*Brendy Rouine is among the players getting a first start of the 2023 NFL. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill EIGHT CLARE footballers will make their first start of this year’s Allianz National Football League in what will be the county’s last outing in the competition.
*Eoin Cleary. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill CAPTAIN EOIN Cleary returns to the county football side for their third round of the Allianz National Football League.
Podge Collins is fouled. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill CLARE SENIOR FOOTBALL manager, Colm Collins has stressed his side cannot afford to concede four goals again while his Meath counterpart Colm O’Rourke has hit out at “player abuse” with the current fixtures schedule.
*Darren O’Neill is pulled back by Conor Grimes. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill MIDFIELDER DARREN O’NEILL will miss Clare’s clash with Meath in the second round of the Allianz National Football League at Páirc Tailteann in Navan this Sunday.
*Éanna Rouine netted the decisive goal in Tuesday’s semi-final. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill For the second time this season, an Ennistymon football team has progressed to a major championship final helped by a last minute goal.
*Éire Óg players celebrate at the final whistle. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill ÉIRE ÓG HAVE retained their title as Clare senior football champions wrestling off the challenge of Ennistymon.
*Eoin Cleary shoots on goal. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill CLARE senior football captain Eoin Cleary believes an already impressive Éire Óg have brought their standards to a new level this year.
*Sean Rouine, Joey Rouine, Brendan Rouine, Ciaran Vaughan, Cillian Rouine, Eoin Rouine. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill WITH NO LESS THAN TEN of the Rouine clan forming part of the Ennistymon panel, to call it a family affair for the football mad North Clare crew is certainly an understatement.
*Lawrence Healy leading the way for Ennistymon. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill AN EXPERIENCED HEAD, LAWRENCE Healy will relish the chance to feature on county final day if given the opportunity.
*Liam Cotter takes on Martin McMahon. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill IN THE MOST DRAMATIC FASHION, Ennistymon have advanced to the final of the Clare SFC and became the first team to get there by winning a penalty shootout on sudden death.
