*Éire Óg’s Luke Pyne takes on Charlie Hannan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
ÉIRE ÓG are through to the finals of the Cusack Cup while O’Currys have been relegated from the Garry Cup for the first time in over a decade.
A comprehensive victory over neighbours St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield on Friday night saw Éire Óg seal their spot in the willwego.com Cusack Cup final.
Despite this loss Doora/Barefield are through to the semi-finals of the competition where they will play either Kilmurry Ibrickane or Lissycasey who comprehensively beat Corofin in their final group game on Friday evening.
Kilmurry Ibrickane’s game against neighbours St Joseph’s Miltown was postponed on Friday evening. Should the Bricks win this game they will go through to play Doora/Barefield in the semi-finals. However defeat for Kilmurry Ibrickane in this game will clear the way for competition title holders Lissycasey to go through to the semi-final.
All activity in Ennistymon GAA club was postponed due to the death of the beloved Éanna Rouine. Their senior tie with Kildysart was postponed but the outcome of this game won’t change anything in the group as Ennistymon are assured of Cusack Cup status for next season while Kildysart will drop down to the Garry Cup.
Meanwhile in the Garry cup there was just one game on Friday evening when O’Curry’s accounted for already relegated Kilmihil.
That result left the Doonaha based outfit depending on the outcome of the match between their Peninsula neighbours Naomh Eoin and Wolfe Tones to determine what division they would play in next season.
The result didn’t go their way as Wolfe Tones won, confirming they would remain in Division 2 and relegating O’Currys to Division 3. It is the first time since 2010 that O’Currys have been relegated from the second tier.
The way is clear at the top of the table for the knock out part of the competition. Kilrush Shamrocks are already promoted and through to the final. Their game against Clondegad didn’t go ahead at the weekend but the result of this won’t make any change to placings at the top. Clondegad are assured of third spot and they will face St Breckans in the semi-final with the North Clare side having home advantaage.
St Breckans conceded the points to Doonbeg at the weekend meaning four out of eight games in the top two tiers did not proceed.
Blistering start paves the way for Lissycasey
Lissycasey 4-18
Corofin 1-8
Venue: Lissycasey
Scoring 3-4 without reply in the opening seven minutes sent Lissycasey on the road to this comprehensive victory over Corofin at Lissycasey on Friday evening.
Corofin were dealt a further blow five minutes later when they lost key player Gearoid Cahill to injury.
The game was still in the first minute when Daire Culligan broke through and found the net. Diarmuid McMahon followed with a point before Conor Finnucane had the team’s second goal.
The game’s first two pointer followed before Cullligan struck for another goal. Gearoid Cahill opened the visitor’s account a minute before his involvement in the game ended due to a leg injury.
The visitors were given a boost at the mid point of the half when Damian O’Loughlin converted from the penalty spot but the winners responded with five unanswered points on their way to a half time lead of fifteen points, 3-12 to 1-3.
Points were exchanged early in the second half before Corofin landed three in a row but Lissycasey then did likewise to make the score 3-16 to 1-7 at the three quarter stage.
Both sides made changed going into the final quarter before the home side finished strongly, striking for their final goal in the last minute through Luke Griffin who was then shown a straight red card following a clash with Corofin goalie Luke Neylon.
Lissycasey; Thomas Collins (0-1, ‘45); Michael Kelly, Ryan Griffin, Conor Hill; Daire Hill (0-1), Michael O’Neill, Luke Griffin (1-0); Matt O’Shea, Darren Keane (0-3, 1tp); Daire Culligan (2-5, 1tp), Ben Skerritt (0-1), Daire Killeen; Cian Meaney, Diarmuid McMahon (0-2) Conor Finnucane (1-3, 0-1f)
Subs; Michael Meaney for O’Neill (inj.); Shane Culligan (0-1) for C. Meaney; Francis Hayes for D. McMahon; Niall Kelly (0-1, f) for C. Finnucane; Adrian Meaney for C Hill;
Corofin: Luke Neylon; Colin Fitzgerald, Cilléin Mullins, John Rees; Cathal Flanagan, Damian O’Loughlin (1-0, pen.), Sean O’Brien; Gearoid Kelly; Colm Breen; Eoin O’Brien, Cian Doolin (0-1), Evan Doolin (0-1); Enda Collins, Gearoid Cahill (0-1, f) Seanán Kirby (0-4, frees)
Subs; Michael Cahill (0-1) for G. Cahill (inj); Ciann Clancy for E Collins; Cormac Walsh for Breen; Collins for C.Flanagan
Referee: John O’Connell (Cooraclare)
Bragging rights for county champions
Éire Óg 3-20
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 1-16
Venue; Gurteen
A place in the Cusack Cup final was at stake when neighbours Éire Óg and St. Joseph’s met at Gurteen on Friday evening and when the final whistle sounded it was the Ennis men, the current Clare senior football champions, who had sealed that spot.
They did so with a dominant performance, holding the upperhand in most positions on the evening. They led 1-11 to 0-7 at the interval before dominating the second half.
Remarkably the winner’s impressive tally came from just four players. Full forward Jack Joyce continued his impressive form with 2-6 while another player who has been showing great form in this competition, Darren O’Brien, chipped in with 0-10 which included two two pointers.
Paddy Bugler continued his good form for St. Josephs with 0-9 and this tally included four two pointers. Tom Curran and Tom McDonald also landed a two pointer each but, overall the Doora/Barefield side will be disappointed with their performance which fell well short of what they had shown in the previous round when they scored a comprehensive win over Lissycasey.
