Sports

Derrick Lynch Clare Intermediate Ladies Football Final Preview: Kilmurry Ibrickane v Miltown There are always side stories when neighbours clash in the championship and even more so when that clash comes in a final. It is not uncommon for cousins to clash in these occasions, with the Cleary’s and Coughlan’s being a prime example of that when these two parishes met in the 2019 senior men’s decider. That rivalry will be going up another notch on Sunday, as Kilmurry Ibrickane captain Ciara Hickey will be plotting the downfall of a Miltown team that will include her sister Emma in the full-back line. The siblings were united 12 months ago as the absence of a team in Kilmurry saw a number of players link up with Miltown in order to keep playing the game, and they were unlucky to lose out in a dramatic decider against Cooraclare. The Hickeys come from a strong football family, and that determination and commitment is …

Chairman of the CDSL Oliver Fitzpatrick has confirmed he will not be seeking another term in the role. The news comes on the same day that secretary Michael Lydon confirmed he is also stepping down, meaning an entire new top table will be elected at this year’s AGM. Fitzpatrick hit out at some members of the committee in his email to clubs, the contents of which can be read below.   Hi All, I would like to thank all clubs who supported me during my time on the committee but following a number of messages from Ronnie Pyne and Jason Ryan now is the right time to let you know I’m not seeking re-election for the 2020/21 season. Club and personal interests should not be put ahead of the interests of the League or Government/FAI guidelines on Covid-19 when you are on the CDSL committee.    I was happy to put in the work as your Chairman for the good …

Derrick Lynch A limited number of spectators will be permitted to attend upcoming games in Clare after the Government’s plan for living with Covid-19 was outlined this week. As part of the Level 2 restrictions in Clare, crowds of up to 200 people are permitted to attend sporting events in venues which can accommodate 5,000 people or more, with smaller venues permitted to host crowds of up 100 people. It has also been confirmed that in a change to previous guidelines, those numbers will be outside of the panels of players, management, officials, stewards and other essential personnel on the day. It means that the upcoming county hurling and football finals in Cusack Park will see up to 200 spectators filing through the gates, with competing clubs being given the option to purchase up 100 tickets for distribution. This weekend’s Clare Ladies football finals are being held in Doonbeg, but due to the limited capacity at the venue just 100 …

Secretary of Clare District Soccer League Michael Lydon has hit out at “people with hidden agendas” as he announced his resignation from the role. In correspondence seen by The Clare Champion, Lydon outlined that he was stepping down with immediate effect, stating his enjoyment of soccer was now zero, which he blamed on off field matters. He praised the work of CDSL chairman Oliver Fitzpatrick who he credited with getting the season completed after the COVID-19 lockdown, but claimed that this was done “despite the best efforts of a few people with hidden agendas who did everything to stop the season from returning”. Lydon finished by saying he has enjoyed his years in Clare soccer but felt the time was now right to step aside. He wished all clubs well for the future and acknowledged that these are very challenging times. It is understood that an AGM will be held in the coming weeks with the new season set to …

Clare SHC Semi-Final: O’Callaghan’s Mills 2-17 Ballyea 1-17 Colin Crehan’s late goal saw O’Callaghan’s Mills turn this tie on its head as the East Clare men saw off the challenge of Ballyea to set up a Clare SHC final showdown with neighbours O’Callaghan’s Mills. 2018 champions Ballyea led by the minimum with the game in injury time and looked to have warded off a late charge from the Mills, but Crehan’s late goal and an inspirational point from 2013 All-Ireland winning captain Pat Donnellan saw them over the line. It was a cruel twist on Ballyea who had rallied from a slow start to lead by 1-15 to 1-11 at the final water break with Tony Kelly’s goal looking as if it had put them in the driving seat. Kelly (1-8) and Deasy (0-7) accounted for the lion’s share of Ballyea’s scores and the absence of the injured Gary Brennan in stemming the late Mills tide was telling. It is …

Clare SFC Semi-Final: Kilmurry Ibrickane 3-11 Lissycasey 1-18 Kilmurry Ibrickane edged an entertaining encounter to seal their spot in a fourth Clare SFC final in the last five years. The blend of youth and experience in the 2017 champions squad was evident throughout with Enda Coughlan protecting the defence while Mark Killeen’s man marking job on star man Aaron Griffin neutralised his influence for large periods. Aidan McCarthy was in outstanding form at midfield while Shane Hickey’s raids forward from defence created overlaps for the Lissycasey defence to deal with. Dermot Coughlan and Keelan Sexton provided the attacking outlet when called upon while the form of the returning Noel Downes will be a major positive ahead of the final. The sides were level entering the final quarter with goals from Shane and Aaron Griffin coming in response to Keelan Sexton’s for the Bricks to set up a grandstand finish. It looked as if Kilmurry had made the vital kick for …

County Junior B football final St Breckans 2-12 Shannon Gaels 1-1 By Michael O Connor A masterclass from St Breckans veteran Pat Nagle and Minor Eoin Guerin secured the Junior B crown overcoming a team of Shannon Gaels veterans including close to a dozen of their 1997 and 1999 U21A and 1999 and 2002 Intermediate winning sides in Miltown on Friday night.  Even the most optimistic of Shannon Gaels supporters entering this tie were cautious about the possible story of this game with many of their side in the veteran stage of their storied careers against a youthful fast moving North Clare side. That said, St Breckans possessed men from the 1990s in Denis O Driscoll and Pat Nagle who were to the fore. Mikie Keating set the tone for St Breckans as he raced through for the opening score with less than a minute’s action. Eoin Guerin had the ball in the Gaels net after five minutes following a …

It has been a successful introduction to Clare hurling so far for O’Callaghan’s Mills boss Donach O’Donnell with the Limerick native guiding his side unbeaten to the last four. It has been an impressive run for the Mills with victories over Broadford, Crusheen and Kilmaley making them one of the form teams of the championship so far. O’Donnell is pleased with the manner in which they have hit the ground running. “We are pleased to be there, and we are lucky to have such an honest and hardworking group of players. They are intelligent in the way they go about their hurling and they have been very open in what we have been trying to get them to do and working hard on it. Like any winter, we were starting off and getting to know them. We had a few weeks done before Covid hit and that was hard. Once we got back again, we were in smaller groups and …