Two extra time goals see Éire Óg progress to Munster semi-final

Éire Óg (Clare) 2-11 Loughmore-Castleiney (Tipperary) 0-12 A.E.T.

A pair of extra time goals secured a victory for Clare champions Éire Óg, in the quarter-final of the Munster Club Senior football championship at Cusack Park Ennis on Sunday. Played in front of a crowd of 1,589, this tie went down to the wire with the Ennis based club relying on goals by Aaron Fitzgerald and Mark McInerney in the first half of extra time, to put daylight between the sides. At the end of normal time the teams were locked at nine points apiece.

Éire Óg opened the scoring for the day with a point from Philip Talty before Loughmore-Castleiney replied with points by John McGrath and Eamon Connelly. The home side led by 0-5 to 0-2 at the first water-break but a spirited second quarter by the Tipp champs saw them just one point adrift, (0-6 to 0-5), at the half-time whistle. Gavin Cooney and Mark McInerney added scores in the third quarter for Éire Óg while Loughmore sub Evan Sweeney add to his team’s tally leaving them behind by 0-8 to 0-6 at the second water-break. Éire Óg were reduced to fourteen men in the fifty-sixth minute when Darren O’Neill was black carded to add to his yellow earlier. A solo effort by Éire Óg’s Einne O’Connor put three between them before Loughmore Castleiney put in a late rally and points by Liam Treacy (2) and a left-footed effort by John McGrath sent the game to extra time.

Éire Óg began the extra-time with a full quota of players as team captain Gavin Cooney resumed, after being replaced earlier on. A John McGrath pointed free pushed Loughmore ahead early on but fullback Aaron Fitzgerald goaled moments later for the Clare side, drilling low to the corner of the net following a good pass from the right by Ciarán Russell. The second killer blow arrived eight minutes in by Mark McInerney, to leave his side 2-9 to 0-10 in to the good at the interval. In the final period of play Loughmore added a pair of points by Evan Sweeney. But subs Eimhin Courtney and Ikem Ugwueru found the target late in the game to give Eire Óg a five point victory.

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Éire Óg: N Murray; M Doherty, A Fitzgerald (1-0), R Lanigan; E O'Connor (0-1), C Ó hAiniféin, C Russell; D O'Neill (0-1), D McNamara; A McGrath, D Reidy, N McMahon; P Talty (0-1), G Cooney (Capt.)(0-4, 2 frees), M McInerney (1-2, 1 free).

Subs: I Ugwueru (0-1) for N McMahon (40), D Walsh for P Talty (47), T Connellan for A McGrath (54), E Courtney (0-1) for G Cooney (60), J Collins for G Cooney (75), G D'Auria for D Reidy (77), P Talty for Ó'hAiniféin (80).

Loughmore-Castleiney: S Hennessy; L Egan, J Hennessy, W Eviston (Capt.); J Ryan, E Meagher, B McGrath; L Treacy (0-2), Eamon Connelly (0-1, 1 mark); L McGrath (0-1), J McGrath (0-3, 1 free), N McGrath (0-1); C Ryan, A McGrath (0-1), Conor McGrath.

Subs: E Sweeney (0-3, 1 free) for Conor McGrath (39), Ciaran McGrath for Eamon Connelly (54), T McGrath for C Ryan (47), J Meagher for E Meagher (47), Ed Connelly for A McGrath (60), E Meagher for L Egan inj. (71).

Referee: Referee: D Murnane (Cork).