(All photographs by Gerard O’Neill)
Both sides were short some regulars for Friday evening’s contest. In addition to Joyce who caused all sorts of problems for the home side and O’Brien, Luke Pyne and Darren Moroney showed impressive form for the Ennis men
Éire Óg; Cian Howard; Fionán Treacy, Dean Ryan, Eoin Guilfoyle; Ciaran Russell, Jarlath Collins, Darren Moroney; Darren O’Brien (0-10, 2 tp), Niall McMahon; Conor Perrill, Aidan McGrath, Luke Pyne (1-2); Luca Cleary, Jack Joyce (2-6), Philip Talty (0-2);
Sub; Stephen Dolan for A McGrath;
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield; Tom O’Brien; Conal Dorgan, Dara O’Callaghan, Sam Costelloe; Charlie Hannan, Conor O’Brien, James Curran; Michael Nash, Dara O’Shea (0-1); Liam Clune, Tom McDonald (0-2, tp), Odhran O’Connell; Tom Curran (0-4, 1tp), Eoghan Thynne, Paddy Bugler (0-9, 4 tp);
Subs; Joe Keane for J. Curran (inj); Cian Moloney for O. O’Connell; Micheal O’Coileán for D. O’Callaghan; Joe Kelly for D. O’Shea (inj); Jack Mc Allister (1-0) for C Hannan
Referee; Barry Kelly (St Joseph’s Miltown)
O’Currys relegated despite win over Kilmihil
O’Currys 3-14
Kilmihil 2-12
Venue: Doonaha
Striving to keep their Division 2 league status alive, O’Currys knew that they had to win this game against already relegated Kilmihil at Doonaha on Friday evening.
From the outset their determination to do just that was evident and they deservingly emerged with victory.
At the end of the opening half just the minimum separated the sides with the home side in front on a scoreline of 1-8 to 1-7, Kilmihil having hit 1-1 in injury time.
With the game going into added time at the end of the second half the home side led by ten points, 3-14 to 1-12 but he visitors finished strongly with 1-2.
However, it was too late to prevent O’Currys from taking the points. On the evening Kilmihil were short a number of regulars including Dan Keating and Martin O’Leary who had contributed most of their scores in their earlier league ties.
The winners held the upperhand on the day particularly in the middle third where they dominated. Their winning margin could have been greater but they were guilty of shooting a lot of wides.
O’Currys; Colin Clohessy; Paddy Clancy, Stephen Kelly, Luke Murray; Seamus Keane (0-2), Eoin Brew; Brian Keane (0-1); Thomas Clancy (1-0,pen.); Liam Griffin ; Eoin Kelly (0-2), Michael Foran, Cathal Downes (1-3); Danny Downes (1-3), Shane Browne (0-3). Ian Roche
Subs; Andrew McMahon for Danny Downes, Sean Marrinan for Ian Roche;
Kilmihil; Damian Lineen; Padraic Lynch, Padraig O’Grady, Conor Crowley; Shane Downes (0-1), John Finnucane, Michael Cotter; Jack Keating (0-2), Cathal Murray (0-2); David Coughlan (0-1), Alan Normoyle (0-1), Philip Ryan (0-3); Sean Crowley (2-0), Stan Lineen (0-1), Colm Pender (0-1).
Subs: Niall Reidy for C Crowley (inj); Conor Finnucane for D. Coughlan
Referee: Noel Meaney (Coolmeen)
Wolfe Tones seal Garry Cup status
Wolfe Tones 2-21
Naomh Eoin 2-11
Venue; Shannon
Wolfe Tones went into this Garry Cup tie at Shannon on Saturday evening knowing that anything other than a victory would see them drop down to Division 2 for next season
Their determination to remain in the Garry Cup was evident from the outset and with the help of two first half goals from full forward Jack Ryan, one coming from the penalty spot, they had opened a five point led by half time when the score was 2-8 to 1-6.
In what was a repeat of last year’s division 3 league final, the Shannon men continued to hold the advantage throughout the second half, doubling their advantage to ten points by the full time whistle.
Eight players shared in their impressive tally with all six forwards getting on the scoresheet.
Eoghan Gough top scored with 0-11 to his name and this tally included four two pointers
Six players shared in Naomh Eoin’s tally which included just one two pointer which came from midfielder Conor Downes.
Wolfe Tones; Fionn McInerney; Shane Nihill, Aaron Brennan, Tan Greene; Cody Waller, Conor Carigg, Niall Fitzgerald; Liam Divillly (0-1) Dean Devanney; Eoghan Gough (0-11, 4 tp), Aaron Kellly (0-2, tp), Shay Walker (0-1); Ben O’Neill (0-2), Jack Ryan (2-2, 1-0 pen), Gavin Carigg (0-1);
Subs; Daithi Lohan for A Brennan; Joe McGauley for S. Waller; Damian Lyne for C. Waller; Conor Casey for G. Carigg; Kevin Hanley (0-1) for B. O’Neill;
Naomh Eoin; Tomas Bonfil; Andrew Naughton, Sean Bonfil, Declan Keniry; Adam Haugh, Conor Tevlin, Eoin Hanrahan; Fergal Keane, Conor Downes (0-2, tp); Joe Roche (1-0), Conor Magner, Kevin Roche (0-1); Owen Lynch (1-4), Gavin Magner, Niall Bonfil (0-1);
Subs; Odhran Lynch (0-3) for A. Naughton; Gearoid Lynch for C. Tevlin; Mark McQuaid for J. Roche
Referee: Fergal O’Brien (Broadford)
