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Tag Archives: Clare football

‘Everyone has a plan till they get a punch in the mouth’

Just moments after the full-time whistle the Clare Senior football manager was extremely disappointed with the performance of his side more so than the actual result. “We didn’t play well at all, whether that’s because Down are a really decent team I don’t know. Look it, Down were good but we were very flat. Even when we got the goal it gave us no real momentum. There was no pace to our play and I’m just disappointed with ourselves. There’s no denying that they are the best team in the division and deserve their promotion. It’s just a pity we couldn’t test them a bit more.” Once Down got their kick out away short it seemed that we were in trouble and couldn’t cope with their running game. “We weren’t getting across the pitch quick enough. I mean they got several points direct from their restarts especially in the first half and we tried to address that at half-time but …

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Clare always up for Down challenge

Clare won’t be lacking in confidence going to Páirc Esler on Sunday as they shoot for Division 2 football for 2025, because history tells them the man from the Mournes are always beatable, writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh. Hard to believe it’s 31 years ago now, but it’s worth reeling in the years to a memorable afternoon in February 1993 because when this Sunday comes it’s a reminder of what can be achieved when a group of footballers believe. More than that, when they are fully convinced. The last Sunday of the month it was, and to say there was a fever over football because of the Clare team of the day is putting it very mildly. The Banner Ballers were the only show in town, and one of the biggest draws in the country. Just a scan of some of the other big games that were on that same League Sunday proves this true. Mayo played Kerry in Crossmolina in …

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Consistency the aim as Fitzgerald’s footballers look to end ‘topsy turvy stuff’

It may have been Clare’s biggest victory of this year’s National League to date and back-to-back wins for the first time but new manager Mark Fitzgerald still wasn’t getting caught up in the euphoria or feel-good factor in Cusack Park. You see, what the final scoreline did mask was a painfully slow start for the Banner that despite having a strong wind at their backs were largely chasing a Wicklow side devoid of confidence and points. However, the game changed utterly and absolutely with that rousing brace of Cormac Murray goals just before the break. “We scored 2-15 and conceded 0-8 but when it was a game I felt we were decent without being brilliant.” Outlined Fitzgerald immediately afterwards. “We had some sloppy turnovers early on but we got the goals and they gave us that little bit of comfort really.” Three wins from four puts the Banner firmly looking upwards for the remaining three ties but the Tralee native …

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Collins announces inter county retirement

Cratloe’s Podge Collins has announced his inter county retirement in what is another blow for the Clare footballers. As first reported by Clare FM, Collins has decided to step away from the inter county scene after a successful dual career. Collins was an integral part of Davy Fitzgerald’s side that defeated Cork to lift Liam McCarthy in 2013, winning an All-Star in the process. He was also nominated for Hurler of the Year after a string of stellar displays helped Clare secure the ultimate prize. The Cratloe club man also secured All-Ireland hurling medals at U21 level in 2012 and 2013. In the small ball code, he claimed two Munster minor titles and a NHL Division 1 title, which came in 2016. The 31-year-old played both football – under the stewardship of his father, Colm – and hurling with Clare up until 2017, when he chose to focus his efforts on the small ball. He later switched codes to focus on …

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GALLERY: Mc attack powers Cratloe back to the summit

Senior Football Championship Final Cratloe 1-10 St Breckan’s 1-8 It was the perfect conclusion to a remarkable renaissance as Cratloe bridged a nine year gap to claim their third Clare Senior Football crown in eleven years in Cusack Park, writes Eoin Brennan.  Despite being seen as an aging side, it was that added sprinkling of experience that eventually told in this seesaw decider as they never trailed at any stage and took their goal opportunity perfectly to finally put daylight between the sides as they wound down the clock before finally hearing the relieving sound of the fine whistle. Six of the first eight points, three from chief marksman Cathal McInerney ensured a healthy 0-6 to 0-2 cushion by the 23rd minute. St Breckan’s only first half scorer Jamie Stack did halve the damage by the break at 0-6 to 0-4 while Joe McGann took up the scoring mantle on the restart with two excellent levelling points by the 33rd …

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Clare Munster Football Final 1992

Reeling in Clare’s Munster final years

SUNDAY will represent Clare’s 18th appearance in a Munster senior football final, with two finals that were 75 years apart being the stand-out games in the county’s long history of contesting the provincial championship that started in 1888. On that maiden voyage provincial campaign 135 years ago Clare found themselves in a similar situation to what they face on Sunday, as they had to go into battle against the reigning All-Ireland champions – they’ll be hoping for the same result, if not the aftermath. On that occasion the Clare selection, backboned by members of Newmarket Dalgais scored a famous victory over Limerick Commercials in Birdhill by 1-3 to 1-0, only to lose the game afterwards in the boardroom after being accused of fielding illegal players. That was the year a Munster title got away from Clare, but there was no denying them on two red-letter days – in 1917 when they scored a comprehensive 5-1 to 0-1 win over Cork …

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Pearse ready for road with Clare footballers once again

A MEASURE of how much the Clare team has changed over the years and is in a constant state of evolution comes footballing home when you look at the first time Pearse Lillis was handed a senior jersey by Colm Collins in the National League. It was seven years ago this Sunday in Miltown Malbay when Clare started their Division 3 campaign with a 1-11 to 0-7 win over Sligo. Lillis was at wing-back that day — the only other starters still standing are Cian O’Dea and Jamie Malone who were with him in the defence, midfielder Cathal O’Connor and captain Eoin Cleary up front. Gone is the backbone of that first Colm Collins team that helped lift Clare from Division 4 to 3 and then to the higher altitude again of Division 2 for 2017. From Joe Hayes in goal through to David Tubridy at corner-forward, with some other giants — in stature and otherwise and football-wise — in …

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Tubridy on point – the scores that changed Clare football

Doonbeg scoring machine David Tubridy recently called time on his inter-county career after 16 seasons — a remarkable commitment to the Clare cause that saw him straddle five generations of management in the county from Páidí Ó Sé’s time through to Colm Collins’ stint. He spoke to Joe Ó Muircheartaigh about his treasured time in the saffron and blue.   DECEMBER 30 and Colm Collins was making a few end of year calls — Happy Christmas, Happy New Year and all that, but apart from the festive pleasantries, there was also the business of the call. Manager to player stuff. David Tubridy knew it was coming, but that didn’t make it easier, because with the ring-tone would come the realisation that his ‘make your mind up time’ had landed. Finally. Make his mind up on whether to pull the plug on a way of life since 2007, or make his mind up to go again and turn 16 years into …

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