Ten minutes of the second half had been played when, after some distressing scenes, both the Inagh Kilnamona and Éire Óg Ennis players went back into the dressing room.
It was a good half an hour by the time they came back out. Jason McCarthy, the Clare and Inagh Kilnamona player, had suffered a nasty leg injury in the early stages of that second half and, as he lay on the ground, waiting on an ambulance, time seemed to stand still in Cusack Park.
A Shane O’Donnell inspired Ennis were leading the game convincingly but at that stage, hurling seemed a secondary thing.
With the Offaly football final also due to be broadcast, and due to the lengthy stoppage in play, TG4 were unable to show the closing stages of the match but we were informed that McCarthy would not be moved until the ambulance arrived. We were a long time waiting.
It was the guts of 40 minutes before an ambulance made its way onto the field for McCarthy to make his way off. By that stage, the teams were back out warming up for a second time.
“Successive governments have allowed our health services to be decimated,” tweeted Clare sports journalist Derrick Lynch.
“A man was forced to wait on the ground in Cusack Park today with a serious leg break, in the wet cold rain. Almost an hour passed before an ambulance came, in the middle of the county town. Disgraceful.”
Successive governments have allowed our health services to be decimated. A man was forced to wait on the ground in Cusack Park today with a serious leg break, in the wet cold rain. Almost an hour passed before an ambulance came, in the middle of the county town. Disgraceful
— Derrick Lynch (@DLynchSport) September 25, 2022
Slightly odd sight, ambulance hasn't left the field yet but the players are back out warming up. pic.twitter.com/rIi9XRbKo1
— Chase For The Canon (@Chase4TheCanon) September 25, 2022
And while it may have seemed like another game when they eventually got going, it was the same old story as the brilliant Shane O’Donnell and Danny Russell terrorised the Inagh Kilnamona defence to inspire their teams to the county semi final. O’Donnell ended his day with a whopping 1-9 from play.
All thoughts are with Jason McCarthy, and we wish him a speedy recovery.
Elsewhere, Naas continued their recent dominance of Kildare hurling with a comprehensive win over Maynooth while Rhode edged Tullamore in a titanic tussle of a football final in Offaly. In that one, Ruairi McNamee’s second half goal was the match-winner while Alan McNamee won his 13th senior football county medal. Meanwhile, Portarlington’s bid for a three-in-a-row is alive in Laois and they have their goalie Scott Osbourne to thank for that, as you will see in the clip at the bottom of the article.
47 nóim@RhodeGAA 1-07@tullamoregaa 0-08
Cúl don Ród! – Sár-scór ó Ruairí McNamee! 🤩
Outstanding skill from McNamee as he puts his side in front with a superb goal! 😍👌#GAABEO@GAA_BEO | @officialgaa | @Offaly_GAA
BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/pI1MNFMdo9
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) September 25, 2022
Results:
Offaly SFC final:
Rhode 1-9 Tullamore 0-11
Tipperary SHC quarter finals:
Upperchurch Drombane 2-21 JK Brackens 1-21
Kiladangan 1-14 Clonoulty Rossmore 0-12
Dublin SHC quarter finals
Na Fianna 1-18 St Vincents 0-16
Ballyboden St Enda’s Lucan
Kilkenny SHC quarter final
Dicksboro 3-19 Mullinavat 1-11
Donegal SFC semi-final
Naomh Conaill 0-13 Gaoth Dobhair 1-8
Clare SHC quarter-finals
Ballyea 2-21 Clooney-Quin 0-18
Éire Óg Ennis 2-27 Inagh Kilnamona 0-16
Cork SHC semi-finals
St Finbarr’s 2-25 Newtownshandrum 0-21
Blackrock 3-21 Érins Own 0-21
Kildare SHC final
Naas 0-20 Maynooth 0-12
Laois SFC semi-finals
O’Dempsey’s 1-16 Courtwood 0-11
Portarlington 0-9 Portlaoise 0-8
What an incredible save by Scott Osbourne of @PortGAA in the dying seconds of the Laois semi-finalpic.twitter.com/Fo5uyZIzSL
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) September 25, 2022
