Page 6 - Adult Finals Programme

The Empire Strikes Back

Eoin Brennan

While last year’s champions won’t even be spectators for the marquee occasion of the Clare Camogie
calendar in Fr. McNamara Park this afternoon, Scariff-Ogonnelloe have inadvertently played a pivotal role
in ensuring that Inagh-Kilnamona and Newmarket-on-Fergus are back pitting their wits in another final.
Having invariably had it all their own way for the second half of the decade, both were slain by a ravenous
upstart in 2019 that for the neutrals and a large bulk of East Clare was refreshing but certainly made the
big two seriously question their rung on the senior ladder.
That inevitable introspection would have only been accentuated when Scariff-Ogonnelloe maintained
their momentum-fuelled fairytale by annexing Munster Senior Club honours at the first attempt. With
Newmarket (2015) and Inagh-Kilnamona’s (2017 and 2018) previous shots at provincial glory falling short,
Scariff-Ogonnelloe become the first Clare side to do so in 30 years.
Consequently, after searching their souls during the winter and individually rehabilitated their bodies in
the spring and early summer (while washing their hands consistently of course), Inagh-Kilnamona and
Newmarket-on-Fergus have reintegrated their squads with a sharpened appetite and determination to get
back to the summit.
In the absence of any league fare and without much collective training either, this year’s championship
was rather a step into the unknown, particularly for Inagh-Kilnamona who were initially pooled with the
holders Scariff-Ogonnelloe, three-in-a-row semi-finalists Truagh-Clonlara and three-in-a-row Senior B win-
ners Sixmilebridge.
However, perhaps that immediate focus aided Inagh-Kilnamona’s restoration of confidence as they
re-emerged from the group unscathed and even managed to exact revenge on the defending champions
for their semi-final exit in 2019.
To borrow a current reference, that curve was flattened by Kilmaley last time out when Inagh-Kilnamona
had to chase down their neighbours just to even force extra-time. However, having given it their all, the
blue half faded sufficiently for the 2016-18 champions to finally snatch back the whip hand in the addi-
tional periods and relievedly get back to another final.
In contrast, Newmarket’s journey was a little rockier, despite being the clear favourites in their group
consisting of the last two intermediate champions Kilkishen/Bodyke and St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield along
with a youthful yet unproven Kilmaley outfit who had contested two of the previous three relegation
play-offs.
Kilmaley’s re-emergence allied to Kilkishen/Bodyke’s incremental maturity in the top flight certainly made
Newmarket sit up and take notice, particularly after the latter gave them a post-lockdown haircut in
Round 2. However, there’s no better and more experienced team to react when their backs are to the wall
as the Blues came out fighting to inflict a first defeat of 2020 on Kilmaley and inch through as group win-
ners on score difference after all three rivals were precariously tied on four points
It was a case of jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire though as their reward would be a semi-
final showdown with Scariff-Ogonnelloe in a repeat of the previous year’s decider. In an evenly-matched
bout, both enjoyed two quarters of dominance but crucially Newmarket’s came in the first and last to
edge the day with a final flourish and dethrone the county and Munster champions.
So with both Newmarket-on-Fergus and Inagh-Kilnamona exacting retribution on Scariff-Ogonnelloe, now
they must turn their attentions to plotting each other’s demise once more this afternoon.
A fifth final clash in six seasons denotes a familiarity that is intriguing for pundits but only breeds con-
tempt in the competing sides especially when pride takes over.

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Clare Camogie Adult Finals 2020