashling Torpey took another lovely point but it would be ten minutes before Scoil Mhuire would be beyond the St Flannan’s ‘45 such was the work rate of Sophie Hanna, Aoife Keane, Captain Sinead O’Keeffe, Sinead Quinn and Aisling Corbett. Scoil Mhuire’s forwards, Eva O’Dea, Captain Kayleigh Murrihy, Katie Considine were putting in some great work and it was Shannon Murrihy who scored the last point of the game for the three in a row winners, Scoile Mhuire. This was a big win for St. Flannan’s and a side with eight current minor football champions from all divisions on the panel, plus camogie champs, should do very well in the next Munster round, to be announced.

Éire Óg 5-12 – St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 2-10 at Corofin

SUCCESS BREEDS success they say and after winning the Minor Division 3 title the previous weekend adding to the Under 16 crown garnered earlier in the year, Éire Óg brought that momentum into Saturday’s Junior B championship final to deservedly take the honours.

A lightning start also helped with two quickfire shots to the net, one each from Shauna Keane and Orla Devitt, had them six points clear within two minutes of the throw-in. Playing with the aid of a strong breeze, the Ennis girls made no mistake and capitalised on this advantage, notching up a further 1-5 with another goal from Shauna Keane and points from Orla Devitt, Shaunagh O’Brien, Shauna Keane and Tara Sheehan before St. Joseph’s Rebecca Devine found the net with a well taken strike in the 20th minute. The kick-out ended up in the arms of Éire Óg’s Orla McMahon whose excellent lay-off to Shauna Keane ended up splitting the posts. Rebecca Devine, lethal when in possession, pointed for the Parish, but Éire Óg finished the half strongly with points from Shauna Keane and Shaunagh O’Brien to leave them 3-9 to 1-1 ahead by the interval.

The Parish girls came out all guns blazing in the second half, with a great Rebecca Devine point getting them off the mark in the opening minute but totally against the run of play, Shaunagh O’Brien found the net for Éire Óg. In spite of this blow, St. Joseph’s kept the heads up and continued to dominate the opening quarter with a further point from Rebecca Devine. Devine’s shot on goal seemed destined for the net, but an outstanding save from Aoife O’Neill sent the ball over the bar. Sarah O’Keeffe and Orla Devitt traded points, before St. Joseph’s notched up three points in a row with shots from Mary Sweeney, Rebecca Devine and Niamh Willis. Again, the hardworking Orla Devitt, who gave an outstanding performance at mid- field, put a shot over the bar while Shaunagh O’Brien followed up with a well taken goal. The next five minutes belonged to the Parish, notching up 1-02. Time ran out, however, for St. Joseph’s with the last score of the match, a pointed free from Orla Devitt, giving the Townies a 5-12 to 2-10 win.

Éire Óg
Aoife O’Neill, Sophie Hanna, Sinead Darcy, Orla Chaplin, RaeWall,Aida Griffey, Edel Griffey, Louise Kirwan (Capt.), Orla Devitt (1-6 3f), JoanneWalsh,Alana O’Brien, Orla McMahon, Tara Sheehan (0-1), Shauna Keane (2-3), Shaunagh O’Brien (2-2)

Subs
Edel Griffin for Griffey, Sarah Cullinan for Kirwan, Rebecca Crowe for Sheehan, Katie Malone for Keane, Deirbhile Ryan for Wall

Doora/ Barefield
Niamh O’Loughlin (Capt.), Sarah Nugent, Michelle McMahon, Catriona Davenport, Eimear Casey, Kelly-Anne Hassett, Karen O’Brien,Amanda Hassett, Molly Brannock, Sorcha McCormack, Rebecca Devine, NiamhWillis, Aoife Murphy, Sarah O’Keeffe, Mary Sweeney

Subs
Ciara Willis for Molly Brannock(inj) Anne Marie McGann for Sorcha McCormack

Referee
Michael Fitzgerald (Clondegad)

THIS WEEKEND is very busy for Clare Ladies Football Development Squads at all levels.

The Under 15 development squad, under the watchful eye of coordinator Joe Downes and mentors Sharon Malone, Edel Carmody-Malone, Annmarie Callinan and Roisin Garry, will compete in their Under 15 Munster blitz in Tipperary this Saturday, where all counties will be represented. In preparation for the event, they will play their second warm-up game with Munster assigned twin-county Limerick, having won their first outing played at Éire Óg last week. Players will be contacted by text with details.

