*Aaron Griffin in action. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
CLARE’s footballers are moving up the Division 3 table after defeating Laois to record back to back wins.
Clare 0-24
Laois 2-15
Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Ennis
After coming back at the death to defeat Laois by four points in Portlaoise last year, there was more excitement for the climax when the counties clashed in Division 3 once again, Clare again claiming the spoils.
With a numerical advantage for fifty minutes, Clare certainly made hard work of their second win in this year’s campaign but they stepped up at the death, kicking six points in the final eight minutes to emerge as the victors to move to mid table.
Brendy Rouine delivered the big hit to lift the Clare cause in Enniskillen, this time round it was Ennis’ Ikem Ugwueru who produced a monster hit on Patrick O’Sullivan with fifty eight minutes to help the Banner faithful find their voice in Cusack Park.
O’Sullivan was rattled by the hit but bounced back to get a goal for Laois as they hit 1-1 without reply to carve out a three point advantage with sixty one minutes on the clock.
Then came a big push for Clare and they simply had to deliver, knowing their chances of promotion were hanging by a thread. Aaron Griffin had 0-3, Cormac Murray also kicked a two pointer while Eoin Cleary and Jamie Stack split the posts to secure the victory.
Eoin Cleary was exceptional for Clare, kicking ten points in his top performance of the 2026 league but in truth it was the first real game where he was consistently put in a scoring position to demonstrate what he can do between the posts. His role was made all the more important given that Mark McInerney was forced off with forty five minutes played to join the already injured cohort of Emmet McMahon, Colm Walsh O’Loghlen, Cillian Rouine, Fionn Kelleher, Darragh Bohannon, Caoilfhionn O’Dea and James Curran.
Laois led for the majority of the opening half with the sides level on three occasions. They were of course aided by having the elements in their favour but Clare led by Eoin Cleary were never far out of reach and were only a point adrift when the hooter sounded in Cusack Park for half time.
Danger man Evan O’Carroll struck for Laois’ first goal on forty minutes, a superbly taken effort after Clare lost their own kickout. Two pointers from Cleary and Griffin along with a Dermot Coughlan single saw Clare stay in front with forty five minutes played.
Cooraclare’s very own Killian Roche, lining out as Laois goalkeeper, kicked his second two pointer of the day to reduce the deficit to one but it was stretched out again by substitute Murray.
Cillian Brennan picked up a black card as Laois began to take control for a spell, fortunately Stephen Ryan made a fine save to deny O’Carroll a goal from a penalty but the visitors still had 1-2 without reply to take charge entering the final stretch.
Paul Madden’s Clare had more to contribute and they packed a punch with their tally of 0-6 in eight minutes to earn the three point win.
For the winners, Eoin Cleary, Dermot Coughlan, Brendy Rouine, Ikem Ugwueru, Connor Meaney and Aaron Griffin stood out.
Next Saturday sees Clare travel to Rathkeale to face Limerick.
Scorers Clare: E Cleary (0-10 1TPf 2f), A Griffin (0-5 1TPf 1TP), C Murray (0-3 1TP), M McInerney (0-3 1f), D Coughlan (0-1), J Stack (0-1).
Scorers Laois: E O’Carroll (1-5 3f), K Roche (0-4 2TPf), P O’Sullivan (1-0), B Byrne (0-2 TP), R Murphy (0-2 1f), C Burke (0-1), D Brennan (0-1).
Clare:
1: Stephen Ryan (Kilrush Shamrocks)
2: Alan Sweeney (St Breckan’s)
3: Ronan Lanigan (Éire Óg)
4: Manus Doherty (Éire Óg)
6: Ikem Ugwueru (Éire Óg)
22: Connor Meaney (Lissycasey)
12: Brendy Rouine (Ennistymon)
8: Brian McNamara (Cooraclare)
7: Cillian Brennan (Clondegad)
10: Daniel Walsh (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
5: Dermot Coughlan (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
9: Joshua Vaughan (Ennistymon)
13: Eoin Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay)
14: Mark McInerney (Éire Óg)
11: Aaron Griffin (Lissycasey)
Subs:
15: Cormac Murray (St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay) for McInerney (45) (inj)
24: Shane Griffin (Lissycasey) for Walsh (49)
18: Jamie Stack (St Breckan’s) for Vaughan (62)
Laois:
1: Killian Roche (Gleann Uiseann)
3: Trevor Collins (Graig Chuilinn)
7: Jack Lacey (Naomh Seosamh)
2: Ben Dempsey (Portlaoise)
5: Patrick O’Sullivan (Cúl an tSudaire)
4: Simon Fingleton (Páirc Raithin an Uisce)
6: Kevin Swayne (Portlaoise)
9: Mikie Dempsey (Naomh Seosamh)
8: Robert Tyrrell (Coill na Cúirte)
13: Josh Hogan (Portlaoise)
11: Brian Byrne (Graig Chuilinn)
12: Conor Heffernan (Gleann Uiseann)
10: Rioghan Murphy (Cúl an tSuadire)
14: Evan O’Carroll (Crochta Ard)
15: Daragh Galvin (Cúil an tSuadaire)
Subs:
21: Jake Darcy (Anach) for Lacey (HT)
17: Darren Brennan (Portlaoise) for Hogan (HT)
24: Ciaran Burke for Dempsey (45)
19: Ronan Coffey (Cúil an tSuadaire) for Galvin (49)
23: Paul Kingston (Ard Lios Chilín) for Tyrell (58).
Referee: James Molloy (Galway)
