Tag Archives: Croke Park

€100 million for energy efficiency projects, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment Denis Naughten said today (Wednesday) as he announced his endorsement of the Energy Action Conference, to be held in Croke Park on March 6. Minister Naughten said he is “determined to implement policies that can help people in fuel poverty make their homes more energy efficient and switch to cleaner fuels and noted that the additional funding will support critical fuel poverty programmes like the Warmer Homes scheme and the new Warmth and Wellbeing pilot which will demonstrate that improving energy efficiency can lead to wider benefits including less reliance on medication and health services”. “Fuel poverty, energy efficiency and the air we breathe are closely related issues”, he added. This made the theme of the conference in Croke Park ‘Fuel Poverty and Climate Change’, all the more timely. “Empowering people means giving them the means to reduce their bills, to cut the fuel they consume, …

IT has emerged that county secretary Pat Fitzgerald’s “contract with Croke Park expired on July 1”, according to board treasurer Bernard Keane. He was replying to a query from O’Callaghan’s Mills delegate Noel O’Driscoll. Mr Fitzgerald said, “It was put to the delegates at a board meeting two years ago if you wanted me to report here or to Croke Park and you opted that I report here. In 2015, I was asked to supervise the development at Cusack Park and I agreed. There is no longer a stipend from Dublin. I took a significant cut in my pay”. Earlier in the meeting, Tulla GAA Club’s Brian Torpey had disapproved of comments made by Mr Fitzgerald in his report. Referring to the decision of team manager Davy Fitzgerald to step down, the secretary had said, “The two goals leaked to Galway were horrendous defensive blunders and for those, the players have to ship the blame”. Mr Torpey commented, “No one …

Kildare 1-13 Clare 1-12 THE Clare ladies footballers suffered a heartbreaking one point All-Ireland final defeat in Croke Park on Sunday afternoon. Their attempts to add a fourth title to those won in 1991, 1996 and 2009 fell just short. They will reflect on the fact that they kicked 13 wides and had a second half Gráinne Nolan penalty saved as moments which could have swung the result their way. Clare were 1-7 to 0-3 down going into the last ten minutes of the first half. However an Ailish Considine goal helped them to draw level with Kildare come the interval. They were awarded a penalty two minutes into the new half when Gráinne Nolan was fouled but her shot was saved by player of the match, Mary Hulgraine. Kildare were always a point or two ahead and Clare never managed to take the lead as the game entered the closing minutes. Their high wides tally definitely cost them while …

Since a ladies football structure was formally established in Clare 33 years ago, adult county teams have brought three All-Ireland titles home from Croke Park. On Sunday the 2016 team, led by full-back Laurie Ryan, will take on Kildare at GAA headquarters, aiming to follow All-Ireland wins in 1991, 1996 and 2009. The clearest link between the Clare team of 25 years ago and the current panel is mother and daughter Carmel and Sarah Bohannon. Carmel was in midfield in 1991, while Sarah has been playing at wing-forward for this season’s Neil Moynihan-managed side. The Clare ladies have played five matches en route to Croke Park, beating Limerick twice, Tyrone and Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final. Their sole championship loss was a three-point Munster final defeat against the Premier County. Clare have a panel of just 21 players, which is likely to be reduced to 19 on Sunday given that goalkeeper Ciara Harvey and corner-back Eva O’Dea have leg injuries. …

Clare 3-14 Tipperary 2-16 THE Clare lady footballers will contest the intermediate All-Ireland final in Croke Park on September 25 following a sensational semi-final win over Tipperary in Limerick on Saturday afternoon. At the end of a dramatic hours football, with both teams executing superb scores and exceptional instances of skill and bravery, Clare overturned their Munster final defeat to Tipperary. Two magnificent Niamh O’Dea goals, late in the first half, helped Clare into 2-7 to 1-9 lead, while an early Niamh Keane goal after half-time, was also vital. Twelve minutes from time, Clare goalkeeper Emma O’Driscoll made a critical save from Tipperary’s Orla O’Dwyer. Tipperary led 2-14 to 3-10 at the time and from the clearance, Niamh O’Dea pointed Clare level. The Kilfenora girl also kicked the winning score, two minutes from the end of normal time. The score was brilliantly executed by O’Dea but it was made by a Niamh Keane run, in which she held off three …

Kerry 2-16 Clare 0-11 CLARE’S 2016 championship season ground to a very definite halt in Croke Park on Sunday afternoon, with Kerry advancing to an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with either Dublin or Donegal. Kerry’s eleven point win was their 14th All-Ireland quarter-final win in 16 games and their ninth successive championship win over Clare since 1992. Clare did not lack for effort but there was a clear gap in quality between the teams. Clare lacked the zip and support play evident in their wins over Laois, Sligo and Roscommon while poor decision making on the ball cost them regularly against Kerry. The attendance was 29,251. Clare had been going reasonably well until they conceded a very soft goal to Donnchadh Walsh in the 20th minute of the opening half. Kerry intercepted a Martin McMahon pass and although Dean Ryan tried valiantly to somehow direct the ball away from goal, it broke for Walsh who could not miss from close range. …

Clare 2-17 Kildare 1-19 AN Eoin Cleary free, converted five minutes into injury time in a pulsating NFL division 3 league final in Croke Park on Saturday evening, guided Clare to a sensational defeat of Kildare. Corofin’s Jamie Malone was fouled for the crucial free and Cleary, who had been promised a trip to Liverpoool by selector David O’Brien if he delivered at GAA headquarters, stroked over the winning point from a tight angle, 23 yards out. With normal time almost up, Clare trailed 1-18 to 1-15 and it looked as if their chances of winning had evaporated. However a Martin McMahon diagonal ball, found Gary Brennan and the Clare captained placed Dean Ryan for a dramatic equalising goal. Not noted for his goal scoring, Ryan finished lethally from six inches. Two minutes later, substitute Shane McGrath hit the post with a point effort but another sub, Enda Coughlan, reacted quickest and fisted over the rebound. However Kildare responded with …

In the immediate aftermath of Clare’s five-point defeat yet promotion-clinching league game away to Kildare on April 3, Mick Bohan identified strengthening the panel as a priority come the 2017 season. Saturday’s league final will, of course, feature largely the same personnel but it will be fascinating to see how Clare have evolved since playing the same opposition just three weeks ago. Club fixtures have cut into their preparation time but a feature of Clare this season has been their response to defeat. Losses to Tipperary and Offaly were followed by immediate improved performances and wins in their subsequent fixtures. If Clare can follow their defeat to Kildare with a win, or at least an exceptional display in Croke Park, it will further underline the quality of their preparation and their capacity to learn from game to game. “What has to happen now is, we have to put a plan in place for everyone involved in football in Clare including …