The Under 13 development squad are preparing for its own Under 13 Munster blitz on November 19. They started their preparations recently with a short and spirited blitz against a selection of the Banner Ladies Under 14’s and continue with another blitz against their twin-county Kerry Ladies this Saturday at Killimer GAA pitches, weather permitting. Kerry will be fielding three teams and there will be plenty of opportunity for top tier football experience against the Kingdom. Coordinator Alan Copley with Johnny Hayes, Eimear Considine and Aine Kelly will have taken the Under 13’s through a twelve week program by the time the interprovincial finals arrive. The trials for the 2012 Under 14 panel will commence on November 26 when the Marian Keane Under 13 Tournament will be played over four weekends.

Also on this weekend, Under 11 Coordinator Gordon Drummy with mentors Pat Keane, Tara Kelly and Liz Kelly will field their Clare hopefuls in the PJ O’Halloran Under 11 Intercounty Football Tournament being held in Kilrush. Teams from Limerick, Kerry and Tipperary will travel to the west Clare venue for what has become one of the best attended underage events on the ladies football calendar in Munster. Best of luck to all the Clare ladies footballers this weekend.

Whitegate 0-14 – Killanena 1-09 at Ogonnelloe

KILLANENA’S senior dream only lasted one season as they dropped back down to intermediate level at the first time of asking. Indeed, it was a tense battle of the last two intermediate champions with Whitegate just doing enough to hang onto their status for another year. Emigration and injury had taken it’s toil on both threadbare squads during the year as they were forced to play off for their senior championship lives and in the end, it was Whitegate’s rearguard that showed the way to consolidate their place in the 2012 championship.

In total, all but two of Whitegate’s points came from the back, with goalkeeper Andrew Fahey central to that defensive charge with half of their total from placed balls. County senior Brendan Bugler (3) and John Minogue (2) as well as All-Ireland Intermediate winning goalkeeper Fahey (5) had Whitegate 0-11 to 0- 02 clear by the 28th minute but they would only hold a five point advantage into the break after a David McNamara 20 metre free gave Killanena some much needed hope.

Indeed, that suckerpunch was to hurt Whitegate as they would not score again until the 50th minute. Instead, Killanena gathered momentum, hitting three successive points to get to within two at 0-11 to 1-06. Eric Minogue did stop the rot with ten minutes to go followed by an- other Fahey long range free but with the bit between their teeth, Killanena threw everything at their neighbours that yielded three more points to cut the deficit to the minimum by the hour mark.

That understandably set up a nervous finish but fittingly it was goalkeeper Fahey who cemented the victory in the 62nd minute when he hit his seventh score to keep his side at the highest level and send Killanena back down to intermediate.

Whitegate
AndrewFahey (0-7 5f, 2’65), Cathal Mulvihill, John Bugler,Trevor Kelly, Jason Malone, Brendan Bugler (0-3), John Minogue (0-2), Ian Fahy, Tomás McNamara, Eric Minogue (0-1), Patrick Minogue, Shane O’Rourke, Patrick Burke,Terence Fahy, GeorgieWaterstone (0-1f)

Subs
Ray Cahill for Waterstone, Eoin Quirke for O’Rourke

Killanena
David Noone, Enda Collins, Joe Clancy, Pat Noone, Eoin McMahon, John O’Mara, Stephen McMahon, Mikey Noone, Padraig Brady, Fintan McNamara, Shane Moroney, John Noonan, Gerry McNamara, David McNamara,Alan McNamara

Sub
Jack Houlihan for Noonan

Referee
TomStackpoole

Newmarket-on-Fergus 1-16 – Clarecastle 2-06 at Clareabbey

NEIGHBOURS Newmarket and Clarecastle have had some memorable county final clashes in the last 50 years and while this wasn’t one of them, the Blues deservedly maintained their final hold over the Magpies.

This was the 14th county final derby meeting between the pair in that period, with Newmarket proving to be the Magpies bogey side on 12 occasions and while it wasn’t the county final that both sides would have aspired to at the beginning of the year, it still attracted a sizeable crowd.

Newmarket were full value for their latest title after sowing the seeds of victory in a clinical opening half display that saw them score the first six points of the game by the 30th minute. As ever, central to that scoring feat was county senior Colin Ryan who gave an exhibition of placed balls over the hour in an unerring mix of frees, ‘65’s and a late lineball.

