TROY PARROTT’S HEROICS reverberated far beyond the Puskás Árena in Budapest yesterday afternoon.
It took time for word to reach everyone in other sporting environments but when it did the news was celebrated.
About ten minutes before Parrott’s iconic third goal of the day in Hungary, a bruising and gripping Munster club hurling encounter played out in Sixmilebridge between the champions of Clare and Tipperary was sent to extra-time.
The shot that ensured an additional period was struck by Danny Russell, the Éire Óg attacker nervelessly addressing the ball underneath the Tom Morey Memorial Stand and assuredly arrowing his shot between the posts.
That converted free confirmed extra-time was necessary and in the lull before the teams emerged for the additional phase, those in the crowd huddled around phones and were glued to the finale of the World Cup qualifier. Slowly after four o’clock, the cheers began to flare up and the good news filtered around the ground.
Not everyone learned of the jubliation straight away and that a seismic Irish sporting afternoon had occurred.
In the dressing-rooms, the Éire Óg Ennis and Loughmore-Castleiney players had their eyes locked on the battle to nail down that place in the Munster final.
About 45 minutes later, after Éire Óg had demonstrated the greater staying power to claim success, their star man was informed that Ireland’s World Cup dream remained alive until the play-offs in March.
“Parrott? Delighted for him…I’m a big Spurs fan. That’s great.”
Russell fitted the role of scoring hero in his own local arena.
The 63rd minute point stood out for its’ priceless nature in prolonging the Éire Óg interest in this encounter and denying Loughmore-Castleiney victory.
But it did not stand in isolation, bringing his normal time tally to 1-10 and he tacked on another four points in extra-time. Russell scored 15 times, 13 from placed balls, with his only miss occurring from a ’65 in first-half injury time. It was an aberration on an afternoon of extraordinary marksmanship.
Advertisement
“It was an incredible arm wrestle and the most physical game of hurling I’ve ever seen in all my life, it was just savage,” summarised Éire Óg manager Gerry O’Connor afterwards.
In those conditions, a reliable free-taker was invaluable. Russell hit five of Éire Óg’s six points in the first half. He availed of Shane O’Donnell’s super approach work in the 40th minute and banged home a goal.
And he coped with the pressure for that last-gasp score in normal time.
“Shaking like a leaf,” reflected Russell afterwards.
“Seen me over in the (Cusack) Park many years driving them wide.
“I think I heard Rory McIlroy saying, if you keep hitting pressure shots, eventually one of them’s going to go over, and I think that’s what happened with me.
“I’ve missed loads of them as I told you, and to put one over is lovely.”
His manager has plenty sideline experience overseeing Clare teams and O’Connor was utterly confident in his free-taker lining up to take that shot.
“That was the most difficult free he’s probably ever taken. But if there was any man on this earth that you’d want taking a free for you with time almost up, it’s Danny Russell. He has been an incredible leader for us all year, and we were in no doubt that he was going to score.”
Éire Óg Manager Gerry O'Connor and Loughmore-Castleiney Manager Eamonn Kelly shake hands at the final whistle. Natasha Barton / INPHO
Natasha Barton / INPHO / INPHO
Russell is 35 years old. When Éire Óg lifted the Canon Hamilton in Clare in 1990, it was a few months after he was born. The current squad ended the Townies long wait for senior county hurling silverware last month. Russell was the only player alive when they had previously won.
This is his 19th season signing up as an Éire Óg senior hurler. As an illustration of the series of close calls, consider that they lost Clare semi-finals in 2020 and 2021, the final in 2022 by a point, and quarter-finals in 2023 and 2024.
The reward is great now after years of persistence, a first county senior win and Munster final qualification.
“Sure, it’s unreal isn’t it?” says Russell.
“Many bad days and really bad days other times. Look we’re over the moon, but without blowing our own trumpet, we put the work in, and we deserve this. We’re really putting it in and have done for a long time, and we’re seeing the rewards now.”
“We’ve been feeling for the last, maybe four or five years, that we have a chance of winning the championship, like really have a chance. Then this year you’re going in to win a county title and then sure once you win that, you’re driving on.”
Russell paid tribute to O’Connor’s stewardship as management and the sharp tactical mind of their coach Liam Cronin, part of John Kiely’s Limerick senior brains trust this year.
The influx of youth has also helped – Darren Moroney and Rian Mulcahy were Clare minors in 2024, Fionan Treacy and Robert Loftus were Clare U20s in 2025.
Bigger challenges await.
Danny Russell and Marco Cleary of Éire Óg celebrate scoring a goal. Natasha Barton / INPHO
Natasha Barton / INPHO / INPHO
“The closest we’ve got to Ballygunner now is drinking a cup of tea, watching the telly,” says Russell.
“But we’ll go into it. We’re not overawed. We’re here on merit and we’re going up against a class team and we’re going to really go at it.
