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*Diarmuid Boyle of St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield.
ST JOSEPH’S Doora/Barefield have labelled their Clare SFC preliminary quarter-final clash with Corofin as a season-defining game.
Friday’s tie throws in at 19:30 in Clarecastle where last year’s beaten senior finalists face off with the reigning intermediate champions to determine who will take the last of the quarter-final berths in the Clare SFC.
Following a first round loss to Ennistymon, Doora/Barefield have bounced back drawing with Kildysart before overcoming Kilmihil by eight points to finish in third spot of Group 2.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Doora/Barefield manager Donagh Vaughan outlined, “the graph is going in the right direction but there is still a lot of work to be done. We have just one week now to prepare and our championship depends on it. We have just one week to focus and Tuesday night’s training will be a big session and we will go from there”.
Vaughan and his management have been left with areas to rectify following the Kilmihil clash. “Kilmihil got a great goal. They came right through the centre and that is somethng we have to look at straight away and something we will examine in training on Tuesday. Fair dues to Kilmihil, they are full blooded. They drove at it all the time. Gavin (Downes) and Dan Keating are lovely footballers. They exploited gaps that we didn’t think they would and that is something for us to work on before next weekend”.
Joe Rafferty produced a fine showing for The Parish in round three kicking 2-6, on Friday he faces off with a Corofin outfit coached by his father Mark. “He showed an awful lot of leadership today. It ws one of his best games ever for Doora/Barefield. Look there is work to be done at the other side and its far from a great performance. We got over the line but fair dues to Kilmihil for putting it up to us”.
Fellow attacker Tom Curran picked up a red card and is set to miss the preliminary play-off. “We have a red card to deal with now following Tom’s (Curran). sending off. I saw him scoring the point but I didn’t actually see the incident. Odhran Flynn hobbled off in the first half and it looks like it might be a hamstring injury. Hopefully Odhran O’Connell and John Sheehan might be available for selection next week. Our championship rests on next week’s result now”.
