Sports

Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship Round 1 Limerick 3-7 Clare 0-15 A dream start descended into a nightmare at the death as Clare were agonisingly pipped at the post by Limerick in the opening round of the Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship in the TUS Gaelic Grounds, writes Eoin Brennan. Leading for the the last 45 minutes, Clare appeared to have weathered the storm on the field and in the skies to keep a frustrated Limerick at arm’s length. However, with only seconds remaining of the four minutes of injury-time, a foul on Colin Coughlan saw Cathal O’Neill step up to rifle a 25 metre free through a crowded goalmouth to the net before the senior pair also combined from the restart for O’Neill to subsequently add the winning point. It was a cruel twist in the tale for a Clare side that had displayed the greater hunger and application for the majority. Crucially however, they failed to convert any …

This was the Éire Óg senior football championship medal presentation parsed down to just ten words on Saturday night as a bumper crowd of over 250 people attended the club’s celebration of the 2021 Jack Daly Cup success, their first in the blue riband of Clare football since 2006. The Galway Tenors whipped the crowd with a rousing rendition of Queen’s ‘We Are The Champions’, just as the guest of honour on the night Marty Morrissey did. And there was more, as the master of ceremonies in former inter-county referee Rory Hickey, who swapped his whistle for a microphone, was at his exuberant best as the Townies toasted their championship success long into the night and early morning on the Gort Road. “This is what we play for, get involved in management and support the club for,” the Townies’ manager Paul Madden told The Clare Champion. “We love the club and want to be successful. We managed that in 2021 …

Championship season has rolled around quickly, with the U-20 hurlers first into the breach for Clare on Wednesday in a new-look structure. Having been the last bastion of traditional knock-out fare since it inception almost 60 years ago (albeit predominantly U-21), a new group format has pitted the Banner in with last year’s finalists Cork and Limerick, with the Rebels actually aiming for a provincial and All-Ireland three-in-a-row not achieved since Clare in 2014. More significantly, the Banner’s group rivals are also the last two Munster minor winners, with Limerick claiming provincial honours in 2019 & ’20 while Cork brushed aside all challengers last season to canter to All-ireland silverware. “The standard is very high in this age group and Cork and Limerick are probably in the top three in the country,” admits Terence Fahy who manages the Clare U-20’s alongside Whitegate club-mate and two-time All Star Brendan Bugler as well as his St Joseph’s Tulla Harty Cup winning mentor …

Tickets for the early rounds of the Munster Senior Hurling Championship and the Munster Senior Football Championship Quarter-Finals go on sale this morning April 5 at 11am. They can be purchased online here at or in SuperValu and Centra stores. Clare hurlers’ opening fixture is against Tipperary in Semple Stadium on April 24. Tickets are also available for the Banner’s subsequent games against Cork in Semple Stadium and Limerick in Cusack Park on May 1 and May 15 respectively. Tickets for the game against Waterford will be distributed via the participating County Boards only. There will be no public sale of these tickets available. Note that Concession Tickets (Students and OAPs) will be available to purchase online only via Ticketmaster. The discount will be given at the point of purchase, there will be no rebate at the venues. Ticket Prices – Munster Senior Hurling Championship Round-Robin games: Stands – €25 for adults, €20 for students / OAPs, €5 for juveniles; …

Gort Community School held its deferred 25 years of GAA celebration event recently. Ivan Smyth spoke to Clare senior hurler Patrick O’Connor about his fond memories in the school and his hopes for the county side. GORT Community School recently celebrated the many excellent hurlers and camogie players that have come through the doors of the school, since it opened on September 4, 1995, the day after Clare beat Offaly to be crowned All Ireland champions. The Transition Year students hosted the event with numerous awards handed out. Also on the night the 25th Anniversary All-Star Hurling and Camogie Teams compromising of past students from the school was announced. The hurling team saw two Clare men make the cut. Tubber’s Ronan Taaffe was named in goal while Patrick O’Connor was selected at wing back. Aidan Harte, who was part of the St. Joseph’s Tulla management team, was also named on the team. Other notable names included Galway hurlers Shane Cooney, …

Ennis RFC’s U-16s go in search of just their second ever Pan Munster title at this grade when they face Waterford side Waterpark RFC this Sunday in Musgrave Park (kick off 12.45pm). Their route to this final has not been a straightforward one. After coming through Phase One of the Pan Munster Championship in good nick, Ennis suffered a 30-15 defeat to Kinsale in the opening round of Phase Two. They then fell to a disappointing North Munster League semi final defeat to Bruff. With their season in danger of petering out before it had blossomed, U16 Head Coach John Queally sought the advice of U18 men’s managers Padraig Brennan and David Murphy, U18 ladies coach John Cullen and Richard Murphy who has worked with a plethora of teams within the club. “I got advice from a few coaches as it can be hard when you are on the sideline to assess certain things happening in the game. They had …

AFTER Doonbeg edged out Éire Óg by 1-10 to 1-9 in the Cusack Cup and Lissycasey had three points to spare over Kilmihil 0-13 to 0-10 in the Garry Cup on Thursday, Eoin Brennan previews the rest of the weekend’s football action here Cusack Cup (Division 1 League) Round 2 Clondegad v St Joseph’s Miltown at Ballynacally, Saturday 2pm The first real evaluation of Clondegad’s mettle as they crave a kick following a disappointing opener against St Breckan’s. With Miltown having won the 2019 Cusack Cup over their hosts and then managed to retain it in the corresponding fixture in Miltown last July, Clondegad shouldn’t require any additional motivation. Both will be understrength but it also an opportunity for Miltown to up the scoring ante, having only kicked 1-6 last time out albeit sufficient to win. Kildysart v Ennistymon at Kildysart, Saturday 3pm Outside of O’Gorman Cup meetings, they haven’t met too often in competitive action, although there will be …

Clare minor footballers will play their opening game of the Championship at Wolfe Tones’ GAA Grounds. Dermot Coughlan’s charges will face Waterford on April 14. The game was initially due to be played at Hennessy Memorial Park but after last night’s Munster GAA CCC meeting, the game has now been moved. In the Munster Minor Football Championship, Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford are placed in to a group of four with the top two teams progressing through to the Phase One Final. Kerry and Cork meet in the provincial semi final with the winner moving 60 minutes away from Munster glory. Meanwhile, the loser of the Cork and Kerry clash plays the team that emerges from the group of four. Seven days after hosting Waterford, Clare will travel to Mick Neville Park to face Limerick. Finally, Clare host Tipperary at Hennessy Memorial Park on April 28 with that game throwing in at 7pm. The Phase One Final is down for …