Tag Archives: hurling

Under 13 Division 1 Football Championship Round 1 St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 8-15 Lissycasey 0-10 THERE’S no doubting the clear merits of St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield’s opening victory but the scoreline is certainly misleading as this was a competitive tie for the majority in Lissycasey, reports Eoin Brennan. Indeed, Lissycasey were arguably the better side in the opening period but while they kicked nine scores to DooraBarefield’s seven, crucially four of The Parish’s were goals at 4-3 to 0-9. The second half rather petered out to its inevitable conclusion but not before another four goal burst from a very powerful and balanced visiting side. Overall, it was clear to see that size will count for a lot in this inaugural Under 13 Championship. So with all but two of their squad to the age, St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield’s superior physicality did ultimately show against their younger opponents who will have more than half of their starting team eligible for next year’s Under 13 …

National Hurling League Division 1 Group B Round 5 Clare 4-20 Kilkenny 1-25 CLARE completed their National League campaign on a high in Cusack Park this afternoon after holding off a defiant Kilkenny to secure a third successive victory, reports Eoin Brennan. Having faded in a similar test of endurance a month previously against Wexford, this time the home side proved the stronger coming down the final straight. Having hit Kilkenny for four goals, the sides were still level by the 68th minute. However, following a monster Tony Kelly free, substitutes Gary Cooney (2) and Ryan Taylor ensured the Clare finished with the last four points to deservedly prevail over the previously unbeaten Cats. It was an intense yet very open and compelling end-to-end wrestle for supremacy that was live on nine occasions and saw the lead change hands three times alone in the final quarter. Injuries to defensive duo Aaron Fitzgerald and the returning David McInerney were the only …

National Hurling League Division 1 Group B Round 2 Wexford 2-19 Clare 1-21 A DRAMATIC late turnaround saw Wexford snatch the spoils and ensure that Clare’s winless start continued in Cusack Park on Sunday, reports Eoin Brennan. Eight points clear entering the final quarter following strong attacking performances from Aidan McCarthy, Aron Shanagher and Cathal Malone, nothing but a home victory appeared on the cards. However, a straight red card for Liam Corry altered the momentum irrevocably as a buoyant Wexford sprung to life with 2-4 with reply to hit the front for the first time. To their credit, Clare did regain parity deep into injury-time thanks to a brace of Aidan McCarthy frees. But Wexford would have the final say when Rory O’Connor arrowed over a free in the left corner to secure the points. Clare will be disappointed to have lost their way, having bounced back from their defeat to Antrim to take the game to their Leinster …

National League Division 1 Group B Round 1 Antrim 1-21 Clare 0-22 A SOBERING start to the new season for Clare as hosts Antrim grittily dug out a rousing home victory in what was their first top flight league tie since 2008. Eoin Brennan reports. With a strong gale dictating matters, Clare started brightly with its aid to ease 0-9 to 0-3 clear by the 15th minute, four from Tony Kelly. However, Antrim incrementally grew in confidence as the half developed and would wipe out the visitors’ lead in the 29th minute when a teasing ball over the top found chief marksman Ciaran Clarke to race through and finish to the net at 0-12 to 1-09. Clare did restore a two point cushion by the break but with the elements to come, a buoyant Antrim quickly snatched the whip hand to inch ahead for the first time by the 46th minute through Keith Molloy. In a blow-for-blow second period, the …

Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group B Round 1 Antrim v Clare at Corrigan Park Belfast, Sunday 1pm (Liam Gordon, Galway) Already established as the secondary inter-county competition, this year’s Allianz Hurling League takes a even more diminishing backseat in light of the truncated season on offer over the next 14 weeks. Instead, finding your feet, form, formation and force take precedence over results in a bid to peak for championship at the end of June. Five matches in six weeks provide a far more beneficial lead-in to championship than in 2020 when an eight month absence from competitive action left counties scrambling to gain crumbs from an often misleading challenge match circuit once returning from the club championships. Without scope to conclude with any business end, this year’s Division 1 is a league in its purest sense as the top team from each group are crowned joint-winners unless they subsequently clash in the championship. Similar to Clare and Limerick’s …

CONTROLLING the controllables. Never has the phrase held such resonance as with inter-county hurling action set to resume this weekend after a five month absence, the already all-encompassing role of manager takes on a whole new magnified level of responsibility. Pre-Covid, the preparation, picking and peaking of an inter-county team was more than enough of an arduous task in itself. However, with the addition of no collective training permitted until a fortnight ago and meticulous regulations surrounding travel and match-day protocols, 2021 has elevated logistics to unprecedentedly lofty heights. The only solace is that essentially every county is in the same boat and it’s that level playing field effect that makes the impending National League all the more anticipatory for Clare Manager Brian Lohan and his squad amidst their five match schedule over the next six weekends. “I suppose like everyone else in the country, we’re just delighted to get back on the field and we’re really looking forward to …

THE Clare GAA €4.8 million Centre of Excellence at Caherlohan has been the subject of intense scrutiny and discussion over the last few months, in response to which clubs were invited to visit the facility for themselves last weekend before making any submissions to the new strategic group focusing on the future of Clare GAA. The Clare Champion understands that 13 clubs sent representatives on the day to view the facility, just less than a quarter of all clubs in the county. Here Derrick Lynch guides you through gallery of photographs from inside the gates of Caherlohan. GYM: It is accepted by the majority of stakeholders that the gym at the facility is in need of an upgrade, but this also could be put down to the growth and development in S&C trends since the doors were first opened in 2015. The motto of “First In, Last Out” adorns the walls along with a reminder from both the Clare senior …

THE Clare hurlers are set to begin their National League campaign on the weekend of May 8/9, while the county’s footballers will return to action the following weekend, according to the GAA fixture calendar released today. Intercounty teams are to resume training on April 19, and the football league will see a regionalised format this year, with Clare facing Cork, Laois and Kildare in Division 2 South. They will begin with an away tie against Kildare. After the action begins the hurlers will have five league games, but the competition will not have a specific final this year, with the winners of Divisions 1A and 1B being joint winners, or if they meet in the championship, this will double as a final. As in 2020 the Munster and Leinster hurling championships will be knock out, with a back door qualifier system. The football championship will be knock out, with no qualifier system. Both the football and hurling championships will get …