O’Currys eliminated 2014 County Finalists Éire Óg from the Clare SFC on Saturday afternoon.
O’Currys 3-15
Éire Óg 1-20
Venue: Cooraclare
For the second year in succession Éire Óg will fight for their Senior status as they came out second best against O’Currys following extra time.
This was the game for the Townies to quieten their critics who came out in force following their disappointing first round defeat to Kilmurry Ibrickane in which they lost by eight points. They responded to a degree as they clawed their way back from ten points adrift to force the tie to extra time.
Teams like O’Currys will never be found wanting when it comes to desire and Éire Óg discovered this the hard way as they gave them a sniff of the game and paid the price for doing so. Once the West Clare side got on top their belief soared and catching up with them was always going to be a difficult task.
A superb finish to the opening half saw the men from Doonaha and Carrigaholt kick 1-06 without reply as Jim Downes raised the green flag. This period of domination turned the game on its head as they went from leading by one point to boasting an advantage of ten points at the sounding of the half-time whistle.
Éire Óg rallied at the start of the second half. The Ennis club popped over 1-03 in succession with Dara Walsh getting the goal which lowered the gap to four points. However they were dealt a sucker-punch as the game entered the final quarter as Sean Murphy palmed the ball to the back of their net to lift the West Clare side at a very important stage in the game.
Davy O’Halloran led the Townies comeback with four of their seven points at the finish. It was a direct contrast to the end of the first half with Éire Óg stepping up to the plate as O’Currys made hard work of proceedings to leave the sides level at the full-time whistle.
In the opening half of extra time O’Currys outscored Éire Óg 4-2 and although they only got 1-01 in the second period of extra time it was enough to see them advance to Round Three as their counterparts now find themselves in a relegation battle.