Indeed, while his team-mates opted to try and kill off their opponents early with goals that was met with defiance from goalkeeper Donnagh Murphy and some dogged defending from the Magpies’s last line, Ryan’s experience in tacking on points saw him pick up the first five scores of the game, four of those from placed balls.

Jonathan Clancy had Clarecastle’s best chance of a goal but after being put under pressure, his effort hit the side netting. David Barrett put the Blues six clear in the 30th minute but the Magpies did spare themselves from an opening half whitewash two minutes into injury-time when Eamon Callinan converted a free from 35 metres.

Newmarket came storming out of the blocks once more on the restart, with county seniors Colin Ryan (2) and an inspirational long-range James McInerney point from 65 metres extending their advantage to eight by the 34th minute.

The game seemed to be drifting away from Clarecastle but they received a major shot in the arm with two quick-fire goals in as many minutes to make a contest of it once more. The first stemmed from a Darragh Moloney delivery that was broke by Derek Quinn to the unmarked Danny Scanlon who had the simple task of hitting to an empty net. And only two minutes later, a slice of fortune got the Magpies to within two points of their opponents when a Derek Quinn shot for a point rebounded off the upright into the path of Darragh Moloney to pull past goalkeeper Kieran Devitt.

The intensity was lifted once more and the Blues almost replied in kind but David Barrett hit his goalbound effort into the ground, although Colin Ryan did point the rebound.

With the bit between their teeth however, Clarecastle hit back once more, this time a superb solo effort from captain Tyrone Kearse who gathered possession on his own ’65 before soloing to halfway and arrowing over the bar.

Game on it appeared but Newmarket ruthlessly shut the door on their neighbours around the turn of the final quarter when an Anthony Kilmartin goal was sandwiched by Colin Ryan frees to restore a seven point lead.

Clarecastle kept plugging away with Eamon Callinan picking off three frees to cut the deficit to five with seven minutes remaining. However, the Blues finished the job when Ryan expertly cut a sideline over the bar followed by two successive Anthony Kilmartin points to complete their A, B and C hat-trick of adult titles.

Although the Canon Hamilton still eludes them, Newmarket are certainly moving in the right direction as their adult teams won championships this year in Junior A, Senior B and Junior C. And with a Clare Cup semifinal against Kilmaley this weekend, the push to make next year’s Senior A county final is already gathering momentum.

Éire Óg 1-14 – Ruan 0-06 at Clarecastle

THE last time the Townies were roaring hot favourites to take down Ruan in a county final was way back in ’59, but they failed to land the Canon Hamilton Cup on the back of yet another tour de force from Jimmy Smyth, Frank Custy, Jazzer Meaney et al.

Ruan would have needed Smyth, Custy, Jazzer et al at their pomp on this day, such was the superiority exerted by this Éire Óg team that produced a command performance to win their first ever intermediate hurling title and return to the senior ranks after a three-year hiatus.

The rains came – to Cusack Park that saw the game relocated to Clarecastle, but the downpour failed to dampen the Townies’ spirits at they hacked home through the mud like rare breeds of thoroughbreds made for the heavy going.

It was a Eureka moment for Ennis hurling, simply because this victory finally banished the ghosts of the quarter-final defeats to Whitegate and Killanena in the last two years and their relegation at the hands of Ballyea on this same Clarecastle sod back in 2008.

That they really meant business here was reflected in the 11-point margin at the end, but it was apparent from the opening seconds as a thunderous shoulder charge by captain Mark Fitzgerald spoke volumes, for the team and for the mindset.

This was for Francie Mahon, for the Town, but above all for themselves.

They were in the mood, up for the battle as well as the hurling and from there a combination of superior stickwork, physicality and work-rate powered them to their best display of the year.

It may have been a lottery at times, given the conditions, but Éire Óg’s numbers always came up thanks to an imperious half-back line of Tadhg McNamara, Fergus Flynn and Kevin Moynihan, an industrious midfield and a forward division that buzzed through the rain to notch up the points to kill this county final early in the second half.

They got the perfect start with three points inside seven minutes – David O’Halloran and Ronan Keane were on the mark from play while Danny Russell, who notched 0-5 over the hour from placed balls, landed a free.

