Éire Óg 2-15 Kilmurry Ibrickane 1-10

Éire Óg only strengthened their grip on the Clare Senior Football Championship after completing their fifth title in six years in Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg.

A historic three-in-a-row of Jack Daly Cups was the Ennis side's reward for another commanding campaign as Éire Óg proved the first club in 47 years to put three successive Clare crowns together.

Their vast experience, highlighted by 32 victories in 33 championship ties since 2021, proved decisive against a Kilmurry Ibrickane side that despite their third final appearance against Éire Óg in six seasons, hadn’t been in the winners enclosure since 2020.

The 'Bricks looked to disrupt the champions early but were denied two glorious goal opportunities as goalkeeper Bernard Power’s reflexes kept out a third minute shot from Darragh Sexton while Clare defender Manus Doherty implemented a perfectly timed challenge to thwart Keelan Sexton’s effort six minute later.

Éire Óg were far more ruthless though as evidenced when Ikem Ugwueru intercepted a kick-out and played in the championship’s chief marksman Mark McInerney to dispatch to the bottom left corner of the ‘Bricks next at 1-2 to 0-0.

By half-time, seven different players had chipped in with scores from play as Gavin Murray, Oran Cahill, Ronan Lanigan, Ciaran Russell Ikem Uqwueru and Darren O’Brien stretched the gap.

Teenager Conor Burke did raided for a much-needed Kilmurry Ibrickane goal in the 23rd minute but even that would be matched by a Mark McInerney two-pointer and another from the influential Ugwueru to ease into the dressing rooms 1-10 to 1-02 in front.

Kilmurry Ibrickane tried to alter the narrative by bringing on the experience of last week’s senior hurling championship winning captain for Inagh-Kilnamona Aidan McCarthy along with eight time county champion Shane Hickey.

However, their fightback only began after falling ten points in arrears after a Darren O’Brien twice pointed for the holders at 1-13 to 1-03.

Cathal Talty sparked a revival when arrowing over a brace of two-pointers for the West Clare side by the two-thirds mark at 1-13 to 1-07. However, they weren’t able to build on that promise as having kicked 1-13 from play, the unstoppable Mark McInerney topped up his top-scorer margin with two frees.

Even an injury-time two-point reprieve for Kilmurry Ibrickane captain Dermot Coughlan would be surpassed at the death when a seven man move ended with Darren Moroney flicking to the net at the back post to rubber-stamp Éire Óg’s dominance at the helm of Clare football.

Éire Óg: Bernard Power; Manus Doherty, Aaron Fitzgerald, Dean Ryan; Ciaran Russell (0-01), Ronan Lanigan (0-01), Gavin D’Auria; David McNamara, Darren O’Brien (0-03); Oran Cahill (0-01), Gavin Murray (0-01), Mark McInerney (1-06, 0-01tp, 0-02f); Danny Lyne, Ikem Ugwueru (0-02), Darren Moroney (1-00)

Subs: Einne O’Connor for Russell (41, inj), Jack Joyce for Lyne (44), Russell for D’Auria (48), Jarlath Collins for O’Brien (62), Luke Pyne for Murray (62), David Loftus for McNamara (64)

Kilmurry Ibrickane: Ian McInerney; Conor Kearney, Darren Hickey, Andrew Shannon; Ajay Daly, Daniel Walsh, Darragh Sexton; Dermot Coughlan (0-02, 0-01TP), Evan Cahill; Ciaran Morrissey, Caoilfhionn O’Dea, Josh Moloney (0-01); Cathal Talty (0-05, 0-02TP), Keelan Sexton, Conor Burke (1-01)

Subs: Aidan McCarthy for Morrissey (HT), Shane Hickey (0-01) for D. Hickey (HT), Ruben Fallon for K. Sexton (55), Cillian Darcy for O’Dea (55), Colin Considine for Moloney (61)