Clare SFC Final/ Lissycasey 0-11 Éire Óg, Ennis 0-6:Lissycasey were crowned county football champions for the first time when they defeated reining title-holders Éire Óg at Cusack Park, Ennis yesterday.

Runners-up last year and beaten finalists in 1998, Lissycasey earned their first crown and there can be no doubt it was a merited win.

Some early nerves displayed by Lissycasey resulted in four wides over a three-minute period, but initial jitters were cast aside when Alan Nagle kicked a 13th-minute point. As the half progressed, the challengers got on top and were full value for their 0-4 to 0-3 lead at the break.

Martin Daly kicked a 45 and two long-range frees to cement his side's dominance while Lissycasey substitute Francis Hayes recorded the game's closing score in injury-time.

LISSYCASEY: J Hayes; M Melican, S Hill, C McMahon; C Hill, C Lynch, J Kelly (capt); A Kelly, M O'Rourke; A Nagle (0-1), D Lynch, S Hayes (0-1); P Nagle, M Daly (0-6, four frees, one 45), M Slowey (0-2). Subs: F Hayes (0-1)for P Nagle (39 mins), T Kelly for A Nagle (54 mins), D McMahon for D Lynch (55 mins)

ÉIRE ÓG: S O'Connell; A Malone, D Lyne, D Ryan; N Hogan, B Manning, P Madden; P Cosgrove, S Hickey (0-3, frees); C Shannon, S Daniels (capt, 0-1, free), R O'Brien; S O'Meara (0-1), B Lenihan, E Glynn (0-1). Subs: D Russell for O'Brien (half-time), M Kelly for Hogan (half-time), B Shannon for Daniels (49 mins), G Flynn for Manning (54 mins).

Referee: M Talty(Kilmurry-Ibrickane).