Category: Sport

MAYBE we should have known that Crusheen’s name was written on the Canon Hamilton in 2011.

You see, the last man to captain back-to-back county final winning teams was St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield’s Lorcan Hassett in 1998/’99, while the second of those titles came at the expense of Sixmilebridge.

So with 2010 winning captain Gerry O’Grady filling the same role in ’11 and with the ‘Bridge as opposition, the rune stones around Inchicronan might well have told us that Clare hurling’s greatest prize was heading north to the Village of the Little Cross once more with O’Grady emulating Hassett.

There’s more. The same stones might have been a superstitious lot, pointing to that third time lucky factor when it comes to teams defending their title – where Clonlara and Cratloe had failed in ’09 and ’10 respectively, Crusheen would go on to succeed.

And there’s more again. Consider that the 25-year team honoured on county final day – the flying Magpies of ’86 were captained by Anthony Scanlon, a man who also led them to back-to-back triumphs the following year.

All of the above points to the fact that this was meant to be.

Regardless of piseoga, rune stones and all that, one thing is certain: when Gerry O’Grady finally left Cusack Park’s Ard Comhairle for a pitchside reunion with his teammates with Canon Hamilton in hand, it was all still a bit of a blur.

“It hasn’t sunk in really,” he said on the achievement of lifting the Canon on successive years. “We came here to today just to battle it out and do everything to get over the line. Thankfully that’s the way it worked out. The conditions were so bad out there it was about battling, fighting it out and keeping the workrate up.”

They did more than that, of course, restricting the ‘Bridge to two points from play and only four points, while running up what must of felt like a veritable cricket score of 0-10, such were the conditions of the day.

Where did it come from?

“It was the most important game we’ve played in our lives,” said O’Grady in response. “We lost in 2007 to Tulla and this was our third final. If we had gone away from three finals and only won one of them, it would have been a bad return.

“That was really driving us on here today. We wanted that second title. When you get to a final you have to take your opportunity. The backs were very good and in the second half we took the chances we got up front. We opened them up and when we were able to stretch our lead we were able to hold out after that.”

The quietly spoken captain was be ing kind to ‘Bridge. This was a rout.

Coole FC 6 – Inch Crusaders 1 at The County Grounds, Doora

COOLE FC captured their second trophy this year with an emphatic victory over Inch Crusaders in the final of the second division league cup at the County Grounds on Sunday.

Last season’s third division league champions led by just a goal at half time but produced a storming second half display to take the trophy back to Gort.

Weather conditions were far from ideal but just like the victorious Gort hurlers, Coole FC didn’t let the heavy rain undermine their performance.

The County Grounds had been due to host the meeting between Clare and Galway in the Oscar Traynor Cup on Saturday but that was called off due to rain shortly before kick off.

However the pitch was deemed playable on Sunday morning where Inch and Coole met with the prize of some early season silverware on offer.

And it was the Gort based club who made the early breakthrough when Kyle McCarthy scored the game’s opening goal. The former Oscar Traynor panelist found the net with well-hit 20 yard strike.

Coole were ahead at the break be- fore a deluge of goals early in the second half set them on the road to victory. McCarthy’s strike partner, Danilo Bento grabbed two goals in the space of five minutes to leave Inch with a mountain to climb.

McCarthy then brought his tally for the game to two, when he converted from the penalty spot. Managers Barry McCarry and Stephen Cunniffe emptied the Coole bench as the goals continued to rain in. Substitute Liam Papendorf got his name on the scoresheet with a well-executed volley with fellow sub Savio Morentes also finding the net. Midfielder David Cahill played an instrumental role in Coole’s success, setting up three of his side’s goals. Padraig Talty struck Crusader’s lone response before Coole captain Eoin Glynn lifted the trophy.

Coole FC
Abner Cordielo, Gary Morrissey, Alex Brocard,Aidan O’Boyle,Wanderson Lasouta, Padraig Landers, David Cahill,Alan Mannion, Eoin Glynn, Kyle McCarthy, Danilo Bento

Subs
Dave Franklin, Stephen Quinn, Savio Morentes, Liam Papendorf, LeoVercnea,Anthony Coppinger

Inch Crusaders
Andy O’Flynn, DavidTalty, Thomas O’Doherty, Dean Rickter, Mark Connellan, SeanTalty,Alan Clerkin, Brian McDonnell, Padraig Talty, James Rynne,Thiago Santanna

Subs
Conor Neylon for Santanna, ColmRyan for McDonnell, Rory Killeen for Rynne

THE victorious Lifford league and cup double winning team of 1975/76 will be the focus of celebrations when the club marks its 50th anniversary on Saturday night.

