Tag Archives: davy fitzgerald

Both Clare and Cork are expected to name a mixture of regulars and newcomers on their panels, when they clash at 1pm in the Waterford Crystal semi-final on Saturday in Mallow. Both management teams will be availing of the opportunity to give some of the fringe panel members a chance to impress, as the opening round of the national league approaches. Cork play titleholders Kilkenny in the opening round of the league on Saturday, February 14, while Clare face an away trip to neighbours Galway the following day. In round two, Cork are due to entertain Clare at Pairc Uí Rinn on Saturday, February 21, a fixture that is sure to add to the interest to this weekend’s meeting. In their win over Kerry last week, Cork boss, Jimmy Barry Murphy included regulars, Christopher Joyce, Lorcan McLoughlin, Aidan Walsh, Stephen Moylan and Paudie O’Sullivan from the start, while Daniel Kearney, Patrick Cronin and Seamus Harnady were introduced during the game. …

SIXMILEBRIDGE will host the Waterford Crystal senior hurling quarter-final between Clare and Tipperary on Sunday at 2pm. A repeat of last year’s final, which Tipperary won at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick, the Premier outfit go into Sunday’s tie with the benefit of a first-round win, as a result of which they will carry the favourites’ tag on Sunday. On Friday, January 9 at Dr Morris Park, a hat-trick of goals from Seamus Callinan helped the holders to a 4-16 to 1-16 win over Mary Immaculate College from Limerick. Callinan, one of the stars of last season, finished that game with a tally of 3-7. Tipperary fielded a relatively strong side in last week’s game, while experimenting in some positions. Paul Curran, Shane McGrath, Conor O’Mahoney, Pádraic Maher, Kieran Bergin, Gearóid Ryan, Patrick Maher, Seamus Callinan and James Woodlock all saw action against the Limerick college and are expected to be in the squad again this week for the clash …

As Clare hurlers’ preparations for the new season continue this weekend with a challenge game against Antrim, at a midlands venue to be confirmed, it’s been confirmed that Colm Galvin will not need surgery. There are just two weeks to go to the team’s first competitive game of 2015, a Waterford Crystal clash with either Tipperary or Mary Immaculate College. Clare and Tipperary have contested the past three finals of the tournament and the Premier side is fancied to get over the challenge of Mary Immaculate College in the opening round on Friday, January 9 at Dr Morris Park (7.30pm) to face Clare a week later in a quarter-final tie. Manager Davy Fitzgerald told The Clare Champion that Clare and Clonlara star, Colm Galvin  will not require surgery on a knee injury that has kept him out of action in recent weeks. “While it’s unlikely that he will be fit for the start of the league campaign, it’s great that he won’t …

The Clare senior hurling management team tried to accommodate the dual player in 2014 but it did not work for either part, player or management, according to Davy Fitzgerald. “This was not the reason why we did not win a Munster or All-Ireland championship; we are well aware of that. However, it was one of many factors”, the manager said on Wednesday evening, when revealing some details of the management structure for the coming season. “Podge Collins informed us a while back that in 2015 he will be playing football only. We have no issue with that except, of course, that we’d love to have him with us. For the coming year we want players on our panel fully committed to Clare hurling. Our goal is to get Clare hurling back to Croke Park in September,” Fitzgerald said. The Clare manager went on to say that the management team had spoken to Podge and explained their position. “We felt Clare …

CHANGES in the Clare senior hurling management team are on the way but manager Davy Fitzgerald isn’t prepared, just yet, to reveal the specifics. The Clare Champion understands that strength and conditioning coach Joe O’Connor, will not be continuing while there is uncertainty if team coach/trainer Paul Kinnerk will be in the new set-up. Fitzgerald wouldn’t confirm or deny this but did admit that “there will be changes and I will be revealing the make up of the team in a week or two”. There was much speculation during the summer that Limerick native Kinnerk had left the team but this was inaccurate. The St Caimin’s Shannon teacher, who plays club football with Monaleen and lives in Cratloe, was away for a number of weeks on a pre-arranged trip and on his return, re-joined the management team immediately and fulfilled his usual role when they played Wexford in the qualifier replay in Wexford Park. Since that game the rumour mill …

FORMER Clare hurling manager, Ger Loughnane has claimed that Podge Collins was not “half the player” in 2014 that he was in 2013. Speaking on RTE’s The Sunday Game last weekend, he attributed this to the 2013 All-Star playing football for his county in 2014. “You cannot maximise your potential. If you take even one of the stars of last year for Clare, Podge Collins; now why was he so good for Clare last year? Because any time he wasn’t training with the team, he was out on his own practising hurling, with maybe a hundred balls on his own hitting them from all over the field. Look at the way he played,” Loughnane said. “Now, this year, he does half and half and he ends up with nothing. He isn’t half the hurler he was last year. You can do it but how could you possibly be as effective if you just concentrate on one? Remember, all of the …

Sixmilebridge National School was presented with six autographed and framed Jerseys of Champions 2013-2014 that will be part of a massive fundraising drive for the school’s development fund. The Jerseys of Champions 2013-2014 consists of Ireland – Six Nations Champions 2014 and all conquering tour in Argentina; Clare All- Ireland Champions 2013; Portumna All Ireland Club Champions 2014; Leinster Rabo Direct Pro 12 Champions 2014; Munster top four finishes in the Heineken Cup and RaboDirect Pro 12 2014 and Connacht historic away win in Toulouse 2014. The fundraising initiative was launched last week by Clare hurling manager and former past pupil of the school Davy Fitzgerald and Irish and Munster rugby player David Kilcoyne whose bother, Alan is a member of the school’s teaching staff. School principal Gareth Heagney, who won four All-Ireland Club medals with Portumna, also presented an autographed jersey of this year’s all-conquering team featuring the signatures of the Canning brothers, Joe and Ollie. St Finnachta’s National …

THERE is no shame in defeat. Nobody can question the sincerity of the Clare hurlers efforts in Thurles. That they didn’t hurl to their optimum level isn’t connected to an absence of desire to make it happen. That said Clare’s tactical approach and selection policy is open to scrutiny. For example Pat Kelly was an integral component of Clare’s All-Ireland winning year. Until last year Clare had struggled to find a goalkeeper who consistently held down the position and who had the full confidence and understanding of his defenders and midfielders. Kelly stepped up last year and literally put his body on the line when facing down Anthony Nash in the All-Ireland final. Why dispense with him when the goalkeeping issue seemed to have been resolved? Donal Tuohy is an excellent goalkeeper and has proven that at U/21 level. However it would be impossible for him to replicate the same understanding, in relation to puck out strategy for example, as …