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*Ikem Ugwueru gets away from Eoghan Boyle. Photograph: Ruthie Griffin.
CHAMPIONS Éire Óg eased into the semi-finals of the Clare SFC when overcoming neighbours St Joseph’s Doora/Barfeield by twelve points.
Éire Óg 3-20
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 2-11
Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg, Ennis
It was the last of the Clare SFC quarter-finals that proved to be the most one-sided with Éire Óg steam rolling past the challenge of St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield on Sunday evening.
Twelve points separated the sides for a finish but there was a gap of twenty points prior to Doora/Barefield pouncing for two quick goals in successive attacks.
Given that seven points separated the sides in last year’s county final, the very lob-sided nature of the tie for the majority was unexpected and it could seem to be more a case of Doora/Barefield slipping from the levels they reached last year as opposed to Éire Óg finding another level from their 2025 success.
Fourteen points was the gap when they met in the quarter-finals in 2024 with the year previous going all the way to extra time when a single point separated them at the final whistle.
This was decided long before Niall Quinn brought proceedings to a halt. That Doora/Barefield opted to spring a triple substitution on twenty minutes is an accurate indicator as to the type of encounter it was.
Mark McInerney was on-song, kicking two pointers for fun, three in a row all from play over the course of four minutes in the opening quarter as Éire Óg put the game to bed, early on. His third orange flag made it 0-9 0-0 after twelve minutes, the move starting when Ronan Lanigan cleared the ball of their goal-line after Odhran Flynn and Eoghan Thynne combined to try bag a goal.
Efforts from Ciaran Russell, Danny Lyne and Gavin D’Auria had Éire Óg off the mark before McInerney dusted off the shooting boots.
It took Doora/Barefield eighteen minutes to register a score, John Sheanon on target in what was their fifth scoring opportunity. They added another via joint captain Cian McDonagh but Éire Óg cancelled them out with Oran Cahill and Russell popping over points.
Tom O’Brien did well to save from McInerney on twenty eight minutes but before the break Éire Óg did manage to pounce for goal, Danny Lyne finishing to the net as the half entered additional time. The move began when Eoin Lahiffe was turned over by Manus Doherty, then Gavin Murray played the ball to Cahill who tore forward and offloaded to Lyne to raise the green flag and creating a thirteen point half time gap.
It got worse before it got better for The Parish on the restart. Éire Óg raided for two goals in the first five minutes, Mark McInerney firing to the net as did Darren O’Brien who was teed up by Ikem Ugwueru.
Centre back Ronan Lanigan managed to score points off his right and left foot in the game, his first point was followed by scores from Lyne and McInerney which gave Éire Óg their biggest lead of the day when they were twenty points in front with forty two minutes gone.
Then Doora/Barefield struck for 2-3 without reply, both goals arriving after short kickouts from Bernard Power were turned over, Liam Clune and Tom Curran applying the finishes to put some bit of respectability on the scoreline. There should have been a third goal with Clune’s effort kept out by the crossbar but Odhran Flynn somehow managed not to drive the rebound to the net in what was the last act.
Finalists last season, this year’s campaign never took flight for Doora/Barefield who lost by five to Ennistymon in round one before drawing with Kildysart and overcoming Kilmihil. Though it had the potential to be a character-building win, their preliminary play-off against a depleted Corofin had the warning signs flashing. They haven’t been at full strength in any game but it is rare in championship that every side will have a full deck to choose from.
To their credit, Donagh Vaughan’s side continued to try work scores and chipped away at the massive deficit. Having limited McInerney to one two pointer from play in the 2025 final, it is surprising that The Parish allowed the Clare vice-captain to triple his tally, knowing full well the threat he can pose. Joe Rafferty, Odhran Flynn and Eoghan Thynne led the fight for Doora/Barefield who welcomed back Darragh O’Shea from the United States for the game.
David McNamara was ruled out at the eleventh hour for Éire Óg, the dual player consulted with management and medic Neil McCarthy where it was agreed to avoid the risk of further damage to a strain by not playing him. He joined the already sidelined captain Aaron Fitzgerald and Jarlath Collins in watching from the stands but the loss of personnel didn’t dilute the champions’ challenge in any shape or form.
Concession of the two goals will form part of the video analysis session for the Townies as they prepare for a Miltown rematch in the semi-final but the Ennis side are certainly motoring well. Best for Shane Daniels’ charges were the excellent Mark McInerney, Ronan Lanigan, Manus Doherty, Oran Cahill and Danny Lyne.
All photographs by Ruthie Griffin.
Scorers Éire Óg: M McInerney (1-10 3TP 2f), D Lyne (1-2), D O’Brien (1-0), C Russell (0-2), R Lanigan (0-2), J Joyce (0-2 1f), G D’Auria (0-1), O Cahill (0-1).
Scorers St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: J Rafferty (0-4 2f), T Curran (1-1), L Clune (1-0), J Sheanon (0-2), C McDonagh (0-1), E Lahiffe (0-1), T McDonald (0-1).
Éire Óg:
1: Bernard Power
2: Manus Doherty
4: Dean Ryan
17: Fionan Treacy
5: Ciaran Russell
6: Ronan Lanigan
7: Gavin D’Auria
18: David Loftus
9: Darren O’Brien
10: Oran Cahill
11: Gavin Murray
12: Darren Moroney
14: Ikem Ugwueru
23: Danny Lyne
15: Mark McInerney
Subs:
20: Jack Joyce for Lyne (43)
13: Luke Pyne for Murray (42)
19: Éinne O’Connor for Russell (48)
21: Aidan McGrath for Moroney (51)
23: Shane Gleeson for Loftus (54)
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield:
1: Tom O’Brien
3: Fionn Kelleher
6: Diarmuid Boyle
17: Eoghan Boyle
5: Cian McDonagh
2: Odhran Flynn
4: Killian McIlroy
8: John Sheanon
12: Eoghan Thynne
10: Michael Nash
11: Eoin Lahiffe
18: Odhran O’Connell
13: Paddy Bugler
9: Tom McDonald
15: Joe Rafferty
Subs:
23: Darragh O’Shea for O’Connell (20)
7: Darragh Fahy for McIlroy (20)
15: Tom Curran for Bugler (20)
20: Liam Clune for Boyle (HT)
Diarmuid Boyle for Lahiffe (48)
Referee: Niall Quinn (St Joseph’s Miltown)