However, it was Barry Nugent’s 13th minute goal that proved crucial. After John Punch had opened Ruan’s account with a ninth minute free, Nugent’s deft flick to the net from a long Fergus Flynn free put the Townies 1-3 to 0-1 ahead and well on their way to victory.

They only managed two more points in the half, via a Danny Russell free in the 23rd minute and a good effort from play by Thomas Downes, but it was enough to give them a 1-5 to 0-3 lead as a sterling defence restricted Ruan to a couple of points from Patrick Keegan midway through the half and another on the stroke of half-time from Aidan Lynch.

A point from Caimin Howard two minutes into the second half brought the gap back to four points, but the Townies’ response again showed their intent as points from play by Noel Whelan and Barry Nugent by the 35th minute put them 1-7 to 0-4 clear.

From there they never looked like yielding – with points from Tadhg Hanrahan and Eoin Hanrahan all Ruan could muster for the remaining 25 minutes as the Townies coasted home.

Danny Russell’s 65 in the 38th minute restored their six-point advantage after Eoin Hanrahan had pegged one back for Ruan two minutes earlier – from there it was just a matter of seeing it out.

They did that in some style, with David Ryan’s booming effort in the 39th minute putting them seven clear, while they finished the game with five unanswered points as they restricted a forlorn Ruan outfit to a Tadhg Hanrahan point in the 42nd minute.

By the time Danny Russell (2), Ronan Keane, David O’Halloran and David Ryan added points to embellish the hour, there were actual fireworks going off at the venue to the delight of the huge Éire Óg support.

Why not? It’s Halloween week after all.

Éire Óg
Kevin Brennan (7), Cathal Whelan (7), Cormac O’Regan (7), Marc O’Donnell (7),Tadhg MacNamara (8), Fergus Flynn (9), Kevin Moynihan (8), Noel Whelan (7) (0-1), Mark Fitzgerald (8), Danny Russell (8) (0-5, 4f, one 65), David Ryan (8) (0-2), Ronan Keane (7) (0-2), David O’Halloran (7) (0-2), Barry Nugent (7) (1-1),Thomas Downes (7) (0-1).

Subs
AdrianWalsh (6) for Noel Whelan [56 Mins], Ronan Cooney (6) for Cathal Whelan [61 Mins].

Ruan
Patrick Roughan (7), Gary Bell (7), Niall O’Connor (7), Leon Quirke (6), Killian Ryan (6), Jonathon Clohessy (7), Darragh Roughan (6),Tadhg Hanrahan (7) (0-1), Eoin Hanrahan (7) (0-1),Aidan Lynch (7) (0-2), Colin O’Donoghue (6), Michael Vaughan (6), Patrick Keegan (6), John Punch (6) (0-1f), Brendan Lyons (6).

Subs
Caimin Howard (7) (0-1) for Roughan [8 Mins],Alan Bell (6) for Punch [42 Mins].

Man of the Match
Fergus Flynn (Éire Óg) Referee Johnny Healy (Smith O’Briens)

WAY back in 1980 Éire Óg hurling really started to roar as the mercurial Martin Nugent enjoyed his finest hour when bagging 3-3 in a senior county final win over the storied Newmarket-on-Fergus Blues.

Now, along with younger brother Tony, who was also a key member of that Éire Óg Dalcassians team winning team 31 years ago that ush ered in a great era for the game in the county capital, he’s brought the Townie roar back to life.

Who knows? Another great era, could be at hand!

All because such was the cacophony of sound that greeted this com- prehensive county final success, the enthusiasm and the language afterwards, you know this was just a start.

“We wanted to get Éire Óg back up playing senior hurling,” roared Martin Nugent above the din and beside the rolling maul – it would have done the All Blacks proud earlier in their World Cup final day in Auckland – that was just starting to gather momentum.

“We met in the Queen’s Hotel in January with all the guys. That’s when this started. We just laid out a plan that this is where we wanted to be – to be in the county final and winning it and to be back up playing senior hurling.

“They key for us this year was that everyone believed in one another. Everyone on the panel believed. We really believed and we kept the focus on hurling. It was hurling all the way, all year.

“We had to have experience with youth and that’s the way we set up. The likes of Fergus Flynn, Tadhg MacNamara, Marc O’Donnell, Barry Nugent had the experience – then the younger lads like Davie O’Halloran, Tommy Downes and more added a huge amount.”

Nugent wasn’t bothered by the change of venue from Cusack Park to Clarecastle that was confirmed just after 11am, something he revealed was drilled into the players all the week and something they were prepared for.

