*Clondegad captain Tadhg Ó Uallacháin accepts the Garry Cup from Joe Garry. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
CLONDEGAD have claimed local bragging rights and their first piece of silverware of the year by defeating Kidysart to win the Garry Cup.
Clondegad 1-17
Kildysart 0-17
Venue: Páirc Cuar an Chláir, Cooraclare
Promotion to the Cusack Cup for 2027 was already secured by both sides before the ball was thrown in. Clondegad last lined out in the top tier of the league in 2024 while Kildysart bounce back at the first attempt following their relegation last season.
With one eye on the start of their respective championships, this tie was the best preparation they could get considering it wasn’t just a final but also a local derby.
Either side could have prevailed but Clondegad produced a stronger second half, spurred on by the last act of the opening half when Fiachra Kirby planed the ball in the back of Conor Cusack’s net for the decisive only goal of the game.
Relegated from the senior ranks in 2023, Clondegad’s chances of winning the intermediate appear as strong this year as they ever have. James Murrihy’s squad has depth and talent to match. Of course, they have a long way to go but a big plus is they have a fairly strong idea on where to line out their key players.
Considering they were at risk of relegation to Division 3 heading into the final round of the Garry Cup, Kildysart won’t be too despondent at losing this game. Their four game unbeaten run stretching back to the beginning of May comes to an end, largely because they only kicked two points in the final quarter of this game and conceded 1-3 without reply at the end of the opening half.
Eoin Kennedy with a free opened the scoring in Cooraclare but Kildysart hit back with a Diarmuid O’Donnell two pointer from a free before Morgan Garry levelled matters.
Luke McGrath kicked a brace of excellent two pointers in the opening half, the second of which came from the outside of his right boot and was one of the scores of the evening. His first was followed by singles from Darragh Murtagh and Rory McMahon to give Kildsyart a 0-6 0-2 lead by the tenth minute.
Centre back Morgan Garry was hugely influential over the hour for Clondegad, he set up Seán McAllister for their third point and kicked their fifth after Cillian Brennan claimed possession in the air, these scores sandwiched between Cian Kirby’s first of the evening. The second McGrath two pointer was timely and arrived in response to their run of three points which had put only a point between the teams.
McGrath’s second orange flag gave Kildysart a lift with Conall Casey showing nice footwork before making it 0-10 0-6 but they were left stunned heading in at the break. Fiachra Kirby had the last contribution of the opening half when firing to the net, it saw Clondegad kick 1-3 in succession to lead by two.
Young guns stepped up in the third quarter at either end, Liam Casey one of the standout players in the Garry Cup had a two pointer after Jamie Sheehan kicked the first score of the restart to see Kildysart regain the lead on thirty two minutes.
Cian McAllister would prove to be the chief scorer of the second half, kicking six points, all two pointers to highlight the addition he will be to the Clondegad attack come championship. His second two pointer was cancelled out by a Liam Casey effort at the other end but he fired his third on fifty two minutes to put them back in front after Conall Casey had equalised.
From Casey’s score on forty six minutes, Kildysart had to wait until the sixty fourth minute for their next score which proved to be the last of the encounter, Fergal Ginnane splitting the posts in the additional time.
In those eighteen minutes, Clondegad kicked 0-4 and did enough to stay in front by the sound of the final whistle.
Welcoming Emmet McMahon back for his first competitive appearance for the club in twelve months was a real positive for Kildysart but the decision to leave him in the inside line and starved of possession saw them fail to utilise his talents.
Overall Niall Ginnane’s side will be pleased to be returning to the Cusack Cup, losing to their neighbours will have a bit of a sting but it will provide some motivation at the right time as they prepare for their Clare SFC bid. Promotion and blooding new players means it was a campaign of progress more than anything for them. Kieran O’Brien, Darragh Murtagh and Fergal Ginnane were most prominent for Kildysart.
Considering it was a roller-coaster of a Garry Cup for all teams involved, Clondegad can take great satisfaction to have been the side to finish ahead of them all. Morgan Garry excelled at centre back, linking the play well and offering a real attacking outlet when powering out of defence. Seán McAllister continues to show his ability in the middle third while younger brother Cian demonstrated his score-taking prowess.
Clare GAA’s Munster Council delegate Joe Garry presented the Garry Cup to victorious Clondegad captain and proud Waterford native Tadhg Ó hUallacháin following the game.
All photographs by Gerard O’Neill.
Scorers Clondegad: C McAllister (0-6 2TP 1TPf), F Kirby (1-2), E Kennedy (0-3 2f), M Garry (0-2), S McAllister (0-1), C Kirby (0-1), D Kelly (0-1 1’45), E Glynn (0-1 1f)
Scorers Kildysart: L McGrath (0-5 2TP), L Casey (0-4 1TP 1TPf), D O’Donnell (0-2 1TPf), C Casey (0-2), D Murtagh (0-1), R McMahon (0-1), J Sheehan (0-1), F Ginnane (0-1)
Clondegad:
1: Daniel Kelly
25: Dillon Killoughrey
3: Brian Casey
2: Cormac Reidy
7: Cillian Gavin
6: Morgan Garry
4: Tadhg Ó hUallacháin
8: Cillian Brennan
13: Diarmuid O’Neill
5: Colm Meaney
24: Eoin Kennedy
15: Cian McAllister
26: Fiachra Kirby
12: Seán McAllister
22: Cian Kirby
Subs:
19: Thomas Hehir for Kennedy (46)
21: Stephen Casey for F Kirby (49)
10: Paddy Sweeney for Meaney (60)
14: Eoin Glynn for C Kirby (61)
18: Eoghan Gavin for O’Neill (63)
Kildysart:
1: Conor Cusack
2: James Casey
3: Fergal Ginnane
4: Cillian Kelly
7: Conor Moloney
6: Rory McMahon
5: Darragh Murtagh
9: Kieran O’Brien
8: Keith O’Connor
10: Diarmuid O’Donnell
11: Luke McGrath
12: Jamie Sheehan
13: Conall Casey
14: Shane McNeilis
15: Liam Casey
Subs:
18: Daniel Moloney for McNeilis (43)
21: Emmet McMahon for Sheehan (46)
19: Oisin Coyle for Murtagh (49)
20: Colm Finucane for O’Donnell (54)
Referee: Chris Maguire (Wolfe Tones na Sionna)
