*Seamus Casey on the attack. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill

Kildysart finally broke their intermediate final hoodoo when edging out Cooraclare by the bare minimum in a dramatic finale in Cusack Park Ennis on Sunday evening.

Kildysart 0-10
Cooraclare 1-06
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis

Following the heartbreak of four final reverses in just six years, a determined Kildysart ensured that they made their own luck this time around when taking the game to Cooraclare from the outset and fully merited their long-awaited return to senior.

Unfortunately, their superior intensity and physicality wasn’t initially matched on the scoreboard as despite scoring the first three points through Jamie Evans (2) and Seamus Casey by the sixth minute, all their good early work was undone in the 19th minute when Sean O’Donoghue palmed a high James Chambers delivery to the net at 1-1 to 0-4.

Kildysart had an immediate opportunity to cancel it out but Luke McGrath’s shot would be repelled by goalkeeper Mark Lillis. To their credit, Kildysart did rebuild their three point advantage thanks to points from Evans, Emmet McMahon and Fergal Ginnane by the 28th minute.

However, Kildysart’s fortunes appeared to turn as a subequent black card for county senior McMahon allied to a nine wide tally only provided the estuary side with a 0-7 to 1-2 half-time cushion.

The only way was up for Cooraclare who did up the ante to finally regain parity with a superb Ciaran O’Donoghue point by the two-thirds mark at 1-5 to 0-8.

However, the Milesians were never able to inch in front at any stage and received a telling blow entering the final quarter when Sean O’Donoghue was sent to the sinbin.

Kildysart capitalised with two of the next three points through Emmet McMahon and Seamus Casey to nudge themselves 0-10 to 1-6 in front by the 54th minute.

However, an eventful final few minutes saw Sean O’Donoghue’s premature return greeted by a yellow and red card, only to see it rescinded when it was realised that he had been given permission to come back on by the fourth official.

And within 30 seconds, Emmet McMahon was instead dismissed for a trip to ensure that instead Kildysart would finish with only 14 men.

Cooraclare pressed for an elusive equaliser but only had a hopeful last gasp effort drift wide of the target as Kildysart held on to finally bridge a 19 year gap to their last Intermediate crown amidst unbridled elation in Clare Headquarters.

Scorers for Kildysart: Jamie Evans (0-3); Seamus Casey, Emmet McMahon (f), Conor Hassett (m) (0-2 each); Fergal Ginnane (0-1)

Scorers for Cooraclare: Ciaran O’Donoghue (0-3, 1f, 1s/l); Sean O’Donoghue (1-0); Mark Tubridy, Micheál Garry (f), Damien Burke (0-1 each)

Cooraclare:
1: Mark Lillis

4: Niall Kelly
26: Thomas Downes
3: Gearoid Looney

7: Micheál Garry
6: Pearse Lillis
2: Gary Donnellan

8: James Chambers
9: Sean O’Donoghue

5: Padraic O’Donoghue
12: Damien Burke
22: Sean Browne

11: Mark Tubridy
10: Brian McNamara
14: Ciaran O’Donoghue

Subs:
18: Keith Marrinan for Browne (HT)
19: John Lillis for Tubridy (HT)
23: Jack Morrissey for J. Lillis (48, inj)
13: Colin McNamara for Marrinan (59)

Kildysart:
1: Conor Cusack

4: Stephen Sheehan
3: Brian Eyres
2: Michael Eustace

5: Rory McMahon
6: Kieran Leahy
7: Fergal Ginnane

8: Keith O’Connor
9: Kieran O’Brien

12: Luke McGrath
10: Seamus Casey
14: Conor Moloney

11: Emmet McMahon
15: Conor Hassett
13: Jamie Evans

Sub:
17: Oisin Coyle for Hassett (63)

Referee: Barry Keating (Lissycasey)

Advertisement

Related News

ambulance coast guard scariff 1
Bodyke hurler recovering after picking up head injury which forced abandonment of game vs Whitegate
jim gavin 2
Crowe rows in behind Jim Gavin to get Fianna Fáil nomination for Presidential election
1 Shannon Airport_Munster Rugby Women's Bus
Shannon Airport & Munster get new wheels ahead of Interpro final
Shannon, Ireland, June
Shannon will not receive 15 extra Gardaí despite claims of Govt TDs
Latest News
st josephs miltown vs doonbeg 30-08-25 conor cleary darragh burns 1
Miltown down Doonbeg and march onto quarter-finals
João Tudella 1
Lahinch director's climate film to screen at Irish festivals
ambulance coast guard scariff 1
Bodyke hurler recovering after picking up head injury which forced abandonment of game vs Whitegate
Lunch Time Lifestyle with the Clare Echo Contributers (1)
September blooms bringing fresh colour and autumn pots to brighten your garden
lahinch ladies golf
Lahinch ladies chasing senior cup honours
Premium
feakle v newmarket-on-fergus 08-08-25 oisin donnellan 1
'Next man up' the focus in Feakle despite injury crisis
Shannon, Ireland, June
Shannon will not receive 15 extra Gardaí despite claims of Govt TDs
Springfield3
€5.2m Springfield flood relief scheme 'makes fear & devastation of flooding a thing of the past' in Clonlara
st josephs miltown v doonbeg 16-08-24 sean neylon eoghan killeen 1
Doonbeg & Miltown to battle it out for last remaining quarter-final spot
ballymacaula 1
Plans for Ennis' largest housing scheme meet stumbling block

Advertisement

Subscribe for just €3 per month

If you’re here, you care about County Clare. So do we. Did you rely on us for Covid-19 updates, follow our election coverage, or visit The Clare Echo every week for breaking news and sport? The Clare Echo invests in local journalism and we want to safeguard its future in our county. By becoming a subscriber you are supporting what we do, will receive access to all our premium articles and a better experience, while helping us improve our offering to you. Subscribe to clareecho.ie and get the first six months for just €3 a month (less than 75c per week), and thereafter €8 per month. Cancel anytime, limited time offer. T&Cs Apply. www.clareecho.ie.