*Seán Rynne of Ennistymon. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
ENNISTYMON are targeting their final round group game in the Clare SFC as the chance to go top and advance straight to the quarter-finals.
Near neighbours Ennistymon and St Joseph’s Miltown cross swords in Cooraclare on Sunday afternoon. Both sides are assured of a place in the knockout stages but the winner will go straight to the quarter-finals and in the case of the North Clare side, depending on scoring difference a win for them could see them claim top spot in Group 3.
Reflecting on their second round draw with Cratloe, Ennistymon manager Ger Quinlan said while it would be accurate to say the result saw them drop a point as opposed to gaining one, they were content to earn a share of the spoils against the champions.
He said, “We could look at it that way, we were four points up at half time but the way we look at it now and the way Cratloe came back we’re happy to get a draw at the end but we are disappointed not to get a result but happy the way the game was gone in the second half to get a draw”.
Quinlan was pleased to see levels of improvement in their display, off the back of their opening round win against Doonbeg. “It was a good performance, the lads brought their experience for a finish. As I was saying the last day, once we got the first game out of the way we were always going to improve for the second game and that is the way it was, now there is still a lot to work on”.
Even before the second round, Doonbeg’s defeat to Miltown meant Ennistymon would be in the knockout stages but Quinlan stressed their focus remains on a high finish in the group. “We didn’t think of that all, that was in the back of our minds totally. The next game is going to find out who is going to be first, second and third and that is the way it should be in this group, the last match will determine everything, we weren’t looking at that at all”.
A late injury ruled Brendy Rouine out of the second round with what Quinlan described as “a small tinge”. Although listed on the matchday programme, David Fitzgerald has not been part of their panel to date, “David is taking time out at the moment so we will see where he is at” the Ennistymon manager said when asked on the availability of the All-Ireland winning hurler.
Given that Eoin Murray is set to go in as coach of the Clare ladies footballers, Eoin Troy has Doora/Barefield on their way to the quarter-finals and Quinlan has Ennistymon headed to the knockout stages, it is put to the former Clare midfielder that O’Currys are churning out an array of strong football coaches, he replied, “It’s good to see the lads getting around and with the experience coaching”.