Club members past and present will gather in the Auburn Lodge Hotel to recall memories of the club’s half a century in existence.

The mid-seventies is regarded, as a golden period in the club’s long history and a special presentation will be made to members of Lifford’s double winning team on the night.

“We’re hoping for a big night to mark the 50th and the focus will be on the double winning team”, said long serving club member John O’Neill.

The club was set up in 1961 a year before the formation of the first Clare soccer league. It grew out of the ashes of another club – Ennis United – whose members played in the Limerick District Soccer League. Lifford’s founding members includ- ed Michael O’Gorman, Frank McInerney, Jimmy Coughlan, Noel Bane and Declan and Freddy Ensko. Both Michael O’Gorman and Frank McInerney were also centrally involved in setting up the Clare soccer league in 1962. Lifford played its first game in autumn of that year and under the captaincy of Syl Cosgrove, claimed the Fergus Cup in 1963. O’Neill explained that another cup victory was secured in 1968 when Lifford played under the name of Rockmount. The seventies saw Lifford enjoy a sustained period of success at adult and youths level. “The 70s were the highpoint for the club. We were always competitive”, said O’Neill. The emergence of Avenue United in 1983 presented a new challenge and new rivalry to Lifford. The club established a schoolboy’s section in 1984 with a Ladies team following in 1988. Lifford produced a number of schoolboy internationals including Gary Flynn and Alan Brooks. The Ladies team too provided a conveyor belt of talent to Irish teams. Lifford ladies also enjoyed a spectacular period of success from the early nineties onwards, winning numerous county and national titles.

For 31 years Lifford played their home games at land on the site of Our Lady’s Hospital before moving in 2007 to Cassidy Park, a € 500,000 development in Drumcliffe.

Premier league and cup success has eluded Lifford since the seventies but with the establishment of the club’s new underage academy, O’Neill is confident about the club’s future.

“We’ve come close to winning it (league) a few times but we’re well set up for the future. We have 30 kids signed up for the academy. Things are moving on”.

Lifford’s 50th Anniversary night takes place at the Auburn Lodge, Hotel Ennis on October 29. There will be a performance on the night from 12 piece orchestra, the West Coast Big Band.

Lisca nnor 1-4 West Cla r e Gaels 1-3 At Hennessy Memor ia l Pa r k, Milt own Ma lbay THE INCLEMENT weather and heavy conditions underfoot meant that this decider was dominated by the defences of Liscannor and West Clare Gaels.

The final started with Liscannor taking the play to their opponents and before long Emer Hillary had laid off a lovely pass to Aishling Torpey who opened the scoring for the northerners. Liscannor were more assertive in the first quarter but against the run of play, Ailish Brew goaled for the Gaels.

Midfielders Shauna Harvey and Collette Keniry kept pushing the at- tack, setting Rachel Clancy free to put the Gaels 1-1 to 0-1 ahead. Despite several Liscannor attacks involving Martina Scales, Sharon Roche and Katie Considine, it took another ten minutes for the next score to register and it was Siobhan Marrinan who oblidged for West Clare Gaels.

After 25 minutes, up and coming Under 13 Katie Considine set free a very industrious Aishling Torpey to take her second point of the game for Liscannor, just before they went in for the break at 1-2 to 0-2 in favour of the ladies from the Corca Baiscinn.

On the resumption, Aishling Torpey had only one thing on her mind but was prevented from goaling, winning a penalty in the process and levelling the game herself at 12. Player-of-the-Match Torpey ran the West Clare Gaels defence ragged in the third quarter, picking off two valuable points in succession to push them two points clear by the 48th minutes, where they would stay until the end.

Liscannor
Aoife Shannon,Therese Shannon, Sinead Considine, Roisin Rouine, Roisin Considine, Fiona Considine, Sarah Clair, Martina Scales, Emer Hillery, Sharon Roche,AishlingTorpey (1-4, 1f, 1-0 pen), Mairead Healy, Katie Considine, Clionadh Considine, Moira O’Donoghue, Niamh Fitzhenry, Sinead Shannon, Elaine Shannon,Aisling Nagle, Sarah Leigh.

Management
Marie Considine, Emma Slattery, Yvonne Flaherty,Anna O’ Connor and Ciara Slattery.

