Tag Archives: Clonlara

Another hero from 2010, Gearóid O’Donnell, feels that maiden title was a moment that will stay with him forever. “It’s truly a moment I’ll never forget, walking under the bridge with the Canon Hamilton for the first time in the history of the club. We had lost a final in 2007, a semi-final replay in 2008. 2009 was all about soul searching. It was a hurtful campaign after not getting out of the group. Like this current group we used that hurt and 2010 was our deliverance day. We had been coming but to finally get over the line was an unreal feeling, one I’ve told the young lads about, one that will live forever.” His successful side were on a path to the title for a couple of campaigns but this current crop have been transformed in literally a matter of weeks. It really has been Roy of the Rovers stuff. “Let’s be honest this was definitely out of …

Michael Browne has had huge success over a distinguished coaching and managerial career. He was at the helm when his beloved Crusheen made their historic breakthrough in 2010 and retained the Canon Hamilton in 2011. After having been on a rollercoaster of a journey this time around he finds himself once more only sixty minutes away from glory but is very reluctant to take little or any credit for this remarkable run. “I have very little to do with it. The guys I got involved with our set up this year have been there and done that. They know what it takes to win, the sacrifices one has to make but more importantly they know what joy winning brings. At the start it was very difficult to sort things out. I’ll be honest and say we struggled to get everyone to buy into what we were doing. Aidan Harte though has been a massive addition. He is a really top …

If you ever wanted to know what Clonlara means to Dónal Madden just default to that time when he was part of the side that made the big breakthrough by bringing Clare hurling’s greatest prize back to the home parish of Canon Hamilton. This week 15 years ago — October 18, 2008, and the black and amber had just dished out a 0-13 to 0-5 drubbing to Crusheen in the county semi-final, after which they’d go on to win the final against Newmarket-on-Fergus. Dónal made the biggest impact on the scoreboard in that semi-final played in Clarecastle, with 0-7 on his scorecard. Here was the Tulla man abroad in Clonlara, but very much at home there. A year after Tulla had beaten Crusheen in the county final to bridge a 74-year gap to their last county championship success — now Clonlara were 60 winning minutes away from bridging an even longer gap of 89 years. A penny for Dónal’s thought …

Clonlara captain Jathan McMahon has got his hands on the Canon Hamilton trophy before. And not just his hands either as being related to Clonlara’s 2008 winning captain Paul Collins, his first memories of watching his club were celebratory ones. “There’s a photo at home of me sitting in the cup. “I was only eight and obviously small so there’s plenty of photos of me and my uncle-in-law Paul and the family. “I was in my element and really looked up to the players that won it. I also distinctly remember going into school the following week, it was an just unreal atmosphere. “It’s mad now to think that I’m playing alongside John [Conlon] and now preparing for a senior final of our own.” Much like Conlon and the Class of 2008, their momentum-fuelled charge stemmed from a strong core of of exciting young players who soared to the club’s first ever Minor A title five years ago, led by …

GLOWING tributes were paid to a Clonlara resident for her invaluable contribution to her local community during a recent presentation. The legacy left by Theresa Gleeson (70) was aptly summed up by Clonlara Community Creche deputy manager, Laura Woods when she stated:“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” Ms Gleeson was given a photograph includes images of St Senan’s National School, the local church and Clonlara Community Crèche as symbols of the indelible mark she has left on the local community. The mother-of-two was on the national school board of management for 25 years, she volunteered for the local church for years and has spent 38 years working in childcare. The crèche caters for 74 children that are looked after by 21 staff. In 2001, Ms Gleeson was named the Clare Person of the Year during this period when she was honoured at a function in …

Clare Cup Final Kilmaley 0-25 Clonlara 0-15 AN ideal pre-championship boost for Kilmaley who deservedly garnered their second Clare Cup crown in three attempts in Cusack Park on Sunday evening. Leading from the eighth minute to the finish and never behind at any stage of the contest, Kilmaley seamlessly moved through the gears to record a comfortable victory and more significantly a 25 point turnaround from their group stage clash only three weeks earlier. Contrasting fortunes were stark as despite losing talisman Mikey O’Malley to injury in the opening period, Kilmaley will be not only be thrilled with securing timely silverware ahead of their championship opener against Éire Óg in three weeks time but did so thanks to nine different scorers. On the flip side, Clonlara saved their most lacklustre Clare Cup display of 2022 for last but more worryingly saw early retirements through injury for captain Cathal O’Connell, former All-Star Colm Galvin, Gareth Kennedy and chief marksman Micheál O’Loughlin …

A devastating finish of four final quarter goals saw Clonlara sink Clarecastle in truly dramatic fashion on their way to the U-15B title in Cratloe. The interval switch of centre-back Harry Hodgins would ultimately be decisive as trailing by five nearing the turn of the final quarter, he would dramatically fire two goals in the space of just four minutes to completely flip this decider on its head. Now soaring in confidence, further goals through Dan and Mark Hogan would remarkably complete a late 14 point turnaround which did certainly skew the final scoreline. Along with the impact of Hodgins, the lively Darragh Dillon, who scored the opening goal and set up two more, along with Ciaran Howard were Clonlara’s main protagonists in an unprecedented final win. And yet it was arguably Clarecastle midfielder Harry Doherty’s almost incredulous powers of fielding, especially from puck-outs that will live longest in the memory bank from this seesaw final. Doherty and excellent chief …

A slick moving Clonlara side had too much all over the field for Scariff and set up a meeting with Feakle next weekend as the Senior B holders never once look troubled against the 2020 Intermediate champions in Sixmilebridge on Friday night.   Clonlara displayed greater pace and precision in passing with Cathal O’Connell totally at ease in a loose role in the half forward operating as conductor of proceedings.   In a game that required Scariff avoid wastage of scoring chances, they sent half a dozen eminently scorable first half chances abegging. Kieran Galvin and Cathal O’Connell with a dozen scores once again led in the scoring stakes had the opening scores before Martin Cunningham responded for Scariff. Micheal Stritch, Ian Galvin, and Kieran Galvin added to their sides tally before Pat Crotty and Sean Minogue hit back by the 10th minute.  Pat Ryan set up Conor McNamara for the first goal after 12 minutes to level matters, however this only kickstarted …