*Éire Óg supporters in the Town End of Cusack Park. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill NOT ALONE did they create history in winning successive Clare SFC titles for Éire Óg but wing back Ciaran Russell acknowledged the importance of their win in inspiring the next crop of club talent.
Cathal O’Reilly is fouled by Ikem Ugwueru and Niall McMahon. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Niall McMahon is one of Éire Óg’s unsung heroes. A dual player, he plays corner back for the hurlers while he is a defensive wing forward for the footballers, never one to grab the headlines this doesn’t bother him in the slightest.
*David McNamara shields the ball from Joey Rouine. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill ÉIRE ÓG were driven on by the devastation of losing the Clare SHC final by a single point in their quest to retain the county football title, midfielder David McNamara has said.
*Mark McInerney and Paul Madden stand for the national anthem. Photograph: Paul Madden A PROUD ÉIRE Óg man to the core, it’s fitting in a way that such a genuine clubman like Paul Madden holds the distinction of managing their senior footballers to back to back titles for the first time.
*David McNamara scrambles to win the ball with Oran Cahill and Ikem Ugwueru closing in. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill ENNISTYMON can take more positives than negatives from their 2022 Clare SFC campaign but they remain dejected with the outcome of Sunday’s county final.
*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.