*Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE’s senior footballers have kept their push for promotion to Division 2 of the Allianz National Football League alive after producing a strong finish to overcome Fermanagh.
Clare 1-17
Fermanagh 1-15
Venue: Cusack Park, Ennis
Two wins from three outings have Peter Keane’s in the shake-up for promotion approaching the midway stage of this year’s competition.
There’s a lot of football to be played and a lot of improvement required from Clare for this possibility to even be considered.
Emmet McMahon excelled in the Clare attack, finishing as the top scorer from both sides, kicking some fine efforts off either foot. Brian McNamara and Manus Doherty also chipped in with impressive displays.
A level of inconsistency is still evident in Clare’s displays, they survived on this occasion but stronger opposition will make them suffer for dipping in and out of games.
That said, Clare provided a push at the finish when the pressure was mounting which in itself is a very positive sign. Coupled with their impressive start where they went 1-2 0-0 ahead inside six minutes, the foundations thus far in the campaign leave Clare’s supporters optimistic.
Alan Sweeney with his second goal in as many games raised the green flag on four minutes. Ikem Ugwueru capitalised on a gap in the Fermanagh defence, Sweeney worked a 1-2 with Aaron Griffin and his tidy finish eluded Ross Bogue.
McMahon had points on either side of the major before Fermanagh kicked three points on the trot, they were getting great joy in front of the Ennis CBS side of Cusack Park and caught Clare on the overlap on far too many occasions.
Such a move resulted in them getting on level terms when midfielder Joe McDade found the net. Fionn O’Brien’s run and shot across goal was caught by Ronan McCaffrey who fed back to McDade who tucked the ball under Eamon Tubridy.
Two pointers from McMahon and Eoin Cleary left Clare three points ahead at the interval, the sides could have been level but the hosts needed this advantage, such was the strength of the breeze in Cusack Park.
Fermanagh came with a strong gust on the restart and had four of the first five scores to take the lead for the first time.
As the game entered the final quarter, Clare stepped up their efforts, Ciaran Downes bagged a brace with McMahon continuing to fire over vital scores off either foot.
Conor Love reduced the gap to a single point with five minutes of normal time remaining but Clare responded with a fine Brian McNamara run and finish which was followed by another McMahon point, his tenth of the afternoon which meant Sean Cassidy’s response was insufficient.
Declan McCusker had a late chance to force a draw, he went for a two pointer and came within inches of landing an equaliser only to be denied by the crossbar and the post.
Scorers for Clare: E McMahon 0-10 (1tpf, 2f); E Cleary 0-4 (1tpf, 1f); A Sweeney 1-0; C Downes 0-2; B McNamara 0-1
Scorers for Fermanagh: G Jones 0-4 (2f); J Largo Elis 0-3 (1tp); J McDade 1-0; F O’Brien 0-2 (1f); R McCaffrey, P Breen, R Lyons, D McGurn, C Love, S Cassidy 0-1 each
Clare:
1: Eamon Tubridy (Doonbeg)
4: Cillian Rouine (Ennistymon)
3: Cillian Brennan (Clondegad)
2: Manus Doherty (Éire Óg)
18: Cillian McGroary (Corofin)
9: Sean McAllister (Clondegad)
7: Alan Sweeney (St Breckan’s)
8: Brian McNamara (Cooraclare)
5: Ikem Ugwueru (Éire Óg)
12: Daniel Walsh (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
10: Eoin Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown)
13: Ciaran Downes (Kilmihil)
11: Emmet McMahon (Kildysart)
14: Aaron Griffin (Lissycasey)
15: Keelan Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
Subs:
17: Connor Meaney (Lissycasey) for Walsh (HT)
19: Evan Cahill (Kilmurry Ibrickane) for McGroary (48)
22: Cormac Murray (St Joseph’s Miltown) for Sexton (64)
20: Darragh Burns (Doonbeg) for Griffin (70)
Fermanagh:
1: Ross Bogue (
2: Lee Cullen (
3: Ché Cullen
7: Ronan McCaffrey
4: Fionan O’Brien
6: Declan McCusker
5: Jonathan Cassidy
9: Darragh McGurn
8: Joe McDade
10: Shane McGuillion
12: Paul Breen
13: Josh Largo Elis
15: Conor Love
14: Garvan Jones
22: Ryan Lyons
Subs:
25: Sean Cassidy for Lyons (57)
Referee: Christopher Ryan (Galway)
