*Gavin Cooney accepts the Jack Daly from Clare GAA Chairman, Kieran Keating. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill FOR TWO years running, Gavin Cooney had the honour of walking up the steps of Cusack Park to lift the Jack Daly for Éire Óg.
*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.
*Keelan Sexton. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill BOTH OF THIS YEAR’s Clare SFC finalists are reliant on building the play from the back in what Clare forward Keelan Sexton expects to be a very defensive county final.
Cathal O’Connor. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill FRESH FROM WINNING a second Clare SHC medal with Ballyea, county footballer Cathal O’Connor gave his take on this weekend’s meeting between Éire Óg and Ennistymon.
*Kevin Hehir distributes the ball with Aidan McCarthy behind him. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill INJURIES have been an unfortunate constant of Ennistymon’s memorable run to a first Clare SFC final since 2018 and regrettably for Kevin Hehir, he’s been the latest addition to their long list of casualties.
*Éire Óg’s Manus Doherty works the ball up field from defence. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill WHEN ÉIRE ÓG claimed the Jack Daly in 2021, Manus Doherty was among their standout players, it led to a breakthrough with the Clare senior footballers and the defender is intent to collect another senior title this coming weekend.
*Éire Óg manager, Paul Madden. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill THEY WERE CREDITED as the platform for driving better standards within Éire Óg GAA club and now the senior footballers find themselves sixty minutes away from retaining the Jack Daly.
*David Tubridy. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill EXPERIENCED CLARE forward, David Tubridy says Éire Óg’s senior footballers are “a step ahead” of the chasing pack.
*Mark McInerney on the attack for Éire Óg. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill HE HAS THE PEDIGREE and Mark McInerney is adamant both he and his teammates have the hunger to match it when it comes to their bid to retain the Jack Daly.
*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.