The Late Johnny Purcell and Des Carroll Comrades on Clare's Oireachtas final teams of 1953 and 1954, the deaths have taken place within days of each other of Des Carroll from Scariff and Barefield's Johnny Purcell. Both started the 1953 final against Wexford and were members of the panel when Clare reversed the result a year later in front of a record attendance of 30,000 spectators in Croke Park. Interestingly, Des had decided to retire from inter county hurling in September, 1954 and was coaxed into changing his mind a few weeks before Clare annexed their first ever Oireachtas title, beating Wexford 3-6 to 0-12 in a famous final. However, due to an administrative faux pas Des had to wait all of 50 years for that medal. It was a issue that provoked mixed emotions, from elation to frustration. But the mists of time hadn't erased the precious memories of that victory and there was no prouder man than Des when that wrong was eventually put right. Late last year, through the exhaustible efforts of his great friend and colleagues, Dan McInerney, County Board secretary, Pat Fitzgerald presented Des with his long awaited Oireachtas medal at a reception in the Old Ground Hotel. Des's hurling days were finally complete. But those days, at inter county level, started back in 1945 when Des received his senior call up to what was then a relatively young Clare side. Clare ran the great Limerick team close in the second round of the championship but success was just around the corner. The following year, Clare won the Arus na nGael, Thomond Feis and national league titles defeating Dublin, thanks to a contribution of 1-5 from Whitegates's Jackie Solon, in the league decider. In the 1951 Cusack Sheild final victory over neighbours, Limerick, Des Carroll and Johnny Purcell were partners at midfield and both were members of the Clare squad that beat both Cork and Tippeary en route to the 1955 Munster final. Unfortunately, they were upstaged in that final by an under-rated Limerick side, trained by the legendary Mick Mackey and dubbed "Mackey's Greyhounds". Interestingly, both men had the distinction of winning three Clare senior championship medals. In Johnny's case he won one with his native Ruan and two with his adopted club, St Joseph's while Des collected medals in 1946 and back to back titles in 1952 and 1953 with Scariff. Johnny's first medal was the final of 1948, a game that went into the annals of Clare hurling. It has since been labelled the final of the long whistle because Cratloe referee, Mick Quaine played almost 20 minutes of additional time before Ruan eventually emerged victorious over Clarecastle on a 6-3 to 3-5. Ruan were beaten in the finals of 1949 and 1950 and when they reclaimed the Canon Hamilton Cup in '51, Johnny lined up with the opposition, St Joseph's. At that stage he was nursing at Our Lady's Hospital. But he wasn't to be denied another medal. He helped Joseph's win the championship in 1954 (O'Callaghan's Mills) and 1958 (Feakle) while he also picked up two Clare Cup medals - 1953 (Newmarket) and 1957 (Whitegate). Johnny nursed in Our Lady's Hospital until his retirement and had a great love of gardening and farming. During his illness, Johnny read extensively, took great pride in his collection of rare books and will be fondly remembered for his optimism and good humour. He was a member of the Ennis Lion's Club and his later years attended the Clarecastle Day Care Centre. His remains were removed from his home at Ard na Greine to the Cathedral and burial was to Drumcliffe cemetery. He is survived by his family and many friends. Although born in Scariff, Des Carroll first hurled with Newmarket. This family moved to Clonmoney, near Bunratty, when his father, Harry was appointed principal of Clonmoney National School. When the Blues won a junior championship in 1941, Des was on tow. Two years later there was another junior championship but this one was extra special. It was a parish final between Newmarket and Tradaree and Des was on Tradaree's side. "I changed to Tradaree and then ended up playing against Newmarket in the final," Des recalled. "There was no one allowed inside the wire only the team, officials and substitutes. Everyone thought there would be an explosion during the match but there wasn't a word from start to finish." Des went to St. Flannan's College and starred in their senior team from 1941 to 1943. At that time Flannan's were outside the Harty Cup fold and participated in a completion for the Canon O'Kennedy Shield. After leaving school, Des apprenticed himself to his uncle, Jimmy O'Brien in the butcher trade in Scariff. Eventually he set up his own business in Scariff from which he retired nine years ago and moved to Corrovorrin Drive in Ennis with his wife, Peggy. Des switched his hurling allegiance to Scariff and in 1946 they qualified to face neighbours. Feakle, the dominant team of the time, in the county final. It was to be the day Des picked up his first of three senior championship medals. "There was a lot of talent in Scariff at that time," he reflected. "They were combined with Whitegate and Mountshannon as a combination senior team before parish rule was introduced in 1945. The first year were on our own we won the championship. Being next door neighbours there was great rivalry between Scariff and Feakle. The county final in Cusack Park was hot and heavy, as one would expect. It went very near boiling point on a few occasions but it was still very fair. Afterwards, both teams went up to the Queen's Hotel together for a meal." Scariff had to wait another five years to reach the final when debutantes, Sixmilebridge provided the opposition. They beat the Bridge and the Blues the following year. The 1953 win meant Des had put one over his old club, just like with Tradaree. In between he helped Scariff to junior football titles in 1946 and 1953. Des died peacefully in Cahercalla Community Hospital . Removal was from Daly's Mortuary Chapel to St Joseph's Church. His brother, Canon Caimin Carroll, P.P. Barefield was the chief celebrant of the funeral mass. Burial was to Moynoe cemetery in his beloved Scariff. He is survived by his wife, Peggy (nee Neylon); daughters, Ester (Kelly), Anne, Bernadette (Kelly), Paula (O'Rourke); sons Harry and Adrian. He is also mourned by his sister, Vera; brothers, Canon Caimin and Senan, grandchildren, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, relatives and friends. Courtesy of the Clare Champion March 11th 2005 Tweet

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