All-Ireland Senior Men’s Final Preview: Carrickmacross v Erne Eagles
All-Ireland Senior Men’s Rounders Final Preview
The Road to the Final
The 2025 Senior Men’s Championship has boiled down to a familiar heavyweight clash.
Carrickmacross Emmets and Erne Eagles both topped the group with seven wins from eight games and finished level on
38 points, proving once again why they are the two dominant forces in men’s rounders.
- Carrickmacross were the competition’s free-scoring side, posting 150 runs for and a run difference of +82, the best in the league.
- Erne Eagles were watertight in defence, conceding only 53 runs all season – the meanest defence in the country.
Semi-Finals
• Carrickmacross Emmets 31–23 Glynn Barntown
A batting shootout that underlined Carrick’s power across the order.
• Erne Eagles 16–12 Breaffy
A tighter game where the Eagles’ composure and fielding nous saw them over the line.
Rivalry Reignited
This is far from a new rivalry. Earlier this season, Erne Eagles edged Carrickmacross 9–8 in one of the tightest games of the campaign, showing they have the measure to shut down the Emmets’ power hitting.
Their history goes back many years with both teams winning finals – the 2024 semi-final between these sides was regarded as one of the games of the season, a classic that had everything: runs, drama, and a finish that went right to the wire. Both clubs know there is no such thing as a comfortable win when they meet.
Carrickmacross v Erne Eagles – 2023 Final
What the Numbers Say
| Team | Runs For | Runs Against | Run Difference | Run Rate | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrickmacross | 150 | 68 | +82 | 2.4 | Best batting side in the country. |
| Erne Eagles | 95 | 53 | +42 | 1.6 | Best defensive side in the country. |
Heavyweight Clash
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Too Tight to Call
Carrickmacross will look to overpower their opponents with sheer batting firepower, while Erne Eagles will rely on defensive discipline and the experience of grinding out close games.
With the sides so evenly matched, and both having already traded wins in recent seasons, this final feels too tight to call — exactly the way a championship decider should be.
Carrickmacross Emmets Senior Men
| Player Name | Number | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Barry Lambe | 12 | Bowler |
| Colm Kiernan | 1 | Backstop |
| Donal McCullagh | 15 | 1st Base |
| Frank Duffy | 14 | 2nd Base |
| Justin Burns | 16 | 3rd Base |
| Patrick Bermingham | 4 | Short Stop |
| Euan Matthews | 11 | Right Outfield |
| Oran Kiernan | 5 | Centre Outfield |
| Declan Finnegan | 8 | Left Outfield |
Substitutes
- Ronan Kiernan
- Paul Boylan
- Colm Birdy
Manager
Colm Birdy
Erne Eagles Senior Men
| Player Name | Number | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Karl Dolan | 16 | Bowler |
| Paul Mollaghan | 12 | Backstop |
| Shane Sheridan | 6 | 1st Base |
| Gerard Clerkin | 3 | 2nd Base |
| Gary O’Reilly | 2 | 3rd Base |
| Mick Cullen | 14 | Short Stop |
| Nathan Loughnane | 20 | Right Outfield |
| Fionn Higgins | 28 | Centre Outfield |
| Owen Roe O’Reilly | 10 | Left Outfield |
Substitutes
- Justin Perrin (24)
- Darryl Dolan (4)
- David Dolan (13)
- Peter Tierney (23)
- Ronan Hatton (30)
- Dylan McKeever (7)
- Killian O’Sullivan (32)
- Conor Masterson (1)
- Josh Dolan
Coaches
Ollie Fitzsimons, Paul Mollaghan, Conor Masterson
