Sports

AS the Clare senior footballers prepare for their opening game of the McGrath Cup against UL in Miltown Malbay on Sunday, January 8, they will play GMIT in a challenge in Galway on Monday, January 2. Several newcomers have been added to the Clare panel for the McGrath Cup campaign. The newcomers include David Murphy and Seán O’Driscoll (Ennistymon), Stephen Tierney (St Breckan’s), Killian Malone (Kilfenora), Seán Haugh (O’Curry’s), Podge Collins (Cratloe), Thomas Downes and Thomas Donnellan (Cooraclare), Luke O’Loughlin (Corofin) and Chris Williamson (Kilkee). County champions Kilmurry-Ibrickane have four players on the McGrath Cup panel; Peter O’Dwyer junior, Martin McMahon, Darren Hickey and Stephen Moloney. Declan Callinan, who featured against Down in Cusack Park, is injured at the moment. Fellow 2011 panellist Mark Tubridy (Cooraclare) has emigrated to Australia, while Niall Browne (Two Mile House, Kildare) is injured but will be part of the panel when he recovers in about four weeks. Kilkee veteran David Russell is also on …

TWO Clare teenagers are in Tucson, Arizona this week competing in the world handball championships. Colin Corbett, Tulla, and Colin Crehan, O’Callaghan’s Mills, will compete in the boys’ 15 to 19 and under grades.In November, the Irish equivalent event in Kilkenny attracted a record-breaking 352 youth players and the winners in the key age groups formed the official Irish team.The squad is managed by Meath’s Tom Sheridan and Tyrone’s Paula Clarke. The Irish team had a few days to acclimatise to the generally faster courts stateside. The championships got underway this week and will continue over the coming days.

Pike Rovers 2   Avenue United 3 AVENUE United deservingly progressed to the next round of the FAI Youths Cup when they defeated a fancied Pike Rovers outfit at the |Limerick club’s venue on St Stephen’s Day.As a result of this victory, the Ennis side are now through to play Charleville in a last 32 fixture.Avenue dominated the opening quarter and deservingly took the lead after 25 minutes when Dean D’Auria’s powerful strike from 30 yards went all the way to the net. Prior to that, the winners had come close with efforts from Donal O’Halloran and Dara Kerins while Sean Corry had seen his effort rebound off the upright. Avenue doubled their advantage shortly before half-time when Sean Corry’s cross was deflected past the Pike keeper to the net leaving the score at 2-0 at half-time. Fifteen minutes into the second half, the home side pulled one back but Avenue regained control and piled on the pressure again. A Dara …

CLARE soccer officials are keeping their fingers crossed league action will return this weekend following a number of weeks of inactivity.While it was always planned to have a light schedule of games over the holiday period, inclement weather during the weeks leading up to Christmas led to the cancellation of games on a number of weekends.A full programme of league games is set for this weekend with four U-19 games on Saturday followed by all of the junior league schedule on Monday.In the race for the U-19 title, Newmarket Celtic, Burren/Sporting, Ennis Town Rock U-19s and Manus Celtic will all enjoy home advantage against Avenue United, Bridge United, Corofin Harps and Ennis Town Rock U-18s.In the race for the premier title, Newmarket Celtic A will entertain Avenue United A on Monday. Lifford A will have Shannon Olympic A as visitors to Cassidy Park, while Burren United will welcome Ennis Town Rock to Lisdoonvarna. In the remaining game, Mountshannon Celtic will …

With the South Clare Cup for all-age dogs, the Oaks Trial Stake and the reserve Derby Trial Stake coming their way, it was a good day for Clare owners at the conclusion of the South Clare coursing meeting at Cooraclare last Tuesday.One or two big names bit the dust before it emerged there would be an all-Clare final in the feature event of the meeting, the South Clare Cup for all-age dogs between reserve runner and winner, Rogers Crystal, owned by Tony Coote of Ennis and Johnny Maher, Kilmaley, who is also the trainer, and Venture Out, trained by Jerry Griffin for Jack McNamara (Clarecastle) and Pádraig Fannin (Ennis). Rogers Crystal, a 10-1 chance before coursing, came in for the absent Scattery Harry.A winner at Miltown Malbay and unlucky at the semi-final stage at Doon, Branning Riobamma was the 6-4 favourite before coursing. Other prices were 2-1 Re Me Martin, 3-1 Freddys Dream, 4-1 Kilbeacanty Hill, Aristo Emperor, Donnellans Cross, …

THE committee appointed to review Clare GAA structures has concluded its regional meetings and the group is now in the process of finalising its recommendations.Meetings with club representatives took place in Kilrush, Ennistymon, Scariff and Ennis, while members of the committee also met with inter-county managements.It is understood strong opposition was voiced by club representatives against the current championship system, which sees a break after Round 1 in football and Round 2 in hurling. The view put forward by club officials is that the competition must continue at regular intervals (every two weeks) once it commences. It is believed the new format will incorporate this view and that there will be change in the competition format recommended.It has been suggested there should be a drop in the number of senior clubs in both hurling and football in the county. It is anticipated the report will go along with this recommendation and suggest a system that will apply over the next …

The recently concluded 40th season of Clare Community Games was most successful, offering a choice of over 35 sporting and cultural activities to participants from 38 areas across the county.The county athletic finals in Lees Road in June is a special day for up to 1,500 athletes,  with their sights set  on representing their community and county at the national finals. Community Games has three national final weekends in Athlone because of the vast range of events available to children.Many of those who have represented Clare at the national finals have gone on to represent their country in a variety of disciplinesNational Community Games has undertaken a rationalisation process, which will result in some new events being introduced to allow children to sample activities, rather than just providing more competitions for children already in clubs. Plans are also in motion to provide a registration number for all competitors, which in time will result in waving goodbye to chasing for birth …

Local and exiled basketball players turned out in force for the annual Christmas day basketball game at Ennistymon Community Centre.The tradition was initiated by the founding members of the club in 1958, after a number of them left the town together for employment. When they returned at Christmas, the Home V Exiles game was born. It has been played in many venues, both indoors and outside: the Market House, The Town Hall, the Sluagh Hall, the Scout Hall (outdoors) the Vocational School (outdoors) and, on one occasion, in Lisdoonvarna. It now has a permanent home at the community centre, thanks to the staff who open specially for the event.This year the game supported the HelpSergio appeal. Sergio O’Connor is a nine-month-old boy from Dublin, who among a number of other complications has an incomplete oesophagus, which means he cannot drink, eat or swallow. Sergio is a grandchild of local woman, Ann (Dillon) O’Connor. The surgical procedure is hugely expensive and …