*Aaron Fitzgerald punches the ball from Keith O’Connor. Photograph: Mike Brennan
COUNTY CHAMPIONS Éire Óg continued their rich vein of form when accounting for Kildysart by twenty points to finish Group 1 in top spot and send the Shannon Estuary side dipping for a relegation battle.
Éire Óg 4-21
Kildysart 2-7
Venue: Páirc Finne, Corofin
The Clare Echo’s online coverage of the Clare SFC is with thanks to The Shannon Springs Hotel.
They are the raging hot favourites to win the TUS Clare senior football championship and Éire Óg’s march towards retaining the Jack Daly cup took another step when they comfortably disposed of the challenge of Kildysart at Corofin on Saturday evening.
Physically stronger and a vastly more experienced side, they dominated throughout as they had done in their earlier group games against St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield and Cratloe. This win keeps the club’s charge for the senior hurling and football double very much alive.
Racing four points clear after seven minutes, they were always in control and had opened a thirteen point lead by the half time break when the score was 2-10 to 1-0,
Kildysart’s only score of the half had come as early as the tenth minute, Ryan Casey flicking a delivery from Luke McGrath to the back of the net.
The lift brought by that goal was cancelled five minutes later when Colm Walsh O’Loghlen’s effort slipped through the hands of Kildysart goalie Conor Cusack for what can only be described as a very soft score.
Ten minutes later the winners had a second goal, Mark McInerney finishing a lively move but Kildysart followers will wonder why they weren’t awarded a free when Keith O’Connor appeared to be pushed as he jumped for possession in the middle of the field.
(All photographs by Mike Brennan)
Gavin Murray and McInerney followed with points and the Ennis side went to the dressing room 2-10 to 1-0 in front.
Kildysart struck for the opening two points of the second half but these were quickly cancelled by like scores for the Ennis men from Ciaran Russell and Colm Walsh O’Loghlen. The winners then hit five in a row to lead 2-17 to 1-3 at the three quarter stage.
Despite being so far behind, Kildysart to their credit continued to battle but they found themselves further in arrears when, in the space of two minutes, Ikem Ugwuero found the net twice, pushing his side 4-18 to 1-4 ahead.
Ryan Casey struck for his and Kildysart’s second goal eight minutes from the end and while they went on to add three points in quick succession, Éire Óg finished the game with a two pointer from Mark McInerney, the only such score in this tie.
Éire Óg are now safely through to the quarter finals as group winners while Kildysart must now prepare for the relegation battle as they have finished bottom of the group, something that would not have been predicted when the draw was made.
The winners dominated in most areas winning most of the breaking ball in the middle third of the field. They lined out without the injured Ronan Lanigan but as their team sheet shows, they had a very strong squad on duty with no shortage of options for replacements when needed.
They attacked at every opportunity and would not have been flattered had their winning margin been greater.
Nine players got on the scoresheet and this number included defenders Ciaran Russell and Gavin D’Auria while other members of the backline were regularly seen in attacking positions over the hour.
That said they will be disappointed to have conceded two goals, the first goals they have conceded in this season’s campaign and it is likely that this is something Shane Daniels and his management team will be looking closely at in the coming weeks as they prepare for the quarter finals. Manus Doherty, Ciaran Russell, Jack Joyce, Gavin Murray and Mark McInerney led the way for the Ennis outfit.
For Kildysart, Cillian Kelly, Conor Moloney, Fergal Guinnane, Keith O’Connor and Ryan Casey did best.
Scorers; Eire Og; Mark McInerney (1-7, 1tp, 3 frees); Ikem Ugwueru (2-0); Colm Walsh O’Loughlin (1-2); Jack Joyce, Gavan Murray, Ciaran Russell (0-3) each; Luke Pyne, Gavin D’Auria, Niall McMahon (0-1) each
Kildysart; Ryan Casey (2-1); Luke McGrath (0-2, 1f) Jamie Evans, Conor Moloney, Rory McMahon, Diarmuid O’Donnell (0-1) each
Eire Og;
1: Cian Howard
7: Manus Doherty
3: Aaron Fitzgerald
4: Dean Ryan;
5: Ciaran Russell,
17: Gavin D’Auria
12: Oran Cahill
6: Ikem Ugwueru
9: Darren O’Brien
11: Luke Pyne
22: Gavin Murray
13: Jack Joyce,
15: Mark McInerney
10: Niall McMahon
14: Colm Walsh O’Loghlen
Subs:
18: Darren Moroney for O Cahill (41)
23: Aidan McGrath for D. O’Brien (41)
2: Eoin Guilfoyle for A Fitzgerald (44)
19: Philip Talty for C. Russelll (50)
20: Luca Cleary for N. McMahon (53)
Kildysart;
1: Conor Cusack
2: Killian Kelly
6: Rory McMahon
4: Stevie Sheehan;
3: Fergal Guinnane
5: Conor Moloney
17: Jamie Sheehan
8: Keith O’Connor
9: Kieran O’Brien;
22: Conall Casey
11: Luke McGrath,
18: Michael Donnellan
20: Ryan Casey,
12: Diarmuid O’Donnell
13: Jamie Evans;
Sub:
21: Jack Cotter for M. Donnellan (38)
Referee; Chris Maguire (Wolfe Tones)
