Clare Senior Football Championship Relegation Final 2009 
Ballyvaughan 1:06 V St Josephs Doora-Barefield 1:11 
Sunday 18th October 2009 @ 12 Noon in Ennistymon.

Match Official:- Michael Rock ( Ennistymon )

A STRONG second-half performance secured senior football status for St Joseph’s, Doora-Barefield when they accounted for Ballyvaughan at Ennistymon on Sunday. ( Report from printed edition Clare Champion)

The standard of play, particularly in the second half, was much better than that which was on offer in a lot of the games in the senior championship this season. This will be of little consolation to Ballyvaughan, however, who find themselves back in intermediate football after just two seasons in the top division.

They led by a goal at half-time but there was much more urgency about St Joseph’s after the break and they outscored their opponents 1-7 to 0-2. Both sides finished with 14 men after each had a man dismissed in separate incidents. The first to go was St Joseph’s captain Keith Whelan and referee Michael Rock had no option but to produce red after the winner’s centre-back lashed out at opposing captain Mark O’Loughlin, 10 minutes into the second period.

The North Clare side got off to a great start and a third minute point from Phelim Kyne was followed two minutes later by a goal from John Martyn, after a move involving James and Stevie Hynes, Mark O’Loughlin and Jason McDonagh. The O’Brien brothers, Johnnie and David, replied with points for the winners before the end of the opening quarter. Ballyvaughan replied with three from Jason McDonagh, two frees and one from a line ball and when Michael Rock sounded the half time whistle, they led by a goal, 1-4 to 0-4.

The Doora-Barefield men had the opening score of the second half, a point from Paul Dullaghan before bringing in Colm Mullen and Enda Lyons to the attack. Mullen, in particular, made a vital contribution. The winners were clearly getting a grip on the game and they took the lead in the 10th minute when David O’Brien raced through to shoot low to the corner of the net. Within a minute they were down to 14 men when Whelan was sent off, followed quickly by the equalising point from Jason McDonagh. A misplaced kick-out by Ballyvaughan was punished when Johnnie O’Brien pointed at the turn of the final quarter and shortly after this, the North Clare men were also reduced to 14 when midfielder Raymond Casey saw red. Two points each from Colm Mullen and Johnnie O’Brien and one from substitute Gavin O’Sullivan sealed victory for St Joseph’s and their place in the top grade for 2010.

Seán Flynn, Declan O’Halloran, Kevin Dilleen, Greg Lyons, Johnnie O’Brien and Colm Mullen did well for the winners while Ballyvaughan’s best were Mark O’Loughlin, Philip Monks, James Hynes and Jason McDonagh. This result means that the 2007 intermediate champions are back in the intermediate grade while the beaten finalists on that occasion, their neighbours Michael Cusack's, were recently relegated from intermediate to junior A.

St Joseph’s: Declan O’Keeffe; Seán Flynn, Declan O’Halloran, Ger Fannin; Mark Raftery, Keith Whelan, Eanna O’Braonain; Kevin Dilleen, Mark Hallinan; Paul Dullaghan, David O’Brien, Greg Lyons; Christy O’Brien, Cathal O’Sullivan, Johnnie O’Brien.

Subs: Colm Mullen for Dullaghan; Enda Lyons for C O’Brien; Niall White for O’Braonain; Gavin O’Sullivan for D O’Brien.

Scorers: Johnnie O’Brien (0-5); David O’Brien (1-1); Colm Mullen (0-2); Paul Dullaghan, Greg Lyons, Gavin O’Sullivan (0-1) each.

Ballyvaughan: Damian McNamara; Damian Martyn, Philip Monks, Mark Walsh; Setanta Moran, Kieran Casey, Mark O’Loughlin; Raymond Casey, James Hynes; Killian Mahon, Stevie Hynes, Phelim Kyne; John Martyn, John Mc Cormack, Jason McDonagh. Subs: Jack Queally for McCormack; Cian Walsh for M Walsh; Kevin Carrucan for Queally.

Scorers: Jason McDonagh (0-5); John Martyn (1-0); Phelim Kyne (0-1).

Referee: Michael Rock, Ennistymon.