Garry Cup Div. 2 Final

22 July, 2018 in Cooraclare

By Mike Brennan

Éire Óg 0-14             Ennistymon 0-10

On a hot muggy day out in the depths of Cooraclare, the Éire Óg senior footballers emulated the achievements of their Junior A brethren by winning the Garry Cup (Division 2 Football League) today on a score line of 14 points to 10. The Éire Óg Junior A team had comprehensively beaten a highly fancied Michael Cusack’s team in the Division 4 League Final on a score line of 3-9 to 1-9 in Corofin back on June 30th. While our Junior As were the underdogs, our seniors were the favourites having disposed of the Ennistymon seniors on home turf on a score line of 1-18 to 2-8 back on June 9th. On that day, Gavin Cooney was unstoppable, notching 1-11 of the team’s total on the day. As such, it was expected that Ennistymon would have a special plan for Gavin up their sleeves and others in red would have to step into the breach in his stead.

Winning the Garry Cup and going unbeaten in the league so far this season is a fantastic achievement and huge kudos must go to the management team of Paul Madden, Stephen McNamara, Tom Russell, Alan Malone and Cathal Shannon. With the notable exception of the veteran, Shane Daniels, this is a relatively young team. Though it is worth noting that this young team is composed of U21 and minor winners who have grown up used to competing on winning teams.

Éire Óg got off to best start possible with young star, Gavin Cooney, pointing from a free with his trusty left foot in just the 2nd minute following a foul by the former intercounty star, Laurence Healy on Eimhin Courtney.  Eimhin really stepped up today and ran the Ennistymon defence ragged, drawing free after free. After the 1st point from a free, Gavin followed that up a typical Gavin score from his trusty left foot in the 3rd minute. Just the start Éire Óg wanted and Ennistymon didn’t. Ennistymon responded in the 4th minute with a well taken point by young Ennistymon star, Cian Shannon. Young Shannon, like Gavin Cooney and Danny Griffin, is just out of minor and was a handful throughout. At this stage, the game was being played at a ferocious pace that it was hard to see how it could be maintained. The next score followed in the 10th minute from the left foot of Paddy O’Malley. At this stage, Éire Óg led by 3 points to 1 and looked comfortable.

Then disaster struck in the 14th minute, Paddy O’Malley in a moment of madness appeared to respond badly to some heavy and untoward tackling and was shown a straight red card by referee, Barry Kelly, having conferred with his linesman. If Éire Óg were going to win this then they were going to have to do it the hard way. Éire Óg went with just Gavin and Eimhin up front on their own and they responded magnificently by upping their work rate. Ennistymon responded by adding 2 points of their own from corner forward Joe Dowling from a free and full forward, Sean McGonigley. With the sides’ level, Éire Óg added 2 points with close-in frees from Eimhin and Gavin.

With halftime looming, Éire Óg pulled further ahead after a fine individual score by Conal O’hAinifein, who burst forward and broke a couple of tackles before planting the ball between the uprights. Éire Óg were leading by 3 points at this stage and seemed to have weathered the Ennistymon storm. With the whistle in Barry Kelly’s lips, a scuffle broke out on the side-line in front of the Ennistymon dugout and what went from an Éire Óg side-line ball to a throw in that led to the final point of the half from the young star, Shannon for Ennistymon. This gave the West Clare team an unexpected boost just before halftime.

Éire Óg led 0-6 to 0-4 at halftime and the buzz around the ground was would the Townies prevail with a man down or would Ennistymon make their advantage pay.

Ennistymon make a couple of halftime changes but it was Éire Óg who burst out of the blocks in the 2nd half with another fine individual point from Conal O’hAinifein after just 10 seconds to put the Townies ahead 7 points to 4. Ennistymon then absolutely owned the next 10 minutes as they reeled off point after point to draw level at 7 points apiece in the 10th minute of the 2nd half. It was looking ominous for the men in red at this stage as the momentum had clearly swung in the direction of the direction of the men from West Clare.

As the saying goes “fate is a cruel mistress” and the men in red wrestled the initiative back and rattled over points from Gavin from a free and the effervescent Shane Daniels and a great individual score from Eimhin Courtney followed by yet another sweet strike from Gavin Cooney. This put the Townies back in a 4 point lead. The Ennistymon discipline then seemed to snap as their corner back, Adam Ralph, decided to practice his WWE style wrestling to warrant his 2nd yellow card from referee Barry Kelly, this left the sides level with 14 men apiece and the men in red 4 points ahead. The momentum had clearly swung back the Townie’s way.

Both sides exchanged points with frees from Ennistymon corner forward, Joe Dowling and inter county star, Eimhin Courtney. The West Clare team needed a goal to get back in the game and they threw everything including the kitchen sink at the red defence but unlike the league encounter in early June, the Townies defence held firm with attack after attack foundering on the rocks of the Éire Óg defence. 

The introduction of the young legs of subs, David McNamara, Dara Walsh, Ekem Ugweru and Cathal Darcy allowed the Townies to run at the tiring Ennistymon defence which yielded 2 late points from trusted left boot of who else but Gavin Cooney.

It was fitting that the final whistle was blown by the referee Kelly after yet another Ennistymon attack was turned over by the hard pressing of the Éire Óg defence. This left the final score line of 0-14 to Éire Óg and 0-10 to Ennistymon and Éire Óg were crowned the 2018 Garry Cup champions. The Garry Cup was presented to Éire Óg captain, Conor Brennan by the Garry family at the finale.

On a hot muggy day, Éire Óg were best served by Nially McMahon, Sean Corry and Aidan McGrath in defence. Shane Daniels was a rock in midfield and belied his veteran status in the 2nd half when the Éire Óg defence was under siege.  Conal O’hAinifein and Danny Griffin ran all day long and fought for every ball. Eimhin Courtney really stepped up today and showed his inter county status while Gavin was just Gavin and simply superb.

Next up for Éire Óg is Lissycasey in the first round of the championship in early/mid-August. We can fully expect half of the parish of Lissycasey to be behind the ball in defence come championship time so they will be a different proposition altogether.  Winning the Garry Cup and securing Cusack cup status for 2019 is great but Championship is what it’s all about and more importantly, securing senior status going forward is crucial for a club of the stature of Éire Óg.

So the Garry Cup joins the Football Division 4 league trophy in the Éire Óg trophy cabinet, hopefully the Townies can complete the treble this year with the upcoming Hurling Division 3 league final against Newmarket for our Junior A hurlers, time & venue TBD on that one.   

Éire Óg Scorers - Gavin Cooney 7 points (4 frees), Eimhin Courtney 3 points (2 frees), Conal O’hAinifein 2 points, Shane Daniels 1 point and Paddy O’Malley 1 point.      

Éire Óg Team – Niall O’Connor, Niall McMahon, Conor Brennan (captain), Einne O’Connor, Aidan McGrath, Sean Corry, Tadgh Connellan, Shane Daniels, Conal O’hAinifein, Danny Griffin, Danny Russell, Davy O’Halloran, Eimhin Courtney, Gavin Cooney, Paddy O’Malley.

Subs – Liam Corry for Danny Russell, David McNamara for Aidan McGrath, Dara Walsh for Davy O’Halloran, Ikem Ugweru for Shane Daniels, Cathal Darcy for Danny Griffin – all 2nd half.