Kilmurry Ibrickane 1-14 Clondegad 0-14
Kilmurry Ibrickane became Clare Senior football champions for the second year in a row in front of 4,916 spectators at Cusack Park Ennis.
The champions lead Clondegad by 0-6 to 0-4 at the break and the turning point of the game came in the 55th minute when recently introduced sub Peter O’Dwyer rifled into the Clondegad net with his first touch of the game.
This goal left Kilmurry 1-13 to 0-10 in front and even though there was nine minutes of additional time played, the west Clare club held out for victory.
Clondegad, playing in their first ever Senior decider, kept this tie tight. Backboned by hurlers from their sister club Ballyea, they never appeared to suffer from stage fright.
But Kilmurry’s experience was a vital factor in the win with Keelan Sexton, Stephen Moloney and seventeen-year-old Dermot Coughlan providing vital scores throughout. In injury time at the end Kilmurry’s Peter O’Dwyer and Clondegad’s Joe Neylon were shown straight red cards.
Kilmurry Ibrickane: I McInerney (0-4 f's), Darragh Sexton, D Hickey, M Killeen, S Hickey, M McMahon (Capt.), E Talty, M McCarthy, K King, M Hogan, S Moloney (0-2), N Hickey, E Coughlan, K Sexton (0-5 2 f's), D Coughlan (0-1). Subs: T Lernihan for Talty inj. (22), M O'Dwyer for Hogan (40), N Downes (0-1) for N Hickey (43), P O'Dwyer (1-0) for McCarthy (53), E Bracken for Moloney (58), Darren Sexton (0-1) for K Sexton (66).
Clondegad: L Deasy, B Carrigg, C Brennan, B Casey, B Murphy, C Ryan, C Gavin, G Brennan(0-2, 1f), J Murphy, T Lynch (0-1), G O'Connell (0-1), T Kelly (0-3), P McMahon (0-4 3 f's), S Brennan (C) (0-1), E Donnellan (0-2). Subs: R Jennings for J Murphy (h/t), J Neylon for Lynch (40), N Lynch for B Murphy (46), N Deasy for Ryan (53).
Referee: P Cosgrave (Corofin)
