ST PATRICK'S DAY welcomed the All Ireland club finals with all the usual trappings of cold and wet weather at Croke Park yesterday. For Dunloy, from Antrim, in hurling and Carlow's Eire Og in football, it was not only past weather revisited, but also past defeats as the footballers of Laune Rangers from Killorglin in Kerry and the hurlers of Sixmilebridge in Clare took the honours.
Both Dunloy and Eire Og had lost recent finals in heart rending circumstances after replays. Yesterday they came to Dublin fired with thoughts of setting the record straight and both went home with only a further disastrous outing to remember.
The two matches were similar in structure with the winning teams both producing a ready supply of goals to keep their luckless opponents at bay. Clare's great success of the last 12 months was maintained as, starting in the first minute, Sixmilebridge slipped five goals past Dunloy for a 13-point win, 5-10 to 2-6.
Captain Ian Mulready who had been prevented by injury from leading the team into the final, made a late appearance and had the satisfaction of lifting the trophy.
The footballers of Eire Og were even unluckier than Dunloy as they looked to be in control for substantial periods of the match. Laune's capacity to take goals at crucial points in the match, however, ensured a 4-5 to 0-11 win.
