11th August 2018 @ 2pm in Gurteen - Éire Óg v Lissycasey
Clare Senior Championship 2018 1st Round Result - Éire Óg 0-9 Lissycasey 0-10
Well, we said it was going to be tense and tight and it certainly was. Éire Óg lost the first round of the 2018 Clare senior football championship by a single point to perennially bitter rivals, Lissycasey.
But it could have been oh so different........the men in white playing with the wind in the first half were straight out of the blocks at the throw in when inter county star, Eimhin Courtney, shot over the bar with his right foot from an early free with just 55 seconds on the clock. Just the start required but the game then entered a stalemate period for the next ten minutes where like two heavyweights, the teams traded punches without anyone landing a serious blow. Éire Óg were clearly on top but not putting scores on the board as Lissycasey were disciplined with men behind the ball and content to spoil, hassle and harry.
This allowed Lissycasey to grow into the game and after 10 mins, a free from right hand side of the field by their left footed goalkeeper, Killian Normoyle, put the men in maroon on the board. While the Lissycasey defence repelled repeated Éire Óg attacks, the men in maroon were looking to attack on the break and they added their second point in 15th minutes through their speedy half forward, Aaron Griffin. 2 points to 1 to Lissycasey at this stage, 15 minutes in. The wides were starting to pile up at this stage for the Townies, growing to 14 in total for the 1st half.
Eimhin Courtney was proving to be the man with the Midas touch for Éire Óg as he added the Townies second point in the 16th minute with his cultured right foot. The Townies continued to press but continued to run into the Lissycasey rear guard. With half time looming, a breakaway by Lissycasey saw corner forward, Niall Kelly, cut through the Éire Óg defence and a goal looked imminent but Niall O’Connor dived brilliantly to his left to turn the low shot around the post. From the resulting 45m kick, goalkeeper, Normoyle struck the kick straight through the black spot to put the men in maroon ahead by a point at the break. This left the score line at Éire Óg 0-2 to Lissycasey 0-3 at the break with the Townies facing a growing wind and rain in the 2nd half. The Éire Óg fans were left to wonder would they rue the 14 wides in the first half.
While the Townie fans may have been hoping for an immediate response, it was Lissycasey who were quick off the mark in the second half where within 4 minutes of the restart, Lissycasey added 2 more points to stretch their lead to 3 points. These points were slotted over by centre forward and Clare county player, Conor Finucane and full forward Francie Hayes. But Éire Óg were not going to lay down and play dead! They responded magnificently through 2 well worked points slotted over by Eimhin Courtney again to reduce the gap to the minimum. Lissycasey responded with 2 more points of their own within a minute through Conor Finucane again and his brother, Enda. This left Éire Óg trailing by 3 points again with the wind and rain blowing at the Lissycasey men’s backs.
At this stage, the men in maroon had a grip around the middle of the park and the supply to the inside forward line was limited. Dara Walsh and Shane Daniels began to get a foothold with Dara slotting over a fine point in the 13th minute but corner forward Niall Kelly replied for Lissycasey.
Trailing by 3 points at the midpoint of the 2nd half, it was now or never for the Townies. Subs were sprung from the bench with Sean Corry replacing the young championship debutante, Danny Griffin, Liam Corry replacing Aidan McGrath and Ciaran Russell returning in place of Danny Russell. This injection of pace and fresh legs allowed Éire Óg to get a foothold in the game and more importantly, better ball to the inside line. This allowed Éire Óg to level the game in the 28th minute after 3 successive points by Gavin Cooney (two frees from the right) and a well taken point flashed over by Davy O’Halloran.
The sides were now level and the momentum had swung back in favour of the Townies. At this stage it looked like there would be only one winner and that would be the men in white. Éire Óg broke up the field and Conall O’Hanafein bore down on goal but shot straight at keeper Normoyle who gleefully gathered up the ball. The best goal chance of the game for Éire Óg had gone a begging.
But Lissycasey clearly hadn’t read the script and they worked the ball up field and out to centre forward Finucane again who slotted over with his right foot. From the resulting kick out, a mix up occurred that resulted in a throw ball right in front of the Éire Óg goal on the 21. Lissycasey regained possession and midfielder Matthew O’Shea fisted the ball over the bar to put 2 between the sides with time almost up.
With added time, there was still time for Éire Óg to draw level or even win the game. Éire Óg pressed and pressed but aside from a free from the left side by the irrepressible Eimhin Courtney in the 35th minute to reduce the gap to the absolute minimum. Time slipped away and the referee brought proceedings to a close with a shrill whistle. Éire Óg had lost 0-9 to 0-10 to the men of Lissycasey in the championship once again.
This was the senior footballer’s first defeat of 2018 and was keenly felt by team and fans alike. Éire Óg were best served today by Eimhin Courtney with 5 points (3 from placed balls). Aaron Fitzgerald was superb too supported by the veteran Shane Daniels.
Next up for Éire Óg is the loser’s group draw on Monday evening at county headquarters where we will all be hoping for a kinder draw than the 1st round draw. A loss in the next round and Éire Óg will be plying their trade in intermediate championship football next year, a win and Éire Óg will be back in the running for Jack Daly.
Meanwhile Saturday evening in a wet and windy Feakle, our Junior A hurlers beat Ogonnolloe on a score line of 5-14 to 5-6 to advance to the Junior A quarter finals as group runners-up to Kilmaley.
Éire Óg scorers - Eimhin Courtney 0-5 (0-3 frees); Gavin Cooney 0-2 (0-2 frees); Dara Walsh 0-1; Davy O’Halloran 0-1.
Éire Óg team - Niall O’Connor; Niall McMahon, Conor Brennan (captain), Einne O’Connor; Aidan McGrath, Aaron Fitzgerald, Tadhg Connellan; Shane Daniels, Dara Walsh; Danny Griffin, Danny Russell, Conall O’Hanafein; Eimhin Courtney, Gavin Cooney, Davy O’Halloran; Subs - Sean Corry for Danny Griffin; Liam Corry for Aidan McGrath; Ciaran Russell for Danny Russell; Ikem Ugweru for Tadhg Connellan.
