Ennistymon crowned Junior champions

*Ennistymon’s Josh Guyler. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography

For the second time in three months, Ballyvaughan have had to suffer the disappointment of defeat in the final of the Clare Junior A football championship.

Ennistymon 0-10
Ballyvaughan 0-7
Venue: Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown Malbay

Back in July at the same venue, they lost out to the Banner club in the refixed 2020 final. They bounced back from that and qualified for the 2021 final but had to give best to a better balanced Ennistymon outfit.

Ennistymon’s victory means that the club will have teams competing at senior, intermediate and junior levels in 2022. Offering greater scoring potential, they took an early lead in this afternoon’s final which was played in difficult conditions with players having to contend with a tricky wind while they also had to deal with rain that got heavier as the game went on.

A Danny Rouine pointed free and a point from play from Niall Canavan gave them an early lead which they held throughout. The game was nine minutes old before Ballyvaughan opened their account with defender Adam Walsh coming up field to point.

At the first waterbreak the teams were level at 0-3 each and when play resumed the club from the Galway border took the lead for the only time when their chief score-getter Jonah Culligan converted a 35m free.

Ennistymon bounced back and kicked the next three points to lead 0-6 to 0-4 at the interval. The half ended in a bit of controversy as Ennistymon mentors raced onto the field protesting. An attempted short kickout by Ballyvaughan goalie Damian McNamara was intercepted by Ennistymon and a goal looked certain but match official Barry Keating had blown the half time whistle.

With light fading and weather conditions worsening, Ennistymon didn’t rush back onto the field after the break and linesman Barry Kelly was dispatched to instruct them to return.
The third quarter produced just one score and this was an Niall Canavan pointed free for the winners. The half was fifteen minutes old when Jonah Culligan converted a 20m free for Ballyvaughan.

Points were traded twice in the next ten minutes before Canavan converted a 20m free for the final score of the tie, six minutes from the final whistle.

Cathal McConigley, Niall Canavan, Dara Rouine, Gerry Coote and Josh Guyler impressed for the winners. Jonah Culligan kicked all but one of his side’s tally and he got most support from James Hynes, Adam Walsh and James Howard.

After the game a clearly delighted Ennistymon captain Cathal Frawley accepted the trophy from Clare GAA’s PRO Michael O’Connor

Scorers Ennistymon: Niall Canavan (0-4, 3f) Danny Rouine (0-3,1f), Cathal McConigley (0-1), Shane Kearney (0-1), Darren McNamara (0-1).

Scorers Ballyvaughan: Jonah Culligan (0-6, 4f), Adam Walsh (0-1)

Ennistymon:
1: Darren Torpey

22: Micheál Vaughan
2: Oisin Vaughan
4: Dara Rouine

21: Niall Hogan
6: Michael O’Loughlin
24: Josh Guyler

8: Gerry Coote
9: Cathal McDonagh

10: Shane Kearney
11: Cathal McConigley
12: Eoin Marrinan

13: Darren McNamara
14: Danny Rouine
15: Niall Canavan

Subs:
3: Cathal Frawley for Kearney (51)
20: Brian McDonagh for C. McDonagh (52)
17: Dara McInerney for D. McNamara (56)

Ballyvaughan/Fanore;
1: Damian McNamara

2: Adam Walsh
3: Mark Walsh
4: Joseph Flanagan