*Fergal O’Brien. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
BROADFORD clubman Fergal O’Brien is to take charge of Sunday’s TUS Clare senior football final between Éire Óg and Kilmurry Ibrickane.
O’Brien will referee his first senior championship final when Éire Óg and Kilmurry Ibrickane meet in the county final in what is a repeat of the 2021 decider. Sunday’s final commences at 14:30 in Cusack Park.
A dual-referee, the Kerry native has been busy on the club scene throughout the championship and has been rewarded with the top gig for the showpiece event in the club football calendar.
Games officiated by O’Brien during this year’s Clare SFC include Cratloe’s group wins over St Joseph’s Miltown and Doonbeg, the North Clare derby between Ennistymon and St Breckan’s which saw Ennistymon prevail in the quarter-final that had two mentors dismissed to the stand.
Last year, Fergal was the man in the middle for the Clare IHC final when Corofin overcame Sixmilebridge’s second string. He was part of the Broadford U15 management when they defeated Feakle/Killanena in 2019 to win what was the club’s first B championship in twenty eight years.
A lecturer in the University of Limerick, Fergal is a Professor in Finance and Assistant Dean of Postgraduate Studies at the Kemmy Business School.
Miltown Malbay native, Niall Quinn who was the referee for last year’s senior final between Cratloe and St Breckan’s will be the referee for Saturday’s intermediate final which pits Naomh Eoin against Wolfe Tones. The game takes place at 3pm in Cooraclare.
