Sports

CLOONEY-QUIN’S county stars Peter Duggan and Ryan Taylor were on hand to officially open Clooney-Quin’s new astro pitch and ball wall. The pair who are vital cogs in the Clare attack that will face Limerick in the Munster Final took part in an exhibition game, signed autographs and took selfies with their legions of adoring young fans. The astro and ball wall are the latest milestones in the club’s ongoing five year plan.

A showpiece to the work undertaken each season and the strength of GAA within St Flannan’s was on show when their two first year teams contested the Clare Post Primary Schools first year hurling final in sunny conditions at Cusack Park, Ennis. The Whites otherwise known as A-L with a late flurry of scores to deny the Blues who had been very impressive in the opening sections of the game without ever building up a substantial lead. More importantly the Blues, or M-Z, were unable to turn first half possession into goals that were threatened. St Joseph’s, Tulla and Scariff Community College were the defeated semi-finalists, and this set up a near annual contest between the two sides from the Ennis college. One trait of this regular occurrence is that it pits clubmates against each other and classmates as well. A lot of the players on view will in the next four years or so backbone Clare underage hurling and …

It’s been a long five weeks for Colm Collins and the Clare senior footballers, writes Joes Garry. The fact that Clare were history makers as party to the championship’s first penalty shoot-out will have offered little consolation as Limerick made good on their victory, and have since secured a place in the last 12- all be it on the back of a fairly chastening experience last Saturday. Colm & Co. have been long enough on the road to know that that first round display will be nowhere near good enough on Saturday next. The intervening period will have diluted the agonising manner of that defeat, but will, no doubt, act as a reminder of the unforgiving nature of the championship , if chances are not availed of. Therein lies Saturday’s biggest challenge. Clare, as always, will bring an honesty of endeavour but will need to complement same with far greater guile, particularly in front of goal. The 1-14 last day …

While the Clare senior hurlers have been riding on the crest of a wave of momentum so far, their footballing equivalents have contrastingly had to rebuild from the ground up once more over the past five weeks following a period of introspection. Limerick’s historic penalty shoot-out victory over Colm Collins’ side may have provided unprecedented entertainment but such an agonising exit from the Munster Championship was a difficult pill to swallow as the Cratloe clubman admitted this week. “Initially it was a frustrating experience to lose a game in that manner but after we spent the requisite amount of time mourning, I think we woke up to the fact that we were still in the championship and that there was a fantastic opportunity ahead and we had to embrace it. “So I think once lads got that into their heads, things picked up again and have been very positive over the last few weeks so I think they’re in a …

Premier Division Avenue Utd 1-1 Newmarket Celtic THE changing of the guard was completed this evening (Wednesday) when captain Dylan Casey’s dramatic 77th minute equaliser clinched a famous league and cup double from the grasp of holders Newmarket Celtic on home soil, writes Eoin Brennan. In what was a great advertisement for Clare soccer, four days on from Avenue’s 2-1 Cup Final victory over Celtic, a large crowd were in attendance once more to witness the ultimate Premier Division showdown. Tension was commonplace, especially for the home side after being dealt an early hammerblow when Newmarket stalwart Stephen Kelly headed home a David McCarthy corner only three minutes into the tie. With nothing but a victory sufficient for Newmarket to retain their crown, it took time and more significantly patience for the hosts to eventually turn the tide and ultimately wear down their experienced opponents. Needing a response to Saturday’s lacklustre final display, Newmarket came out firing and following Kelly’s …

Aideen Walsh, who is a member of both Lahinch and Woodstock Golf Clubs, was crowned Ulster Women’s Strokeplay Champion as she defended the title that she secured in 2021. Walsh finished -5 for the tournament, five strokes ahead of Roscommon Golf Club’s Olivia Costello and Kate Lanigan from Hermitage Golf Club. This was a dominant victory for the Ennis native as an opening round of 69 saw her take a two-shot lead over Jan Browne. Despite a double-bogey on her very first hole, Walsh produced some terrific golf over the rest of the round. Birdies on the third, fifth, tenth, fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth holes allowed her to finish the round on -4. Despite a bogey on the thirteenth during her second round, Walsh birdied holes 10 and 15 to give herself every chance of recapturing the title. A confident Walsh played solidly in the opening stages of the final round and despite a bogey on the fourth, birdies on …

Lifford AFC 1 Bridge United 2 Bridge United secured a final day victory as Mark Colbert’s side finished comfortably in fourth place. A victory here for Lifford would have seen them finish fifth. However, this defeat coupled with Mountshannon Celtic’s victory over Shannon Hibs ensured that Adrian Walsh’s side finished sixth. Lifford will be relatively pleased with their season as despite some early poor results, they were able to finish comfortably in the middle of the pack. Leon Daly gave Bridge an early lead but that strike was cancelled out by Niall Guinnane as the sides retired to the dressing rooms level at 1-1. The second half saw both sides push forward in search of a winner but with little in the line for either outfit, the game lacked the necessary cut and thrust that both of these sides have displayed throughout the 2021/22 season. Bridge managed to find the winning goal when 16-year-old Darragh Hayes struck a late winner …

It promised to be a great occasion. The renewal of a rivalry that has seen few battles between these sides at this grade saw a well regarded Galway outfit and a Clare side hurting from Munster final anguish lock horns. With a healthy crowd on an ideal afternoon for hurling the stage was set for a ferocious contest. Considering this was just the fifth time Clare and Galway have met in the Minor Championship this century, all indications before throw-in was that this was going to be a rip-roaring battle between two counties with eyes on putting one foot in the knockout stages. Instead, Clare struggled with all aspects of the game as they fired nine points and 15 wides during the hour of hurling. By contrast Galway notched 0-25 and just 10 wides as Fergal Healy’s side blitzed their opponents. Aside from a 10 minute spell in the second quarter where Clare outscored their opponents by 0-6 to 0-3, …