*Mark Sheedy makes a fantastic save in the penalty shootout. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
TRUSTING his instincts was the key to making three epic penalty saves for Clare U20 goalkeeper Mark Sheedy.
Coverage in association with McKeoghs Hardware, Ballina-Killaloe
Sheedy was more than just the hero of the hour but rather the main man from 19:35 to 21:52 in TUS Gaelic Grounds on Wednesday when stepping up with three saves in the penalty shootout as well as dispatching to the net in a memorable win for Clare’s U20 hurlers.
It is not an exaggeration to say Sheedy’s saves were among some of the finest ever seen nor is it Clare bias to label his input as one of the greatest ever GAA goalkeeping displays in a shootout.
His agility and shot stopping was so impressive that it captured attention all over the world and was even named as ESPN’s number one sporting moment on Sports Centre’s daily top ten.
One of the Best saves of all time by Mark Sheedy to Win the Penalty Shootout. pic.twitter.com/nOob1AMNR9
— Buff Egan (@buff_egan) May 14, 2026
Speaking to The Clare Echo in the midst of Clare’s celebrations, Mark reflected, “It is hard to sum it up because it is so frantic at the moment, I’m so proud of the lads out there, they have been battling away for eighty or ninety minutes, we’re so delighted to get over the line”.
Penalties have not always gone Clare’s way he noted as the Sixmilebridge shot stopper pointed to their defeat to Tipperary in the 2022 Munster minor hurling final. “We played Tipperary four years ago in a Munster minor final and I don’t think we hit a penalty on target and I didn’t get a stick to any of them, it was so nice to right the wrongs today, we have such an excellent team and I’m so delighted that everyone of them have a Munster U20 medal now”.
Goalkeepers must back their own ability when it comes to a shootout, Mark explained. “You have to keep your nerve inside there, as Roy Keane says ‘it’s your job’ to stop them getting goals, you have to be patient and not progress off your line because I got pulled for it three years ago so my first job for Oisin O’Donoghue’s penalty was not to rush off the line, trust my instincts and trust my reactions”.
Not alone could he stop them but Mark was able to rifle his own penalty past Paddy McCormack. “I was on them last year for the club in the premier intermediate championship and it stood to me. We were practicing them last week, we know when it is ourselves and Tipp that we are both brilliant teams, we knew it would go down to the wire, we didn’t predict penalties but we certainly practiced them on the off chance and we were lucky we did”.
