Sports

Avenue United moved to the summit of the Maloney Hardware Premier Division following a successful objection to the eligibility of a Sporting Ennistymon player. An objection from Avenue Utd that a Sporting Ennistymon player didn’t have an International Transfer Certificate (ITC) was upheld by the CDSL at a virtual meeting on Monday. The FAI became involved in this contentious matter. As a result of their successful objection, Avenue Utd get two extra points having drawn 1-1 with Sporting last month. The additional points move them to the top of the Premier Division, one ahead of holders Newmarket Celtic. Mountshannon Celtic lost 2-1 to Sporting Ennistymon as they were the first club to bring this issue to attention. They successfully appealed the result and were awarded all three points by the Munster FA. Ennis Town FC were also awarded two points having drawn with Sporting 3-3 last month. This sees them move to fifth position on the table ahead of last …

Munster Minor Hurling Championship Final Tipperary 1-22 Clare 0-25 Heartbreak for Clare in their brave Munster Minor Final bid as Tipperary were the more clinical side in a historic penalty shoot-out to dramatically garner their first provincial crown in four years in the TUS Gaelic Grounds on Wednesday evening, writes Eoin Brennan. Following a thrilling end-to-end 80 minute showdown that was level on no fewer than eleven occasions, Clare were the ones to force extra-time with virtually the last puck while it was Tipperary that ensured that a first ever penalty contest would decide the Munster honours. Tipperary scored all three while Clare failed to hit the target in what was another devastating penalty showing to add to the senior footballers’ provincial woes less than a fortnight ago against Limerick. In contrast to the opening tie between the sides, it was Tipperary, despite facing into the conditions, that had the better of the opening stages as Damien Corbett’s guiding frees …

Clare Captain John Cahill enters this evening’s Munster Minor Hurling Final with more skin in the game than most it seems. While undoubtedly hoping to eventually follow his cousin Paul Curran’s major playing accomplishments of a clean sweep of senior honours from an All-Ireland crown to a National League title with Tipperary over a decade ago, in the immediate term his mother’s Mullinahone roots only provide motivational fuel for the versatile Clooney-Quin star against Tipperary in the TUS Gaelic Grounds tonight (7.30pm). After all, it’s not the first time, this month even, that Cahill has been incentivised by familial ties. “While my mother’s family are from Tipperary, my father is from Cork.” Explains the bubbly captain. “So from my own perspective, the two teams I wanted to beat this year were obviously Cork and Tipp. At the start of the year, most people were tipping both to be fighting it out to win Munster so we’ve beaten Cork, we just …

Pop quiz hotshot, name the current Clare minor mentor that helped a county garner back-to-back All-Ireland minor titles in the past five seasons? In a vastly experienced team headed by former Clare senior captain Brian O’Connell, it’s not six-time Munster and three time All-Ireland winning joint-manager Donal Moloney nor 1995 All-Ireland winner Cyril Lyons who guided his native county to the 2002 All-Ireland decider as manager. In fact it’s coach Damian O’Halloran who while teaching in Balinasloe, was part of Jeff Lynskey’s backroom team that made the breakthrough for Galway with All-Ireland minor crowns in 2017 and ’18 before also having a stint with the Tribesmen at Under 21 level alongside Lynskey, Franny Forde and Tony Ward. “It was a great experience.” Recalls O’Halloran. “Going in cold, it certainly opened my eyes as to the standard required, the levels at which even minor set-ups are operating at along with the workload of management teams that are actually comparable to a …

Banner 5-9 Feakle-Killenana 0-5 Banner GAA club continue their winning ways as they proved too strong for Feakle/Killanena in the feile C final played in Tulla on Bank Holiday Monday. Based on semi-final results over the weekend the odds favoured a win for the Ennis side with the emerging talents of Scott O’Loughlin-Kelly and Cailum Henchy leading the way. Feakle/Killanena with a younger side at their disposal had achieved much in reaching the final. The Banner started the game on the frontfoot with positive attacking play with the simple ploy of fast unhindered delivery of the ball into O’Loughlin-Kelly on the edge of the square. His first effort went over the bar with less than a minute played. The first goal was created by a 70metre delivery from Eoin Fitzpatrick that reached O’Loughlin-Kelly who finished with power past Simon Periera in the Feakle/Killanena net. Fitzpatrick and O’Loughlin-Kelly ensured there was no let off for the East Clare side as they …

Clonlara 1-16 Corofin/Ruan 2-5 AN eye catching performance from freetaking duties by Ciaran Howard was one of the central reasons for Clonlara’s annexation of the Feile B hurling title in perfect conditions at Clare GAA headquarters on Bank Holiday Monday. A sizable attendance gathered at Cusack Park for this eagerly awaited contest as expectations were that the game would be closely fought in all sectors of the field. The intensity of exchanges throughout would have stood their ground in the A final as both sides strived to put their best foot forward. Ben Power kickstarted the scoring as Darragh Dillon added a second Clonlara score after four minutes. Jamie Ryan who impressed throughout for Corofin/Ruan and Clonlara full forward Mark Hogan swopped scores before Daniel McGroary set up Cillian Carroll for Corofin/Ruan’s first goal. One of the highlights of the three feile finals emerged as Corofin/Ruan Captain Jamie Ryan floated over a sideline cut from 50 metres out as Mark …

Following a perfect start, Clare are now focused on reaching a Munster Final as they prepare to welcome Limerick and Waterford to fortress Cusack Park over the next fortnight. That’s the view of back-to-back All-Star Tony Kelly who on Sunday became Clare’s highest ever championship scorer with 9-240 in just 45 appearances after raiding for ten points against Cork to surpass Niall Gilligan’s previous record of 21-197 (in 56 championship matches). “We’ve our eyes on the Munster Championship like every team in it so we’re not going to get away with this win. It was a great result and we’ll enjoy it but we’re fortunate to have a week to regroup and prepare for Limerick in two week’s time. “It’s in our own hands now where we want to go in the Munster Championship and it’s all about replicating those performances so far and even bringing them up a notch or two.” Having been last of the 11 counties into …

CLOONEY-QUIN 2-12 ST JOSEPH’S DOORA-BAREFIELD 2-10 Two of the current superpowers of underage hurling and football collided with serious intent to represent Clare in Dublin and Meath as Clare Féile A champions on Bank Holiday Monday. Act one was played out in Clareabbey two weeks previous as St Joseph’s aided by four goals edged Clooney/Quin for the Féile Peil title. For many in both clubs this was the blue riband to win however with James O’Connor and Francis Browne on the sideline co-ordinating their charges. The talented speedster Jerry O’Connor was up against Darragh Ball who has strong Clooney/Quin heritage in a midfield battle to savour with O’Connor sending over the opening two scores with less than three minutes played. Not to be outdone Ball hit back with a score of his own before Clooney/Quin team captain Patrick Finneran made no mistake with his sides third score. After this early surge of confident play by Clooney/Quin the impetus and control …