Tag Archives: division 4

The way is clear for the semi-finals of the junior A hurling league (division 4) and both games will be played next Sunday (July 3). Broadford have finished on top of the league table after the completed their  programme of games with victory over St. Josephs, Doora-Barefield. Ballyea finished in second place thanks to a comfortable win over Tubber this Saturday evening. Despite going down to O’Callaghans Mills, Meelick remain in third spot with the Mills filling the final play off position. In next week’s semi-finals Broadford will play O’Callaghans Mills while Ballyea will face Meelick. Meanwhile, in the junior B hurling league (division 5), Newmarket and Wolfe Tones 1 have qualified from division 5 A, Parteen are through from division 5 B while the qualifier from division 5 C will be confirmed after Wolfe Tones 2 play Broadford on Tuesday. Wolfe Tones must win to stay in the race and then it will come down to score difference between …

By Seamus Hayes The Clare team for Saturday’s Division 4 football league final against Tipperary at Croke Park (throw in 5p.m.) shows one change in personnell from that which beat Antrim last time out to secure promotion to Division 3. Shane Brennan is named in the starting line up in place of the unavailable Sean Collins who is in Portugal with the Clare hurlers on their training camp. Collins’ brother Podge, a very influential player after being introduced in that game in Creggan, will also miss Saturday’s fixture because he is also with the hurlers. In a positional switch, Enda Coughlan returns to defence and Ciaran Russell is now selected at wing forward. Shane Brennan is named at full forward with Martin O’Leary and David Tubridy in the corners. The team is: Pierce DeLoughrey (Cratloe); Dean Ryan (Éire Óg), Kevin Hartnett (Meelick), Martin McMahon (Kilmurry-Ibrickane); Shane Hickey (Kilmurry-Ibrickane), Gordon Kelly (Miltown St. Joseph’s), Enda Coughlan (Kilmurry-Ibrickane); Gary Brennan (Clondegad) captain, …

DEFENSIVELY Clare produced their best display of the 2014 season, conceding just six points. Given that Clare conceded big scores and soft goals against Tipperary, Carlow and London, tightening up at the back was a definite priority for Paudie Kissane and his coaching team as they prepared for the game in Antrim. In fact the home county scored just three points from play and didn’t score at all until the 35 minute. Of course it must be noted that they were playing into a near storm in that opening half. Another area where Clare did well was on their own kick out, retaining the vast majority of them while they managed to win more than half of Antrim’s second half kick outs. Underlining their physical conditioning Clare definitely had more possession than Antrim, particularly in the second period, when they held possession impressively and ran at the Ulster county. However there are several areas where Clare can improve, most notably …

Clare 3-21 Carlow 2-10 IMPRESSIVE in attack yet occasionally porous defensively, the Clare senior footballers eased to a 14 point win over Carlow in Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon. This win, coupled with Leitrim’s defeat at home to Tipperary has ensured that a win for Clare away to Antrim next Sunday, will guarantee promotion to division 3 for 2015. In fact following Leitrim’s comprehensive defeat to Tipperary in Carrick on Shannon, Wicklow are now Clare’s primary promotion rivals. They play already promoted Tipperary at home next Sunday, needing a win to put the pressure on Clare. Clare led 1-10 to 2-4 at half time against Carlow. David Tubridy scored the winners first half goal and added three pointed frees, while Martin O’Leary and Seán Collins kicked a brace apiece in the opening period. Shane McGrath, Gary Brennan and Shane Hickey added first half points with the latter issued with a black card after the Kilmurry Ibrickane man pulled down Ciaran Moran to give …