Sports

BACK-TO-BACK champions Sixmilebridge are first into the breach on Friday evening as they look to take their perfect championship record to 11 matches when taking on old foes Clarecastle in Cusack Park, writes Eoin Brennan. The glamour of that traditional firecracker has long since extinguished as Sixmilebridge are now aiming for a three-in-a-row of Canon Hamilton titles while the Magpies would be content to avoid any relegation danger in a year where two teams drop to intermediate. The absence of Seadna Morey and Cathal Malone are significant but Clarecastle have their own injury woes and are more likely to need a full complement. The more intriguing tie in Group 2 is the clash of Wolfe Tones and Scariff as whoever wins will have one foot out of the relegation zone and into a potential quarter-final spot. The Tones will require a full AA battery charge from the Arons/Aarons while intermediate champions Scariff won’t hold any fear in their bid to …

All-Ireland Intermediate Championship Quarter-Final Westmeath 3-11 Clare 2-11 Clare suffered an agonising three point defeat to Westmeath in the TG4 All-Ireland intermediate quarter final, reports Ivan Smyth. When Clare trailed by eight points near the conclusion of the opening half and by six points after 40 minutes, it appeared their hopes of progressing through to the semi final were thin but Evan Talty’s side produced a tremendous fightback as they fell just short. Clare scored 1-2 without reply as substitute Chloe Towey found the net as her side cut their deficit to a single point with five minutes remaining. After Anna Jones (free) and Niamh O’Dea traded scores, Clare tried desperately to find the score needed to level or win this back and forth contest. O’Dea and Chloe Moloney both saw shots drift wide of the uprights with Westmeath desperately clinging on. However, they showed great composure when late in the game they scored two frees. Clare had a chance …

Ivan Smyth speaks to Clare ladies football coach Evan Talty ahead of today’s crucial clash with Westmeath AFTER conceding 16 goals in their five games across the league and Championship so far this year, Clare manager Evan Talty is keenly aware of the need to address his side’s defensive issues. When Clare travel down to Tuam Stadium on Sunday afternoon to face Westmeath (throw in 2pm), they will need to produce their best defensive display to have any hopes of reaching the semi finals of the All-Ireland Intermediate Championship. After holding Wexford to 1-8 in an opening round league win, Clare have since shipped 4-13 to Kerry, 4-18 to Meath (both league games), 4-7 in an opening round Championship defeat to Leitrim and 3-6 in their final round group win against Fermanagh. Talty admits that the defensive displays have “not been good enough.” “It’s not been good enough from us defensively this year. You cannot win football games conceding three, …

Ivan Smyth catches up with the Clare skipper ahead of their do-or-die clash with Westmeath AS Clare prepare for a do or die clash against Westmeath, Caoimhe Harvey is keen to ensure the hard work that her side put in during the third lockdown does not go to waste. After losing their All-Ireland Intermediate semi-final on November 28 of last year, Harvey would have expected to be able to quickly go about avenging that defeat. However, the third lockdown saw all GAA action called to a halt with players across the country forced to train at home. The Clare captain insists her side were eager to make up for lost time when they got back on the pitch. “We were out until late last year but we couldn’t go back until April. There was uncertainty when we were returning with questions about whether it was safe to be back. We followed the guidelines so we’ve been training away ever since. …

Clare v Westmeath at Tuam Stadium Galway, Sunday, at 2pm (Garryowen McMahon, Mayo) IT’S essentially a crossroads of sorts for the Clare ladies’ footballers this Saturday. Having failed to win a knock-out championship tie since contesting the All-Ireland Intermediate Final five years ago, the Banner crave a breakthrough against a major opponent just to even validate their developmental progress, writes Eoin Brennan. And they certainly don’t come much bigger than Westmeath who are not only favourites for the title, having paid their dues in the 2020 final against Meath in December but are also only down from senior level since 2019. Experienced forwards Leona Archibald, Fiona Claffey, Ciara Blundell and Lucy McCartan are still in situ from their last knock-out meeting with Clare in the 2016 National League Division 2 Semi-Final. Clare will be extremely wary of that attacking prowess, having conceded seven goals so far in just two group outings. Perfect timing then for the potential return of former …

WITH three of the four sides emerging contently from the opening round, the stakes in the ‘Group of Death’ are upped this weekend as Ennistymon are introduced into the mix against Kilmurry Ibrickane while old rivals Miltown and Cratloe renew acquaintances. Eoin Brennan reports. Kilmurry Ibrickane v Ennistymon at Cusack Park, Saturday, 4.30pm (Referee C Maguire) While neighbours Kilmurry Ibrickane and St Joseph’s Miltown know each other inside out, it’s a little less familiar territory from now on for the defending champions who will be expecting an Ennistymon ambush this Saturday. The North Clare side were the only team to sit out the opening weekend of the championship so they will be extra eager to not only get their championship challenge underway but also make an immediate impact. After all, with Kilmurry Ibrickane, St Joseph’s Miltown and Cratloe strong favourites to take the three knock-out spots, Ennistymon will be determined to break up that cosy cartel, having contested at least …

Eoin Brennan focuses on this week’s U15B hurling championship QFs Under 15B Hurling Championship Quarter-Final Ballyea 0-16 O’Callaghan’s Mills/Bodyke 0-12 BALLYEA passed a major test of character on Monday evening when belying their numerical disadvantage to finish the stronger in another inch-tight battle with O’Callaghan’s Mills/Bodyke on home soil. With only the minimum separating the sides in the amalgamation’s favour in their group meeting, the sides would go blow-for-blow once more in a compelling tie that would see the lead change times six times and be level on nine occasions by the two-thirds mark. Ballyea proved the more efficient side in the final quarter however as O’Callaghan’s Mills/Bodyke failed to turn their chances into scores or indeed benefit from a home dismissal entering the final ten minutes. Instead, it was the outstanding leadership of Eoin Kennedy that finally cemented Ballyea’s passage to the last four as the midfielder fired two points along with a third from younger brother Dara to …

BRÍD MacNamara and Clare Camogie’s officers clocked up one million steps between them during the month of July, writes Ivan Smyth. The fundraiser was run for Clare Camogie with PRO Brid completing over 640,000 steps during the month as she visited all 26 camogie clubs in the county. She also put her best foot forward during her lunch break and at any available opportunity. Brid admits her body is sore after completing the challenge and that it was challenging to find the time every day to clock up the steps as she averaged over 20,000 steps per day during the month of July. She believes the help of her fellow county board members was invaluable. “My body is holding up ok at this point. My legs are very sore and my feet are too. It was challenging to fit in the walking every day if you factor in inter county games on work days and then we had minor and …