Oct 29,2024
Feakle 1-17 Sixmilebridge 0-13
Feakle became the 11th different team to win the Clare Senior Hurling Championship in 21 years after overpowering Sixmilebridge to secure only their seventh ever crown in Cusack Park, Ennis.
Thirty-six years after Val Donnellan ended a 44-year wait, his son Oisin fittingly lifted the famed Canon Hamilton trophy following a superb final display in which the East Clare side led from start to finish.
Sixmilebridge, possessing over half the team that had collected a fifth triumph in eight years up to 2020, were favourites to add another to their bulging trophy cabinet but it was Feakle who performed like experienced veterans as they adapted better to the tricky underfoot conditions and took the game to their rivals from the outset.
Indeed, Ger Conway's side could have easily grabbed four first-half goals including a 23rd-minute penalty for talisman Shane McGrath that was excellently repelled by goalkeeper Derek Fahy.
It mattered little though as Feakle were much more adept at taking points, eight of the first 11 in fact as McGrath (3), Eoin Tuohy, Martin Daly, Killian Bane, Oisin Donnellan, and Steven Conway all got in on the scoring action at 0-08 to 0-03 entering the second quarter.
The 'Bridge had chances of their own through David Kennedy and Matthew O’Halloran but both were blocked and, despite getting a boost from the penalty save, Sixmilebridge’s three-point rally was matched by injury-time scores for Packie Daly and Steven Conway at 0-10 to 0-06.
There would be no initial ‘Bridge backlash as McGrath’s placed balls and an immediate impact for substitute Owen McGann would obtain the only goal of the game by the two-thirds mark at 1-13 to 0-07.
Credit Sixmilebridge for finally circling the wagons as Alex Morey, Shane Golden and Brian Corry wiped out that major by the turn of the final quarter before captain Jamie Shanahan lessened the deficit to five at 1-13 to 0-11.
Despite being a first senior decider for this entire Feakle side, they never panicked and twice responded with crucial braces either side of a gilt-edged Seadna Morey goal chance for the ‘Bridge that was superbly tipped away by All-Ireland-winning goalkeeper Eibhear Quilligan.
Nothing was going to derail Feakle on an almost perfect day as they deservedly opened a new chapter in their club’s history with a first senior success since 1988.
Feakle: Eibhear Quilligan; Oisin Clune, Adam Hogan, Eoghan Daly; Killian Bane (0-01), Conn Smyth, Eoin Tuohy (0-02); Ronan O’Connor, Enda Noonan; Oisin Donnellan (0-02), Shane McGrath (0-08, 0-06f, 0-02’65), Steven Conway (0-02); Packie Daly (0-01), Martin Daly (0-01), Oisin O’Connor.
Subs: Owen McGann (1-00) for O. O’Connor (37), Raymond Bane for P Daly (46), Enda Madden for Noonan (54), Fiachra Donnellan for M. Daly (59)
Sixmilebridge: Derek Fahy; Colm Flynn, Barry Fitzpatrick, Noel Purcell; Conor Deasy, Seadna Morey, Paidi Fitzpatrick,; Jason Loughnane, Matthew O’Halloran; Lorcan Fitzpatrick (0-01), Jamie Shanahan (0-01), Shane Golden (0-02); Brian Corry (0-02), Alex Morey (0-05, 0-05f), David Kennedy (0-01)
Subs: Caimin Morey for Deasy (25), Brian Carey (0-01) for Loughnane (37), Alan Mulready for Kennedy (37), Fiachra Ó Braoin for A. Morey (60), Leon Kelly for Purcell (61)
Referee: Joe Mullins (Clonlara)
