Sports

Clare will be without one of their key men when they open their U20 Munster hurling championship campaign on Monday next. Sean Doyle and his management team have been dealt a blow with the news that talisman Aidan McCarthy is ruled out of the game after the Inagh-Kilnamona man suffered a broken thumb. It also leaves him in a race against time to be fit for Clare’s Munster senior hurling quarter-final showdown with Limerick on October 25, with the highly rated star due to be in a cast until just a few days before that tie. Fellow promising Combo star Conner Hegarty is also listed in the extremely doubtful category after he suffered a knee injury, but a broken nose is not expected to keep Shane Meehan from lining out under the lights in Semple Stadium.

Derrick Lynch The manager of the Clare minor footballers has outlined the details surrounding an outbreak of Covid-19 in the squad in recent weeks. It comes as positive cases of the virus were identified in members of the panel following a challenge game against Galway two weeks ago, with the panel having travelled to that fixture by bus. The squad are managed by 1992 Munster championship winner and Kilmurry Ibrickane clubman Dermot Coughlan, who told The Clare Champion that all precautions were taken prior to travelling to the game. “The game was fixed for 7pm on the Friday evening in NUIG and a number of parents had indicated that they were not in a position to travel to it. I approached the county board about getting a bus and spoke to Glynn’s in relation to what was needed. They said it would be a 52 seater with only half that capacity being carried and everyone sitting in their own seat. …

Derrick Lynch In Clare, we love our traditional music, but we love our cycling as well. It might not be the exact sentiment expressed by Ella Doherty last weekend, but like her fellow Magpie Anthony Daly, she too was crowned a national champion. The Leaving Cert student produced a stunning sprint finish to cross the line first in the National Junior Women’s championships in Limerick, in what has already been a historic year for her. Her performance in the recent Clare championships have been identified as the perfect barometer of her form coming into last weekend as she secured third place overall in a high quality field, becoming the first woman to claim the bronze medal in the race. Ella outlined that while she felt confident coming into the race, the win was unexpected. “It was a big surprise to be honest. I knew I was on form but I hadn’t raced a lot of those girls in a long …

Derrick Lynch The AGM of the Clare District Soccer League will take place on November 2 should Covid-19 restrictions be eased at that point. Next Monday evening had been pencilled in a possible date for the the meeting but this week’s announcement of Level 3 restrictions mean that plans have had to be put on ice for the time being. It also means that the start date for the new season will now be postponed until after that meeting has taken place, with hopes that the following weekend, November 7/8, will see action resume around the county. There are a number of positions to be filled when clubs eventually gather with chairman, secretary and PRO among the positions currently vacant. It is expected that Kilrush Rangers clubman Jason Ryan will take over from Oliver Fitzpatrick in the chairman’s role after Fitzpatrick brought his tenure to an abrupt end last month. Ronnie Pyne looks set to remain as vice chairman while …

Derrick Lynch The chairman of Clare GAA is hopeful that the last remaining adult championship in the county can still be completed. It is after GAA’s decision to suspend all club games in light of Covid-19 concerns means the Clare Junior A football title will remain vacant for the time being. A GAA management committee meeting on Monday morning cited post match celebrations and a lack of social distancing at certain events as being part of the reason to call a halt to proceedings. The cull on club action means that the last remaining adult championship in final in Clare, which was scheduled for Sunday afternoon, can not now go ahead with the Banner and Ballyvaughan having been set to lock horns for the silverware and a place in the 2021 Clare intermediate championship. The Banner secured the Clare Junior B hurling title last weekend and were bidding for a historic double for the club. In a social media post. …

Derrick Lynch There is mixed news for the Clare senior hurling and football panels ahead of the resumption of the intercounty season in the coming weeks. It is understood that Brian Lohan will be without another of Clare’s 2013 All Ireland winning heroes with Podge Collins leaving the panel for the upcoming campaign. The circumstances surrounding the Cratloe man’s departure from the squad are not yet known, but the former All Star joins the injured Clonlara duo of John Conlon and Colm Galvin on the absentee list. Clare take on Limerick in the opening round of the Munster hurling championship in Thurles on October 25 with the game also doubling up as the National League final. There is better news on the football front with All Star nominees Gary Brennan and Jamie Malone having linked up with the squad once more. Clondegad man Brennan opted out prior to the start of the 2020 season but the outbreak of Covid-19 scuppered …

Podge Collins has linked up with the Clare Senior Football panel for the coming campaign. The Clare Champion understands that the Cratloe man was invited on to the panel in the wake of the news that he was no longer part of the hurling squad for 2020. Collins was a key part of Cratloe’s march to the 2020 Clare SFC final with his goal in their last four tie with St Breckans being one of the highlights of the campaign. It’s the latest boost for the squad following the news that Gary Brennan, Jamie Malone and Aaron Fitzgerald are also back with the panel. Meanwhile it still remains to be seen when Clare’s 2020 season will commence after Fermanagh GAA announced they were ceasing all activity for two weeks in the wake of an outbreak of Covid-19. The Ulster side were due to face Clare on Sunday week in the penultimate round of the National Football league Division Two. No …

The Clare Athletics cross country championships took place in Clarecastle GAA grounds on Sunday last, with the event run under strict guidelines and a very successful day was had by all. U8 Girls: 1: Una McMahon (St John’s); 2: Orlaith O’Rourke (Fergus); 3: Leah Robertson (St John’s). Teams: 1: Ennis Track (45 points); 2: St Cronan’s (53 points); St Mary’s (71 points). U8 Boys: 1: Riain Duignan (St Cronan’s); 2: Sean Hick (Fergus); 3: Sean Hassett (St Cronan’s). Teams: 1: St Cronan’s (16 points); 2: Ennis Track (43 points). U10 Girls: 1: Nicole Griffin (Fergus); 2: Caoimhe McMahon (Fergus); 3: Aoibhin Daly (St Cronan’s). Teams: 1: Fergus (28 points); 2: Ennis Track (47 points); 3: (47 points). U10 Boys: 1: Jonah Quinn (St Cronan’s); 2: Daniel McNamara (Fergus); 3: Max Garvey (St Cronan’s). Teams: 1: St Cronan’s (18 points); 2: Ennis Track (30 points); 3: Fergus (70 points). U12 Girls: 1: Faye Mannion (Ennis Track); 2: Millie Watts (Ennis Track); …