“Look we’re not going to get carried away either. It’s Ballygunner like the last thing you wanted to go in there on a high, that’s going to be a different kettle of fish altogether.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
'If there was any man on this earth that you’d want taking a free' - The Munster semi final scoring hero
TROY PARROTT’S HEROICS reverberated far beyond the Puskás Árena in Budapest yesterday afternoon.
It took time for word to reach everyone in other sporting environments but when it did the news was celebrated.
About ten minutes before Parrott’s iconic third goal of the day in Hungary, a bruising and gripping Munster club hurling encounter played out in Sixmilebridge between the champions of Clare and Tipperary was sent to extra-time.
The shot that ensured an additional period was struck by Danny Russell, the Éire Óg attacker nervelessly addressing the ball underneath the Tom Morey Memorial Stand and assuredly arrowing his shot between the posts.
That converted free confirmed extra-time was necessary and in the lull before the teams emerged for the additional phase, those in the crowd huddled around phones and were glued to the finale of the World Cup qualifier. Slowly after four o’clock, the cheers began to flare up and the good news filtered around the ground.
Not everyone learned of the jubliation straight away and that a seismic Irish sporting afternoon had occurred.
In the dressing-rooms, the Éire Óg Ennis and Loughmore-Castleiney players had their eyes locked on the battle to nail down that place in the Munster final.
About 45 minutes later, after Éire Óg had demonstrated the greater staying power to claim success, their star man was informed that Ireland’s World Cup dream remained alive until the play-offs in March.
“Parrott? Delighted for him…I’m a big Spurs fan. That’s great.”
Russell fitted the role of scoring hero in his own local arena.
The 63rd minute point stood out for its’ priceless nature in prolonging the Éire Óg interest in this encounter and denying Loughmore-Castleiney victory.
But it did not stand in isolation, bringing his normal time tally to 1-10 and he tacked on another four points in extra-time. Russell scored 15 times, 13 from placed balls, with his only miss occurring from a ’65 in first-half injury time. It was an aberration on an afternoon of extraordinary marksmanship.
“It was an incredible arm wrestle and the most physical game of hurling I’ve ever seen in all my life, it was just savage,” summarised Éire Óg manager Gerry O’Connor afterwards.
In those conditions, a reliable free-taker was invaluable. Russell hit five of Éire Óg’s six points in the first half. He availed of Shane O’Donnell’s super approach work in the 40th minute and banged home a goal.
And he coped with the pressure for that last-gasp score in normal time.
“Shaking like a leaf,” reflected Russell afterwards.
“Seen me over in the (Cusack) Park many years driving them wide.
“I think I heard Rory McIlroy saying, if you keep hitting pressure shots, eventually one of them’s going to go over, and I think that’s what happened with me.
“I’ve missed loads of them as I told you, and to put one over is lovely.”
His manager has plenty sideline experience overseeing Clare teams and O’Connor was utterly confident in his free-taker lining up to take that shot.
“That was the most difficult free he’s probably ever taken. But if there was any man on this earth that you’d want taking a free for you with time almost up, it’s Danny Russell. He has been an incredible leader for us all year, and we were in no doubt that he was going to score.”
Russell is 35 years old. When Éire Óg lifted the Canon Hamilton in Clare in 1990, it was a few months after he was born. The current squad ended the Townies long wait for senior county hurling silverware last month. Russell was the only player alive when they had previously won.
This is his 19th season signing up as an Éire Óg senior hurler. As an illustration of the series of close calls, consider that they lost Clare semi-finals in 2020 and 2021, the final in 2022 by a point, and quarter-finals in 2023 and 2024.
The reward is great now after years of persistence, a first county senior win and Munster final qualification.
“Sure, it’s unreal isn’t it?” says Russell.
“Many bad days and really bad days other times. Look we’re over the moon, but without blowing our own trumpet, we put the work in, and we deserve this. We’re really putting it in and have done for a long time, and we’re seeing the rewards now.”
“We’ve been feeling for the last, maybe four or five years, that we have a chance of winning the championship, like really have a chance. Then this year you’re going in to win a county title and then sure once you win that, you’re driving on.”
Russell paid tribute to O’Connor’s stewardship as management and the sharp tactical mind of their coach Liam Cronin, part of John Kiely’s Limerick senior brains trust this year.
The influx of youth has also helped – Darren Moroney and Rian Mulcahy were Clare minors in 2024, Fionan Treacy and Robert Loftus were Clare U20s in 2025.
Bigger challenges await.
“The closest we’ve got to Ballygunner now is drinking a cup of tea, watching the telly,” says Russell.
“But we’ll go into it. We’re not overawed. We’re here on merit and we’re going up against a class team and we’re going to really go at it.
“Look we’re not going to get carried away either. It’s Ballygunner like the last thing you wanted to go in there on a high, that’s going to be a different kettle of fish altogether.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Clare Danny Russell Éire Óg GAA Munster