Limerick 2-13 Clare 2-9 If the Clare footballers are to make it back to the final of the McGrath Cup, they will have to rely on Waterford beating Limerick on Sunday and hope that scoring difference falls in their favour. Following their opening group game win over Waterford in Meelick, Clare made 10 changes in personnel for Wednesday’s four point defeat to Limerick in Rhebogue. In a game played in bitterly cold conditions and featuring a strong cross field breeze, Limerick, who are coached by former Clare mentor Paudie Kissane, looked sharp and confident. A Darragh Treacy goal helped them to a slender half-time lead, 1-5 to 0-7 and Seamus O’Carroll goal early in the second half was the games decisive score. O’Carroll netted after the ball bounced over the head of Clare full back John Hayes, allowing the Limerick man to steal inside and plant the ball beyond Joe Hayes. Clare could have goaled exactly half way through the …

THE Clare senior football team to play Limerick on Wednesday evening at St Patrick’s grounds at 7.30pm has been named. The team shows ten changes from that side that defeated Waterford on Sunday with Kilrush duo Darragh Bolton and Gearóid O’Brien making their first starts. If Clare beat Limerick they will advance to their second successive McGrath Cup final. The starting 15 is as follows: Clare: Joe Hayes; Darren Nagle, Kevin Harnett, Martin McMahon; Liam Markham, Gordon Kelly, Cian O’Dea; Gary Brennan and Cathal O’Connor; Shane Brennan, Shane McGrath, Darragh Bolton; Eoin Cleary, Keelan Sexton and Gearóid O’Brien.

Clare 1-10 Waterford 0-8 VERY slow to settle in the opening quarter, Clare eventually ground out a five point win in their opening McGrath Cup fixture in Meelick on Sunday afternoon. The match was played in perfect underfoot conditions on what was an overcast afternoon. If Clare beat Limerick on Wednesday evening in the Gaelic Grounds, in their second game in this group, they will qualify for their second successive final in this competition. Clare gave a debut to Ballyhaunis corner back Eoghan Collins, who is a nephew of manager Colm Collins while Kilmaley’s Mikey O’Neill also also started his first inter-county game. Others to play their first minutes of senior football included David Egan and Darragh Bolton while Liam Markham also featured for the first time in several seasons as did John Hayes. An Eoin Cleary goal, made by Jamie Malone and David Tubridy helped Clare into a 1-3 to 0-3 interval lead. That 19th minute goal was Clare’s …

SIX people have been detected drink driving in Clare over the Christmas period, with two of these being during the day time. Of the six drink drivers, one was detected at 9.20am on Monday, December 19 and another at lunchtime on December 21. Two were detected in the early hours of December 28. Although the drink-driving figures for the month of December to date show a “significant increase” in those driving while under the influence of alcohol, locally the statistics are down one on last year for the Christmas period. On December 1, An Garda Síochána and the RSA launched the Christmas and new year anti-drink driving campaign. This was heavily publicised across all broadcast mediums, particularly social media, and was fronted by the Treacy family, who tragically lost their four-year-old son Ciarán in a road traffic collision involving a drunk driver. Despite this stark ad, people continue to drive under the influence. Nationally, from December 1 to December 20, …

Kilmurry Ibrickane 2-9 Doonbeg 1-8 THE mid Winter evening of December 9, 2016 will be fondly remembered in the history of Kilmurry Ibrickane GAA club. Last Friday in Kilmihil, Kilmurry added their sixth successive Cusack Cup to the senior championship and U/21 titles already won. That they did so was largely thanks to 1-2 from play, all in the second half, from centre back Martin McMahon. Interestingly, while McMahon was definitely the most influential player on view, he was challenged for player of the match by second half substitute Declan Callinan, who won several breaks, in the Kilmurry half back line. Kilmurry played their best football in the second half, having been out played for much of the opening half hour. Doonbeg led 1-3 to 0-4 at half-time but they were dealt a huge blow five minutes before the interval, when Colm Dillon was black carded for a late shoulder on Ciaran Morrissey. Dillon should have been yellow carded but …

THE tragic sea accident off Kilkee last September, which claimed the life of Doolin Irish Coast Guard volunteer Caitríona Lucas during a search and recovery operation, will be recalled at The Clare Association dinner in The Falls Hotel, Ennistymon on Friday, February 25. In recognition of her bravery and making the ultimate sacrifice, the association will be giving her a posthumous award by naming her its Clare Person of the Year for 2017. The 41-year-old Ballyvaughan woman, who lived in Liscannor, lost her life when she was one of three volunteers on board a rigid inflatable boat, which capsized in choppy conditions while taking part in the search for a missing man. The two other volunteers, one of whom was trapped in a cave for several hours, were rescued. The Clare Association usually holds its annual function at a Dublin venue but due to the special circumstances surrounding this year’s award, the decision was made to facilitate the North Clare …

YOU could not imagine sitting Denis Irwin and Pete Boyle at a table together and for them to be still talking long into the night hours later. Irwin’s quiet man image doesn’t tally with Boyle’s propensity to break into a Manchester United themed song at any time of the day or night. Irwin, who played for United for 12 years, Gary Pallister and Boyle, a legendary fan, were guests of the Clare branch of the Manchester United Supporters Club at the Auburn Lodge Hotel, Ennis last Saturday. Up to 300 people attended the insightful and entertaining evening, with United fanatic Boyle acting as master of ceremonies. At one point, Irwin told a story about a pre-season tour of the Isle of Man, long before he joined United. He returned to the team hotel at 3am, following a night out but was unlucky to meet his then manager emerging from the hotel bar. Irwin revealed that the lesson he gleaned from …

CLARE senior football coach Mick Bohan has resigned from his position after just one year in the role. In a statement issued today by Clare GAA, “family reasons” are cited for his vacating the post. Bohan will be replaced by Alan Flynn who guided Galway to an U/21 All-Ireland in 2013. Next season will be the fourth successive year in which Clare have had a different coach. Paudie Kissane, Ephie Fitzgerald, Mick Bohan and now Alan Flynn have filled the role since Colm Collins was appointed to the managers job in 2014. In 2016 the Clare footballers were promoted to division 2 of the NFL and made the last eight of the All-Ireland championship. In the Clare GAA statement, it was confirmed that Mick Bohan “will continue in his role with the under-age development programme in Clare”.