AIB Munster Club SFC: McInerney inspires Éire Óg to victory

AIB Munster Club SFC Quarter-Final

Éire Óg 0-20 Rathgormack 1-13

By Eoin Brennan at Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg

A month after completing a historic Clare senior football and hurling double, Éire Óg also began their first ever dual Munster mandate on a winning note in Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg in Ennis.

That said, it had to take a remarkable 16 point total from Mark McInerney to finally fend off a stubborn Rathgormack side that following a three-in-a-row of their own in Waterford, certainly weren’t short of confidence.

McInerney’s superb eleven points first half tally that included a trio of two-pointers kept their determined visitors at bay, with Stephen Curry’s 15th minute goal effectively wiped out by a six point blitz from McInerney in just five minutes to ensure a 0-12 to 1-05 cushion for the hosts.

Roles were reversed on the restart as Rathgormack, led by Jason Curry, snatched the whip hand and eventually the lead when his two-pointer inched the West Waterford side back into the ascendency for the first time in almost 30 minutes.

However, being their third weekend on the road, that was as good as it ultimately got for Rathgormack as once Éire Óg weathered the storm, Clare senior McInerney completed an unprecedented haul with five of their last six points to seal a semi-final spot for the fourth time in as many attempts.

Without top-scorer from play Colm Walsh O’Loghlen through a ACL injury, the scoring burden predominantly fell on Mark McInerney, a responsibility he clearly relished as he chalked up a brace of two-pointers within the first seven minutes.

The hosts could have almost put the tie to bed in the opening quarter but successive goal attempts through McInerney and Luke Pyne were both excellently repelled by Waterford goalkeeper Paudie Hunt, with the second coming only seconds before James Power passed inside to Stephen Curry to find the net up the other end at 1-4 to 0-6.

That six point swing didn’t deter McInerney though as he unleashed a six point backlash and also almost incredulously was perfectly placed on his own goal-line to prevent Peter Walsh from scoring an injury-time goal.

Half-time was perfectly timed for Rathgormack to regroup and they dominated the third quarter, thanks in the main to Jason Curry, to complete a six point turnaround by the three-quarters mark to go the minimum clear.

Goals chances for Francis Roche and Billy Power would be thwarted though by first the post and then a superb reflex save by home goalkeeper Cian Howard.

A relieved Éire Óg regained full parity through Luke Pyne before Mark McInerney resumed his point scoring alchemy with a further five points to tee up a semi-final showdown against the winners of next week’s quarter-final between Clonmel Commercials (Tipperary) and St. Finbarr’s (Cork).

First up for eight of the Éire Óg side though is a Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship Semi-Final against Tipperary champions Loughmore-Castleiney at the same venue next Sunday.

Scorers for Éire Óg: Mark McInerney (0-16, 1tp, 3tpf, 4f); Ikem Ugwueru, Darren O’Brien, Luke Pyne, Dean Ryan (0-1 each)

Scorers for Rathgormack: Jason Curry (0-6, 1tp, 2f); Stephen Curry (1-1); Conor Murray, James Power (tp) (0-2 each); Billy Power, Sean Hahessy (0-1 each)

Éire Óg: Cian Howard; Gavin D’Auria, Aaron Fitzgerald, Dean Ryan; Ciaran Russell, Manus Doherty, Ronan Lanigan; David McNamara, Darren O’Brien; Gavin Murray, Ikem Ugwueru, Oran Cahill; Mark McInerney, Luke Pyne, Darren Moroney

Subs: Jarlath Collins for Cahill (44), Aidan McGrath for Murray (53), Jack Joyce for Moroney (56), Nially McMahon for O’Brien (60)

Rathgormack: Paudie Hunt; Liam Mulligan, Mairtin Power, Willie Hahessy; Glen Power, Tom Walsh, James Power; Cathal Crowch, Michael Curry; Peter Walsh, Conor Murray, Jason Curry; Billy Power, Stephen Curry, Francis Roche

Subs: Sean Hahessy for Crowch (HT), Reece O'Mahony for Roche (42), Ger Hahessy for G. Power (46, inj)

Referee: David Murnane (Cork)