*Éire Óg manager, Paul Madden. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Dealing with big occasions are nothing new for Éire Óg manager, Paul Madden but he still expects to contend with nerves as the Ennis club take on Kilmurry Ibrickane in Sunday’s county football final.
*Ciaran Russell drives forward as Brendan Rouine gives chase. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill When it comes to Éire Óg’s footballers winning senior titles, Peter Cosgrove has been an ever-present figure.
*Gavin Cooney remains an injury doubt for Sunday’s final. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Éire Óg’s marquee forward, Gavin Cooney is in a race against time to be fit for what will be his first taste of a senior championship final.
*Denis O’Callaghan is held by Mark McInerney. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill A “professional performance” laid the foundations for Éire Óg’s senior footballers securing their appearance in the biggest day of the Clare football calendar.
*Darren O’Neill. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill A first county senior football final appearance since 2014 awaits Éire Óg following a polished display to keep St Breckan’s at arm’s length in Cusack Park on Saturday evening.
*Philip Talty keeps his eyes firmly on the ball. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Securing a place in the semi-finals of the Clare SFC marks an “important” step for Éire Óg.
In low scoring games, a goal usually proves crucial and so it was at Cusack Park this Saturday afternoon when Mark McInerney’s penalty goal in the twenty first minute gave his side a lead they held to the finish in this senior football championship quarter final.
*Jamie Stack and Sean Crowley wrestle for possession. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Clare’s senior football championship is a far cry from subbuteo, one of the managers hoping to cause an upset in this weekend’s quarter-final has said.
*Éire Óg’s Conall Ó hÁiniféin. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Éire Óg have advanced to the quarter-finals of the Clare SFC for the fifth year in succession.
*Éire Óg manager, Paul Madden. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill They set the standard in round one but Éire Óg failed to back this up over the weekend when suffered a surprise one point loss to Clondegad but manager Paul Madden is already eyeing up their crucial last group game with Doonbeg.