Eoin Brennan reports from Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg, Ennis
The compelling seesaw derby pattern continued as Inagh-Kilnamona dethroned Éire Óg with a commanding performance to advance to their first final since 2021 in Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg in Ennis.
Being their fifth knock-out stage clash in six seasons, remarkably neither team has been able to put back-to-back victories together.
And so it proved once more as following Éire Óg’s ten point quarter-final triumph 12 months ago on their way to a first Canon Hamilton trophy in 35 years, inevitably back came a motivated Inagh-Kilnamona to power into only their second ever final since becoming a permanent amalgamation in 2008.
The result marks the final competitive appearance of Clare great Shane O’Donnell, who scored two points today. After previously announcing his inter-county retirement, the double All-Ireland winner revealed earlier this month that 2026 would also be his last club season.
🗣️ "HE TAKES HIS SCORE"
Aidan McCarthy slots over another score for @inagh_kilnamona to go 9 in-front
In truth, the result was never in doubt as Inagh-Kilnamona never trailed over the hour and led by as nine points in the opening period and even ten against the conditions in the third and fourth quarters.
Aidan McCarthy was simply outstanding as a target man, playmaker and scorer-in-chief, picking off a handsome 13-point tally including seven from open play. His timely scores were pivotal to keeping his side firmly on top and incrementally deflating the holders in the process.
Considering that the Ennis side brought a 10-match perfect record into this penultimate stage clash, it was a devastating display from Eugene Cullinan’s side who along with McCarthy, could rely on Fred Hegarty, David Fitzgerald and Sean Rynne for inspiration and scores.
Admittedly, they did find the elusive Shane O’Donnell difficult to pin down, especially in the opening period. However, the retiring O’Donnell aside, Éire Óg never replicated the flow or standards of the previous 10 victories, with only Darren O’Brien and possible Marco Cleary nearing O’Donnell’s levels of persistence.
No, this was firmly Inagh-Kilnamona’s day as they welcomed the conditions to carve out a double scores 0-14 to 0-07 interval cushion. Aidan McCarthy went through two markers in the opening period alone as he raided for seven points while Fred Hegarty’s 15th minute line ball from 45 metres was almost surpassed by a sumptuous injury-time lob.
Goalkeeper Darragh Stack’s clearance was cut out by 2026 All-Ireland U20 winner Hegarty who sent the ball back towards goal with interest only for the ball to drift just wide after initially being marked down as a point.
Éire Óg’s best chance of a reprieve arrived just after the break when a booming wind-assisted Stack puck-out was flicked by Darren O’Brien into the path of Danny Russell to shot on goal.
Goalkeeper Eamonn Foudy could only parry the bullet attempt but David Reidy missed the rebound while Luca Cleary’s subsequent shot was blocked by a defiant Inagh-Kilnamona rearguard.
O’Donnell also bore down on goal before being unceremoniously repelled, but the
champions did finally grab a lifeline at the turn of the final quarter when Marco Cleary collected an Oran Cahill crossfield delivery and cut inside to roof to the net at 0-20 to 1-11.
Crucially, Inagh-Kilnamona quelled that mutiny within four minutes as having just conceded only their second goal of the campaign, they would soar to only their second goal of the championship when Aidan McCarthy fielded and turned for goal, attracting Érie Óg’s last line before offloading to Fred Hegarty to flick to the net at 1-21 to 1-12.
By the time David Reidy nipped in for Éire Óg’s second goal in the 58th minute following an excellent interception from substitute Darren Moroney, Inagh-Kilnamona were already 10 clear once more.
Fittingly the last action was saved for man-of-the-match Aidan McCarthy who managed to block a David Loftus shot in his own full-back line.
Having got over that major obstacle, their biggest derby showdown is yet to come as Inagh-Kilnamona now face their nearest and dearest neighbours Kilmaley in a novel first final back in Ennis on Sunday week.
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Scorers for Inagh-Kilnamona: Aidan McCarthy 0-13 (6f); Fred Hegarty 1-3 (1sl); David Fitzgerald 0-3; Sean Rynne 0-2; David Mescall, Kealan Guyler, Conner Hegarty 0-1 each
Scorers for Éire Óg: Marco Cleary 1-2; David Reidy 1-1 (1f); Danny Russell 0-3 (3f); Shane O’Donnell, Darren O’Brien 0-2 each; Aaron Fitzgerald, Liam Corry, Tom Kavanagh, David Loftus 0- 1 each
Inagh-Kilnamona
1. Eamonn Foudy
2. Keith White, 3. Shane Woods, 4. Conor Rynne
5. Kevin Hehir, 6. James Hegarty, 8. Darren Cullinan
11. Sean Rynne, 19. Mark Callinan
7. David Fitzgerald, 21. Kealan Guyler, 14. Aidan McCarthy
15. Fred Hegarty, 12. David Mescall, 9. Conner Hegarty
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Shane O'Donnell plays last game as Inagh-Kilnamona dethrone Éire Óg to reach Clare final
Inagh-Kilnamona 1-24
Éire Óg Ennis 2-14
Eoin Brennan reports from Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg, Ennis
The compelling seesaw derby pattern continued as Inagh-Kilnamona dethroned Éire Óg with a commanding performance to advance to their first final since 2021 in Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg in Ennis.
