2021 County Senior Football Championship

A hugely enjoyable game, though still dominated by handball and bereft of much foot-passing. Three or four nice points from range. Very little to suggest that Cork football will return to the top table any time soon.

But hugely enjoyable in its own right. Clon the better team in play, missed the two goal chances though, and both went for points at the the other end.

Would be worried about injuries to Maguire and Hayes.
 
Best county final in a few years. Exhilarating viewing even if things were a bit defensive at times. Barrs, as predicted, didn’t know how to break down clons defensive system, took the ball into contact too often and allowed themselves to be counterattacked. It was fairly clueless stuff really as they should been better prepped in this regard, maybe easier said than than done though.

Shields was excellent when he came on, settled things, Clon in contrast had zero options off the bench, players pulling up with cramp at the end and nothing else coming in to replace them. They’ll need to import a few more gardai if they’re going to win a county, just didn’t have the depth at the moment. L Donovan a huge loss though to be fair.
 
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Have to agree with most as regards the ref biased though i might be i thought he gave Clon a few very soft frees and while i agree the free for Sherlocks 2nd last point was soft it was as a lot of refs do payback for a free out he should have given for a foul on a barrs back prior to clons 2nd last point.
As for the game itself it was much as i expected having seen them play earlier. McGuire outstanding and Hayes for the barrs and S Whyte Clon excellent as well.
Special word of praise for M Shields who steadied our ship when he came on,a great club servant.
B Hennessy for the cork footballers,now that will annoy someone.
 
Any ball game with rules that are bazzare, it's difficult to blame a ref as he is obliged to make his own
rules as the game rolls on.
Having said that Clonakilty will feel hard done by as Murnane gave the Barrs two frees towards the end that
were the 'makey up as you go' types. One tap over when the Barrs player had no hope of scoring and went down
surrounded by three Clon backs and the last one out of defence was a sad effort at being fair.
Maguire was very good and if he could play like that in a red jersey we'd bate most teams. Hayes was good too,
but probably not robust enough for intercounty, yet anyway.
Sherlock scored the winner but it was handed to him on a plate and the Clon backs showed him a little of what to
expect if he gets a recall to the red jersey. Not up to it IMHO.
Liam O Donovan's loss cost Clon big time but that's one of the problems that goes with the territory and Clon
are a decent football team, even if both midfielders should have hit the net in the 1st half. They are big men, but limited footballers and Darragh O Shea will hardly get a phone call from Jack O Connor either.
Barrs are a fine dual club so we can't begrudge them their hour in the sun.
I would have to agree on the Barrs frees. The equaliser was never a free, the sub threw himself to the floor and the free against Clon after that for overcarrying in the Barrs defence was very very soft. Sherlock hit the winner from that possession.

That being said slightly better team won but Clon almost completed the perfect game plan. Nullified Sherlock and with a bit of luck could have taken it. Short 1 more quality forward.

The Barrs should give Munster a go. Kerry is as weak as it has been for a long time.
 
Best county final in a few years. Exhilarating viewing even if things were a bit defensive at times. Barrs, as predicted, didn’t know how to break down clons defensive system, took the ball into contact too often and allowed themselves to be counterattacked. It was fairly clueless stuff really as they should been better prepped in this regard, maybe easier said than than done though.

Shields was excellent when he came on, settled things, Clon in contrast had zero options off the bench, players pulling up with cramp at the end and nothing else coming in to replace them. They’ll need to import a few more gardai if they’re going to win a county, just didn’t have the depth at the moment. L Donovan a huge loss though to be fair.
Absolutely agree. TBF the two semi finals & final have been a great advertisement for the game in Cork. Fair play to Paul O'Keeffe, a great Blues club man & has now managed two different teams to county senior success. I'm not sure many recent cork club managers can lay claim to that achievement.
 
Was very impressed yesterday by David Lowney Clon and Billy Hennessy of the Barrs...i presume Ricken has been on the phone already !
Two young players not really being given a go by the hurlers. Two lads with phenomenal engines & great attitudes.
 
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