West Clare Gaels
SineadTevlin, Brid Foran, Grainne Harvey, Lauren Keane, Mary Beth Downes, Marie Foran, Emma McMahon, Shauna Harvey, Collette Keniry, Lauren McMahon (Capt), Ailish Brew(1-0), Rachel Clancy (0-1), Shauna Melican, Ciara Lynch, Siobhan Marrinan (0-1)

Subs
Caoimhe Harvey (0-1), Naoise Murray,Amy Keane, Rose Marrinan, Naoise Murray, Michaela Lynch, Becky Madigan

Newmarket-on-Fergus 2-14 – O’Callaghan’s Mills 1-05 at O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge

EXPERIENCE at the highest level was the decisive factor in this the first of two county final victories for Newmarket at the weekend. Having lost last year’s decider to double champions Crusheen, the Blues were back with a vengeance, with former seniors Michael McInerney, Dominic McMahon, Brian ‘Beano’ McMahon and captain Brian Clancy guiding their side to a first Junior A title in eight years.

The Mills themselves have been knocking on the door repeatedly in the knock-out stages these past few years but they can have few complaints after failing to take their chances, particularly in terms of goal opportunities over the hour.

As the 16 scores to six total emphasises, Newmarket were the sharper and more clinical side throughout, with an unanswered tally of 1-5 by the end of the opening quarter setting the tone for the win.

Mill’s full-forward Damien O’Connell opened the scoring in the first minute but they would have to take a backseat as Newmarket ruthlessly replied with a 16 minute purple patch. Michael McInerney and Dominic McMahon were both to the fore in that flurry of points while McInerney also set up Shane Liddy for the opening goal in the tenth minute.

That goal was cruel on the Mills particularly after they had just spurned a glorious chance of their own at the other end when Rory Neville picked out fellow corner-forward Cathal McKeogh at the back post but his shot was excellently blocked by the body of Shane Kelliher.

McKeogh did make up for that miss when starting O’Callaghan’s Mills second quarter fightback but further scores from Michael McInerney and Shane Liddy limited the half-time damage at 1-7 to 0-4.

Liddy’s frees also pushed his side further ahead on the resumption before the Mills were handed a lifeline. A goalmouth scramble in the 37th minute allowed substitute Aidan O’Gorman pull through a crowd of players to the net and gathering momentum, they also had two further goal chances that might have altered the narrative of this decider.

Expert defending from Clancy and McMahon ensured that didn’t happen though and after literally weathering the storm, Newmarket finished strongly by outscoring their opponents by 1-5 to 0-1 in the final quarter.

There were goal chances aplenty for either side as the game became more open and fragmented, with Michael McInerney central to the two that fell Newmarket’s way. In the 50th minute, his delivery over the top saw Dominic McMahon beat goalkeeper James Hook to the ball to pull to the net while two minutes later the imposing forward would see his rasping shot canon off the butt of the post to safety.

With only minutes remaining, Newmarket held an eleven point lead but the Mills never threw in the towel and goal efforts for McKeogh and substitute Enda McNamara had to be endured before Newmarket would finally realise their title dream at the second attempt.

Newmarket- on- Fergus
Ian Mulcahy (7), Seamus Meehan (7), Brian Clancy (8), Shane Kelliher (8), Paudie Hayes (7), Brian McMahon (8), Darren Cullinan (7), Neil Ryan (7) (0-1), Niall Enright (7), Martin Frawley (6), Paul McInerney (7), Michael McInerney (9) (0-3), Dominic McMahon (8) (1-3), Gerry Hannon (7) (0-2), Shane Liddy (7) (1-5 3f)

Sub
LiamClancy (6) for Frawley (47 mins)

O’Callaghan’s Mills
James Hook (7), Michael McGrath (8), Barry Heffernan (7), Ollie Nash (7), Brendan Hannon (7) (0-1f), Conor Cooney (7), Darren Cooney (8), Noel Nash (6), John McGrath (7), Paul Murphy (6), Robbie Madden (7) (0-1), Ian Donnellan (6), Rory Neville (6), Damien O’Connell (7) (0-1), Cathal McKeogh (7) (0-2)

Subs
Aidan O’Gorman (7) (1-0) for Donnellan (24 mins), Enda McNamara for O’Connell (52 mins), Eoin McInerney for McGrath (52 mins)

Man of the Match
Michael McInerney (Newmarket- on- Fergus) Referee Fergie McDonagh (St Joseph’s Doora/

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.

