Sports

IT couldn’t be any other way for Liam Jegou. After a childhood spent by the sea, both in France and Ballyvaughan, the 25-year-old was destined for a career on the water. Jegou is currently in Japan preparing to represent Ireland in the canoe C1 slalom. The last time Ireland was represented in this event was in the year he was born, 1996. So how did the Ballyvaughan man drift in to the sport? “It’s very much a family affair for me. My dad owned a sea kayaking business in Ballyvaughan in the 2000s called ‘River Ocean’. That’s when I started paddling; back when I lived in Ireland. “When we moved to France my dad got a job as a slalom coach in the local club. That’s where I fell in love with the sport. My dad coached me up until I was 20 years old so I had that opportunity to have a good coach at home. It gave me …

NAOMI Carroll’s journey to Tokyo has been anything but straightforward. The Cratloe woman has endured difficult times from missing out on a place in the Irish women’s hockey squad for the 2018 Women’s Hockey World Cup, tearing her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and then when she finally did get back to full fitness, the pandemic decimated the hockey calendar. She persevered and has now earned a spot in the Olympic squad. The Clare woman endured a 37 hour flight to Japan, but despite all the travelling, is in high spirits. After the pain of recent years, she knows all about long journeys. “Because our protocols have been so good, myself and my body feels really good. I haven’t been suffering with jet lag too badly. We arrived into Tokyo and spent just over three hours there. We had to get a COVID test, get through customs and immigration and then get on a bus. It was a seven and a …

Munster U-20 Hurling Championship Semi-Final Limerick 1-27 Clare 0-17 THERE was no doubting the result in the Gaelic Grounds on Monday night as Clare tried as much as they were allowed against a Limerick side who were stronger and more dominant possessing the key players in the right positions and this sealed a place in the Munster final, reports Michael O’Connor. Two replacements on the Clare side from the opening round win over Kerry saw William Halpin and Jack Kirwan make way for James Maguire and Robin Mounsey. Clare crowded the half-forward and midfield sector leaving Diarmuid Cahill and Robin Mounsey as a two man inside forward line. Missing from the corresponding fixture from a Clare perspective at minor level due to senior and injury issues were Mark Rodgers, Shane Meehan and Cian Galvin who is out until next year. Limerick were looking to the talented duo of Cathal O’Neill and Colin Coughlan as the home side had a solid …

CLARE face Cork for the first time under Brian Lohan this weekend after this morning’s All-Ireland Senior Hurling Round 2 Qualifier draw threw up an All-Munster encounter, writes Eoin Brennan. The game takes place in LIT Gaelic Grounds in Limerick with throw-in at 4.30. It’s the first time since 2019 that the counties have met in what was to be Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor’s last match in charge as the Banner bounced back from heavy losses to Tipperary and Limerick to overcome the Rebels in Cusack Park by 2-23 to 2-18. Ironically, despite defeat, Cork would squeeze through to the All-Ireland series on score difference at the expense of Clare. https://twitter.com/noelm300/status/1417035427953975298?s=20 More significantly for Clare, however, it halted a five match championship losing streak (including Munster Final reverses in 2017 and ’18) to the Rebels since the 2013 All-Ireland Final Replay. A repeat of the 2017 All-Ireland decider will also take place this Saturday between Waterford and Galway, with …

All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies Football Championship Round 2 Leitrim 4-7 Clare 2-9 CLARE’S bizarre opening round hoodoo continued this afternoon when ambushed by a ravenous Leitrim who deservedly topped the group in Duggan Park in Ballinasloe, reports Eoin Brennan. Following first round reverses against Wexford (2019) and Kildare (2020), Division 4 finalists Leitrim completed the Banner’s unwanted hat-trick to cause the biggest upset of them all as prior to last week, the Connaught side had not won a championship match since 2017. They certainly made up for lost time as four perfectly timed goals provided consistent sucker-punches that accumulated into too big a mountain to climb for a Clare side that just couldn’t get out of second gear at any stage. The stifling conditions certainly zapped the energy levels and can be held accountable for some of the handling errors but ultimately it was the same for both sides and Leitrim, despite contesting their second championship match in eight days, appeared …

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Round 1 Qualifier Clare 2-25 Wexford 2-22 AS the championship heated up so did Clare after completing a hat-trick of championship knock-out victories over Wexford since 2018 in Semple Stadium, Thurles this afternoon, reports Eoin Brennan. It was a testament to all 40 players for providing such entertainment amidst a veritable sauna as Clare passed a true test of character with flying colours after feigning off an inevitable Wexford backlash. Davy Fitzgerald’s side had previously exited the championship at the hands of the Banner in two of the last three campaigns but far from being a motivational tool, they appeared to be suffering sunstroke in the opening quarter as a sharper Clare completely dominated proceedings with 1-7 without reply in just eleven minutes. The goal arrived in the ninth minute through the tireless Cathal Malone who made an excellent burst to finish to the roof of Mark Fanning’s net on their way to a 1-9 to …

CLARE battled until the end but Kilkenny’s superior quality up front shone through as they secured the spoils in Sixmilebridge writes Ivan Smyth. A battling Clare side fell to a 0-16 to 0-22 defeat against Kilkenny as the reigning All-Ireland and league champions held on for a deserved win. Clare certainly gave as good as they got throughout and can look back on some spurned goal chances in the second half going forward . Chloe Morey saw a 20m free blocked on the line early in the second half while corner forward Eimear Kelly was thwarted by Kilkenny goalkeeper Emma Kavanagh. Morey was also fouled going through on goal late in the game while Bridin Dinan saw Kavanagh save her goal-bound effort in the final play of the game. Despite the goal chances Kilkenny possessed the greater firepower up front with Clare heavily reliant on Morey frees for scores in the second half. They only shot three points from play …

Clare 0-6 Cork 6-28 CLARE hurling received if not its largest defeat, then definitely one of its greatest setbacks as Cork signalled their intentions for national honours by providing Clare with a lesson in hurling, movement, skill and legitimate aggression in Semple Stadium on Wednesday evening. The pre-match suggestion that Clare were underdogs on a grand scale could not set up one for what transpired. Galway had beaten Clare with some ease in a challenge but Cork had done likewise to Galway. Cork wing forward Tadhg O Connell and his colleague at wing back James Dwyer had Cork two points to the good after four minutes action in Semple Stadium. Clare had threatened with positivity in the early minutes but two more scores from Jack Leahy (free) and Diarmuid Healy had Clare four in arrears s and on the backfoot as Cork raided with pace down the wings with full forward Leahy moving out the field. Clare’s first effort for …