*Cian Rynne accepts the Pappy O’Callaghan trophy from Clare GAA Vice Chair, Michael O’Connor. Photograph: Joe Buckley
BANNER completed an intermediate championship double, overcoming Inagh/Kilnamona to advance to the premier intermediate hurling championship for next season.
Banner 1-29
Inagh/Kilnamona 1-17
(after extra time)
Venue: Páirc Micheál Ó h-Eithir, Cratloe
A memorable week for Banner GAA concluded in Cratloe on Sunday evening when they completed the Clare intermediate championship double, adding the hurling crown to the football title won eight days earlier.
Because of the very wet and windy conditions on Saturday, a number of fixtures were re-scheduled and the changes saw this final moved from Zimmer Biomet Páirc ChÍosóg in Ennis to Cratloe which was in excellent condition for the game.
Banner’s bid to win this title didn’t appear likely for much of normal time as Inagh/Kilnamona led from the first minute but the newly crowned champions simply refused to accept defeat.
Two pointed frees by Shane Meehan in injury time, both awarded for fouls on Ronan Kilroy forced the extra time and there was only on team in the contest in this period, the winners scoring 1-11 while conceding just 0-2.
They showed greater fitness throughout the extra time to seal their promotion to the premier intermediate grade for 2027.
They had stars throughout the pitch from team captain Cian Rynne at full back to Seán McMahon at midfield to Ronan Kilroy and Shane Meehan in attack.
From the throw in, McMahon won possession and fired over the opening score of the game inside ten seconds. Inagh/Kilnamona responded from the puckout and Jack Cullinan found the net giving his side a lead they would hold until the final minute of normal time.
Hoping to emulate their senior outfit who captured the Canon Hamilton two weeks earlier, Inagh/Kilnamona took a two point lead to the interval having played against the wind in the opening half.
There was concern in the Banner camp at this stage as they had shot eight wides in that opening half, some from good positions.
The gap was still two points at the three quarter stage and this was still the position five minutes later after both teams had added two points each.
Eoghan Foudy pushed Inagh/Klnamona three clear but two from Shane Meehan, the second a free, had the margin back to the minimum before Foudy struck again to put his side two clear as the game moved into additional time.
Banner simply refused to accept defeat and Clare under 20 hurler Ronan Kilroy was fouled as he headed for goal. Meehan converted to bring the margin back to one.
The game was in the third minute of added time when Kilroy was again hauled down as he broke through and Meehan again converted to force extra time.
Confidence was, clearly, high amongst the Banner players at this time and they had early points in the first period of extra time from Seán McMahon and substitute Callum Henchy.
Inagh/Klnamona pulled one back through substitute Conor Tierney but Banner struck a major blow in the fifth minute of the first period of added time when Thomas Meenaghan shot low into the corner of the net.
A brace of points from Kilroy sent the Ennis based side to the break in extra time with a six point advantage, 1-22 to 1-16.
They continued to dominate in the second period shooting 0-7 without reply, scores coming from Eoin Fitzpatrick, Thomas Meenaghan, Johnny Martyn, Ronan Kilroy, Callum Henchy, Fiachra Hayes and Seán McMahon to seal their second major county title in a week that is sure to always hold a special place in the club’s history.
The win means that they will represent Clare in the newly inaugurated Munster intermediate championship which is being run by Newport GAA in Tipperary this year.
Eoghan and Seamus Foudy, Ricky Wynne, Keith Barry and Jack Cullinan worked hard throughout for Inagh/Kilnamona. It is the second year in a row that they have lost the Clare IHC final, Cathal Stritch goaling in the last act of the 2025 final for Smith O’Briens while this time it was extra time where they were caught.
After the game Clare GAA vice chairman Michael O’Connor presented the trophy to the winning captain Cian Rynne to the delight of his team’s big following
Scorers Banner: Shane Meehan (0-9, 7f, 1‘65); Ronan Kilroy (0-7, 3f, 1’65); Thomas Meenaghan (1-2); Sean McMahon, Eoin Fitzpatrick (0-3) each; Callum Henchy (0-2); Finn Duignan, Johnny Martyn, Fiachra Hayes (0-1) each;
Scorers Inagh/Kilnamona: Keith Barry (0-7, 5f, 1’65); Jack Cullinan (1-2); Eoghan Foudy (0-3); Evan McNamara (0-2); Darragh Murrihy, Conor Tierney, Ricky Wynne (0-1) each.
All photographs by Joe Buckley.
Banner:
1: Darren Meehan;
2: Eoin Walsh,
3: Cian Rynne,
4: Oisin McMahon;
5: Ben O’Halloran,
6: Justin McGrath,
7: Brian McDonald;
8: Seán McMahon
9: Eoin Fitzpatrick;
12: Matthew McGrath,
11: Diarmuid Toner,
20: Finn Duignan
13: Shane Meehan,
10: Ronan Kilroy,
15: Thomas Meenaghan
Subs:
26: Callum Henchy for M. McGrath (53)
19: Johnny Martyn for F. Duignan (61)
12: Matthew McGrath for D. Toner (75)
18: Oran Rynne for B. McDonald (76)
17: Fiachra Hayes for E. Fitzpatrick (78)
Inagh/Kilnamona
1; Jack O’Connor;
2: James Cullinan,
3: Colin Shannon,
4: Cathal McConigley;
5: Shane McInerney,
6: Seamus Foudy,
7: Ricky Wynne;
8: Jamie Wynne,
18: Darragh Murrihy
9: Cathal Ryan
11: Keith Barry
12: Evan McNamara;
13: Eoghan Foudy,
14: Gerry Coote,
15: Jack Cullinan;
Subs:
10; Neil Hegarty for J. Wynne (40)
17: Conor Tierney for C. Ryan (50)
20: Eoin Fitzgerald for S. McInerney (56)
26: Cian Griffin for E. McNamara (for extra time);
12: E. McNamara for G. Coote (65)
9: Cathal Ryan for D. Murrihy (70)
Referee: Kieran Liddane (Sixmilebridge)