WHEN THE betting Gods, or indeed odds, smile down upon you, it would be remiss of anyone to anger them. In a similar position last year, this reporter punted for Crusheen from the outset, sensing the unfulfilled potential that duly came to the surface as the year progressed. So when weighing up this year’s crown, the abilities of the respective candidates and the recent upredictability of the championship in recent years ahead of this year’s race, much introspection led to a change of horses to an up-and-coming ‘Bridge side that had progressed steadily in winning a Clare Cup and Under 21A crowns in the previous six months.

Now it must be made clear in Sixmilebridge’s subsequent run to the final that this hurler on the ditch is not in any way claiming to knowit-all when it comes to hurling. Nothing could be further from the truth in fact. It is only mentioned as an aside in not wanting to jump ship ahead of Sunday’s decider.

After all, it wasn’t as if Sixmilebridge were rank outsiders, they were championship favourites even before a ball was pucked in the championship and that included the defending champions.

Like any championship though, there is also a large slice of luck involved in winning it outright. How each of the respective sides would have fared had their first round escapes failed to materialise could be debated endlessly as Clarecastle and Kilmaley should perhaps have taken their chances against Sixmilebridge and Crusheen respectively.

They are all whimsical if’s however as the saying goes ‘if my aunt had dangly bits, she’d be my uncle.’ The fact remains that both sides survived that day and haven’t looked back since, with Sixmilebridge and Crusheen comfortably easing through the remainder of the group and in the latter’s case, through the business end of the campaign as well with the minimum of fuss.

Sixmilebridge on the other hand, Dona l Tuohy Only 22 but the shotstopper already has a wealth of experience behind him. An All-Ireland Under 21 title tops the bill but he has also played championship for the county seniors. He is vital to Crusheen’s cause, has only conceded four goals so far and has kept successive clean sheets in the knock-out stages. Another one in the final would go a long way to retaining the title. Crusheen 8 Cr ona n Dillon V Nia ll Gilliga n A veteran duel that could well decide the outcome of this final. Gilligan is the Bridge’s undoubted leader, with his strength and guile difficult to stop. The eldest of the Dillon’s has buckets of experience though and will relish the challenge. Crusheen 7 Sixmilebridge 9 Paddy Vaugha n V Sha ne Golden Another crucial match-up, simply because both are

the engine rooms for their

respective sides. Vaughan is Crusheen’s top scorer

and freetaker and while he has been troubled by injuries, he is invaluable to

their cause. Golden is one

of the best up-and-coming talents in the county, has

ten points to his name and will relish taking on the county captain. Crusheen 9 Sixmilebridge 8 J oe Mea ney V Tony Ca r mody Pa Sheehan started in the midfield berth for

Sixmilebridge in the semifinal but a fit again Tony Carmody might just get

the nod, mainly due to his wealth of exprience. The All-Ireland intermediate

captain has settled in well

with his new club and will hope to get the better of Meaney who has finally filled the troublesome midfield spot to partner Paddy Vaughan. Crusheen 7 Sixmilebridge 8 J ohn Br igda le V Ca imin Mor ey All-Ireland Under 21 winner Morey hasn’t hit top gear yet but there were signs against Cratloe that is approaching his devastating best. Has the capability to win a game on his own but won’t get anything easy from Brigdale. Crusheen 7 Sixmilebridge 8 Ala n Br igda le V Da nny Mor ey Could be the headto-head battle of the game as these folically challenged livewires face off. Morey is the ‘Bridge’s top scorer from play with 4-10 while Brigdale is probably playing his best hurling at the moment. Crusheen 8 Sixmilebridge 8 Cia n Dillon V Ror y Sha na ha n The youngest of the Dillon brothers in the side is also the most vital to their prospects. Man-of-thematch in last year’s final, he will find Shanahan difficult to mark though. And if Shanahan can break even with him, it could well be enough. Crusheen 9 Sixmilebridge 7 Cia r a n O’Doher t y V Decla n Mor ey O’Doherty is an important part of Crusheen’s lauded half-back line but he will need to keep an eye on Morey who grabbed 1-2 in the semi-final. The Bridgeman has an eye for goal and his mazy solo runs could cause O’Doherty some concern. Crusheen 7 Sixmilebridge 7 Cat ha l Dillon V J a mie Sha na ha n Dillon is a talisman for Crusheen and invariably when he is going well, so do his side. He should have the strength and aerial dominance here but Shanahan is arguably Clare’s best prospect and on form, can do a lot of damage, despite his relative inexperience at this level. Crusheen 8 Sixmilebridge 8 Nia ll Gr iffin Michael Liddy Colm O’Connor

(Cha ir ma n) Michael Br owne (Ma nager ) Eddie Fit zgibbon by Eoin Bren n an Ma nagement