Being their fifth knock-out stage clash in six seasons, remarkably neither team has been able to put back-to-back victories together.
And so it proved once more as following Éire Óg’s ten point quarter-final triumph 12 months ago on their way to a first Canon Hamilton trophy in 35 years, inevitably back came a motivated Inagh-Kilnamona to power into only their second ever final since becoming a permanent amalgamation in 2008.
The result marks the final competitive appearance of Clare great Shane O’Donnell, who scored two points today. After previously announcing his inter-county retirement, the double All-Ireland winner revealed earlier this month that 2026 would also be his last club season.
In truth, the result was never in doubt as Inagh-Kilnamona never trailed over the hour and led by as nine points in the opening period and even ten against the conditions in the third and fourth quarters.
Aidan McCarthy was simply outstanding as a target man, playmaker and scorer-in-chief, picking off a handsome 13-point tally including seven from open play. His timely scores were pivotal to keeping his side firmly on top and incrementally deflating the holders in the process.
Considering that the Ennis side brought a 10-match perfect record into this penultimate stage clash, it was a devastating display from Eugene Cullinan’s side who along with McCarthy, could rely on Fred Hegarty, David Fitzgerald and Sean Rynne for inspiration and scores.
Admittedly, they did find the elusive Shane O’Donnell difficult to pin down, especially in the opening period. However, the retiring O’Donnell aside, Éire Óg never replicated the flow or standards of the previous 10 victories, with only Darren O’Brien and possible Marco Cleary nearing O’Donnell’s levels of persistence.
No, this was firmly Inagh-Kilnamona’s day as they welcomed the conditions to carve out a double scores 0-14 to 0-07 interval cushion. Aidan McCarthy went through two markers in the opening period alone as he raided for seven points while Fred Hegarty’s 15th minute line ball from 45 metres was almost surpassed by a sumptuous injury-time lob.
Goalkeeper Darragh Stack’s clearance was cut out by 2026 All-Ireland U20 winner Hegarty who sent the ball back towards goal with interest only for the ball to drift just wide after initially being marked down as a point.
Éire Óg’s best chance of a reprieve arrived just after the break when a booming wind-assisted Stack puck-out was flicked by Darren O’Brien into the path of Danny Russell to shot on goal.
Goalkeeper Eamonn Foudy could only parry the bullet attempt but David Reidy missed the rebound while Luca Cleary’s subsequent shot was blocked by a defiant Inagh-Kilnamona rearguard.
O’Donnell also bore down on goal before being unceremoniously repelled, but the
champions did finally grab a lifeline at the turn of the final quarter when Marco Cleary collected an Oran Cahill crossfield delivery and cut inside to roof to the net at 0-20 to 1-11.
Crucially, Inagh-Kilnamona quelled that mutiny within four minutes as having just conceded only their second goal of the campaign, they would soar to only their second goal of the championship when Aidan McCarthy fielded and turned for goal, attracting Érie Óg’s last line before offloading to Fred Hegarty to flick to the net at 1-21 to 1-12.
By the time David Reidy nipped in for Éire Óg’s second goal in the 58th minute following an excellent interception from substitute Darren Moroney, Inagh-Kilnamona were already 10 clear once more.
Fittingly the last action was saved for man-of-the-match Aidan McCarthy who managed to block a David Loftus shot in his own full-back line.
Having got over that major obstacle, their biggest derby showdown is yet to come as Inagh-Kilnamona now face their nearest and dearest neighbours Kilmaley in a novel first final back in Ennis on Sunday week.
Scorers for Inagh-Kilnamona: Aidan McCarthy 0-13 (6f); Fred Hegarty 1-3 (1sl); David Fitzgerald 0-3; Sean Rynne 0-2; David Mescall, Kealan Guyler, Conner Hegarty 0-1 each
Scorers for Éire Óg: Marco Cleary 1-2; David Reidy 1-1 (1f); Danny Russell 0-3 (3f); Shane O’Donnell, Darren O’Brien 0-2 each; Aaron Fitzgerald, Liam Corry, Tom Kavanagh, David Loftus 0- 1 each
Inagh-Kilnamona
1. Eamonn Foudy
2. Keith White, 3. Shane Woods, 4. Conor Rynne
5. Kevin Hehir, 6. James Hegarty, 8. Darren Cullinan
11. Sean Rynne, 19. Mark Callinan
7. David Fitzgerald, 21. Kealan Guyler, 14. Aidan McCarthy
15. Fred Hegarty, 12. David Mescall, 9. Conner Hegarty
Subs
Éire Óg
1. Darragh Stack
6. Aaron Fitzgerald, 3. Ciaran Russell, 4. Fionan Treacy
5. Robert Loftus, 18. Rian Mulcahy,7. Liam Corry
9. Oran Cahill, 12. Darren O’Brien
22. Shane O’Donnell, 11. David Reidy, 10. David McNamara
13. Marco Cleary, 14. Danny Russell, 15. Luca Cleary
Subs
Referee: John Bugler (Whitegate)
Additional reporting by Sinéad Farrell
****
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