Patience a virtue as Éire Óg defend Clare SFC crown with victory over Ennistymon

Éire Óg 0-9 Ennistymon 0-6

Éire Óg had to be very patient before finally securing back-to-back Clare Senior Football titles for the first time in 74 years in Cusack Park, Ennis on Sunday afternoon.

In front of an attendance of 4,608, it wasn't a classic by any means as Ennistymon, in only their second ever final, were ultra cautious and presented a mass defence for the holders to try and unlock.

Crucially, Éire Óg were unerring from placed balls including three marks as scorers-in-chief Gavin Cooney (6) and Mark McInerney steered their side to victory. Leading from start to finish, the Ennis side were disciplined and assured over the entire hour to maintain an enviable record of not conceding a single goal in the last two championship campaigns.

A Gavin Cooney mark and a rare Ikem Uqwueu point nudged the defending champions in front in the opening quarter while it took until the 20th minute for Ennistymon to finally open their account through a Brendy Rouine free. It would be cancelled out by a like score for Cooney as a dour first half finished at 0-3 to 0-1 in Éire Óg's favour.

The decisive moment of the tie arrived seven minutes after the restart when new hurling All-Star David Fitzgerald played in Cillian Rouine to unleash a powerful shot that was superbly stopped by Éire Óg goalkeeper Shane Daniels.

An equalising goal at that stage might have ignited Ennistymon's challenge but instead the leaders kicked three of the next four points, two from Cooney, to open up a five point gap entering the final ten minutes at 0-8 to 0-3.

Ryan Barry flashed a goal chance wide before consolation scores for cousins Sean and Brendy Rouine left only a kick of the ball between the sides. However, it was too little too late to derail Éire Óg