John Moroney remembered

THE popularity of the late John Moroney, an outstanding Ruan and Clare hurler, was evident in his native parish on Saturday last when many of the game’s leading lights from past and present turned out for the unveiling of a plaque to his memory.
Welcoming the attendance, Ruan club chairman Fintan Cotter said, “The unveiling of this commemorative plaque will be a fitting testimony to his great sporting contribution to Ruan and Clare and that his hurling deeds and enrichment of our parish life will always be recalled by this and succeeding generations”.
The specially commissioned plaque which is on the wall of the clubhouse, was unveiled by former Tipperary All-Ireland winning star Len Gaynor and recently appointed Clare senior manager Ger O’Loughlin.
John Moroney played at all levels for Clare having shot to prominence at underage level with his club and with St Flannan’s College, with whom he won Harty Cup and All-Ireland honours in 1979. He made his National League debut for Clare against Cork in October 1985 and his championship debut against Limerick in June of ’86. He was one of the stars in the Clare team which lost narrowly to Cork in the Munster final of 1986, a game played in Killarney. He was an All-Star nominee that season. He was also a member of the Ruan team that contested the county senior final in 1988.
John’s former club and county team mate Cyril Lyons recalled John’s contribution to the game of hurling at school, club and county levels.
Former Ruan greats Mickey Leahy and Jimmy Smith were in attendance as were many other former Clare stars such as Jerry Ryan, Naoise Jordan and Ger Loughnane.