“It’s a game of hurling,” he said. “It’s on a pitch. It doesn’t matter where it’s played. This pitch is as good as Cusack Park and we didn’t mind where the game was played. We were ready for the game anywhere and that showed early on.

“We said it to them before the game that ‘we’re going to take it to Ruan from the opening minutes’. We weren’t going to wait for Ruan to start hurling. We were going to do the hurling and start well.

“We had that drilled into them, that we were going to determine the pace of the game we wanted to play. From the word that’s the way they did it. They did what we wanted.

“We have always said that we take our games in half an hour stages. The first half – we said ‘let’s go out and see if we can win that half’.

We got them in the dressing room and we said ‘let’s go and see if we can do the same’. We did that and it’s great to be back up playing senior hurling.

“There are a lot of people that need a lot of credit for this. You have the likes of John Russell, Colm Mahon, Deccie Coote – lads that were there before we came in this year. They were there and were unlucky not to get them up before this, but we’re up now and we’re going to enjoy it.”

They were enjoying it already.

ABOUT eight minutes into Sunday’s senior hurling final a puck out from Sixmilebridge goalkeeper Derek Fahy landed just beyond the half way line on the seated stand side of Cusack Park. The sliotar actually plugged into the soft turf like a golf ball would in very wet conditions. Half the ball was visible, the rest of it buried in the ground. In golf you get the option of picking the ball up and dropping it on a kind part of the surface. In hurling, you play as you lie until the referee is inevitably forced to whistle up.

The early ‘plugged ball’ drew gasps from the crowd. There would be more incidents of the ball almost disappearing into the sod, while referee Rory Hickey probably handled the sliotar more than any player. Throw-in followed throw-in as players battled with the elements and soft ground. It was hardly his fault, conditions were simply not conducive to hurling or any other sport on Sunday. All around the ground the same conversation was being had. Should the game have been played at all?

Our county hurling final is supposed to be the showpiece of the hurling year. However, Cusack Park in late October is not the time or the place for that. The intermediate final was thankfully moved to Clarecastle where both Eire Og and Ruan were at least able to hurl on a surface that is designed to cater for such weather. Cusack Park is not. Indeed after both Crusheen and the Bridge ‘warmed up’ the sections of the field where they had done their drills were visibly ‘ploughed up’. The crowd knew before a blow was struck in anger exactly what time of game we were in for. Attrition.

And that’s what we got. Crusheen won because they are the best team in Clare and have been for some time now. Their half backline display on Sunday was imperious and no matter what the conditions, it is clear that this is a serious team. Amazingly they still managed some patches of brilliant hurling during the hour. Their hunger and strength saw them through, giving us all the impression that if this game had been played on the surface of the moon, the result would have been the same.

But Sunday was unfair on Crusheen as well as Sixmilebridge. Neither side could do themselves justice and those that watched live on TG4 could be forgiven at times for thinking that this was the ploughing championships and not the hurling championships. The fact that Crusheen managed to shoot ten points was remarkable in the morass of a field they were forced to play on.

The solution? It doesn’t take a genius to see that the third week in October is far too late to playing a hurling final, in any code. Players lying idle for almost three months of the summer hurling season is ridiculous but apparently the will is not there to tackle this fixtures chaos nationally. The Kilkenny county final was also played on Sunday, one wonders would we have managed that had we won an All-Ireland final six weeks ago? We should have our county final played in September at the latest.

As for Cusack Park, traditionalists will tell you that it was always prone to bouts of softness when the heavy rains came. That may be so, but this is our county ground. Clarecastle can provide a pitch playable any day of the year, why can’t we have something similar in Cusack Park? With all the money the GAA have invested throughout the county, it is time to look elsewhere for big games this late in the year as Cusack Park clearly cannot cope. The moving of the intermediate final on Sunday morning certainly robbed The Park of further glamour and gate receipts as could be judged by the huge crowd that made their way to Clarecastle for the Eire Og/Ruan clash. God only knows what the Park would have looked like if that game had gone ahead before the senior final. Hoping/praying/ keeping your fingers crossed for a spectacular Autumn Sunday to allow a decent game of hurling to be played in a county final is not good enough. This is Ireland, it will rain. Make the decision – play it in September and stick to it.

Well done to Crusheen, hard luck to the Bridge. Good luck to whoever is cleaning the jerseys.