*Banner goalkeeper, Mark Cleary. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
BANNER goalkeeper Mark Cleary stepped up with a big penalty save as the Ennis club advanced to the semi-finals of the Munster club intermediate football championship.
In their home surrounds on the Shanaway Rd, the Banner prevailed against Waterford side Brickey Rangers 2-13 1-13 to maintain their winning run which has secured their promotion to senior football for next season.
Four points separated the sides when Mark pulled off a save to deny Paddy McCarthy from scoring a penalty, a moment in the game when Banner supporters felt they were going to hold on for victory. “It is always nice to save them, there’s no real pressure on the goalie, you’re not expected to save it at times so there was no real pressure on me”.
Mark has become used to saving spot kicks from his role as netminder with Premier Division outfit, Ennis Dons. “He was staring at the other corner so I was thinking he was giving me the eyes and he was, it worked out well. I faced a good few for Dons last year and I saved them so I’ve a good record and I’m trying to keep that going”.
Holding the Munster club game in their home pitch was a special occasion, he noted. “It’s the first time ever we’ve played Munster club in our pitch here, over the last few years when the lads were in the Munster club for the Junior hurling it was always in the Park or in Tulla so it is nice to play it on our home patch. Even at the start of this year we played two of our home league games in Lees Rd so it is my first real game here this year and it is nice to start a win”.
“It is nice to have the crowd down, the Banner has never had a game like this with such a big crowd in. Looking around, it is special, we couldn’t ask for a better day, it is perfect out here,” Cleary told The Clare Echo.
Thomas Meenaghan’s major on forty four minutes gave Banner the lead for the first time before they went on to record the three point victory. Mark maintained they have a lot to work on if they are to stay in the provincial championship. “We started well, then they got the better of us for a good bit of the first half, we had a lot of wides which we’re going to have to work on for the next day if we’re going to have any bit of hope. We played well for the most part but we’ve a lot to improve on”.
Continuing this run will impact on his involvement with Ennis Dons, Cleary acknowledged. “The longer this goes on the better, hopefully we’ll never be back in intermediate football so I might as well enjoy this while we can. There’s a long bit left in the soccer season so I’ll have plenty of games to play”.
Without question, Mark will be busier than ever in two weeks time when the forward line facing him down contains the two Cliffored brothers David and Paudie when Banner battle with Fossa. “You want to play against the best in the game and they are probably the two best forwards in the country at the moment so playing for your club and against two of the best players in the country, there isn’t really much more you could ask for, we’ve nothing to lose. The main goal for us this year was to get up playing senior, we’ve that done for the first year ever, we’ll give it a crack and hopefully we can turn them over”.
