Tag Archives: hurling

All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship Quarter-Final Round 3 Clare 0-21 Laois 1-12 A welcome return to form for Clare who deservedly cemented their place in the last four of the All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship in front of 619 in Cusack Park this afternoon. Leading from start to finish, Brian O’Connell’s side would soar ten points clear by the two-thirds mark. So while Laois inevitably unearthed a late backlash with the aid of the conditions, thanks in the main to a Ben Deegan goaled 20 metre free at the turn of the final quarter, crucially Clare never allowed the visitors to get within striking distance of a full recovery. Chief marksman Oisin Whelan alleviated any late anxiety when arrowing over a brace of injury-time frees to advance to the All-Ireland Semi-Finals for the first time since 2012. Backed by the strong conditions, Clare were excellent at times in the opening period, with their click inter-play and countless interceptions combining to rebuild their …

Munster Senior Hurling Championship Round 5 Clare 3-31 Waterford 2-22 CLARE deservedly soared to the summit of the Munster Senior Championship table after producing a spectacular finale to decimate the Deise in Cusack Park Ennis this afternoon, reports Eoin Brennan. Having qualified for the Munster Final with a game to spare, Brian Lohan made six changes for their final group outing against a Waterford side desperate to stay afloat in the championship. However, a new-look Clare gelled with immediate effect as eleven different scorers allowed the hosts to lead comfortably from start to finish and soar as much as twenty points clear at one stage of the second half. Central to the latest command performance was the scoring feats of the untrackable David Fitzgerald (2-3), the tireless work-rate of Peter Duggan (0-8) and a classy yet clinical display from Shane O’Donnell (0-5) who combined for 2-16 of their side’s handsome tally. There were debuts for Cian Nolan, Aaron Fitzgerald and …

Munster Senior Hurling Championship Round 4 Clare 0-24 Limerick 1-21 CLARE extended their unbeaten championship record against Limerick in Cusack Park to 32 years after sharing the spoils with the back-to-back All-Ireland champions in front of a capacity 18.129 attendance, reports Eoin Brennan. Following a remarkable opening to the Munster series, one perfect record simply had to fall amidst the ideal backdrop of an unprecedented atmosphere and occasion in Ennis but in the end, the Shannonside neighbours both satisfactorily maintained their unbeaten starts after Diarmaid Byrnes’ last gasp equalising free. Byrnes was unerring for the champions but captain Tony Kelly was outstanding for the home side after almost single-handedly taking the game to Limerick to rack up a whopping 16 points in the first 45 minutes of the tie. That included five points surrounding Limerick’s sole goal in the 15th minute when Kyle Hayes clinically finished an incisive Conor Boylan run and pass to the net as Kelly edged Clare …

Clare county board has said no-one connected in any capacity with it or the senior hurling camp attempted to lobby the central hearings committee on Ian Galvin’s behalf. Galvin’s appeal against the controversial red card he received against Cork was due to be heard on Monday, but it was deferred amid claims that members of the committee had been lobbied with a view to influencing the case. The committee has since imposed a one-match suspension on Galvin, who will now miss Sunday’s Munster SHC clash with All-Ireland champions Limerick in Ennis. Galvin was contesting his red card against Cork last Sunday week, in a case originally due to be heard last Monday night only to be delayed in controversial circumstances for three days. On Wednesday Clare County Board chairman Kieran Keating said that no one connected with the board had made any attempt to influence the proceedings. “It wasn’t anyone on our executive or anyone connected with us. I don’t …

Munster Minor Hurling Championship Final Tipperary 1-22 Clare 0-25 Heartbreak for Clare in their brave Munster Minor Final bid as Tipperary were the more clinical side in a historic penalty shoot-out to dramatically garner their first provincial crown in four years in the TUS Gaelic Grounds on Wednesday evening, writes Eoin Brennan. Following a thrilling end-to-end 80 minute showdown that was level on no fewer than eleven occasions, Clare were the ones to force extra-time with virtually the last puck while it was Tipperary that ensured that a first ever penalty contest would decide the Munster honours. Tipperary scored all three while Clare failed to hit the target in what was another devastating penalty showing to add to the senior footballers’ provincial woes less than a fortnight ago against Limerick. In contrast to the opening tie between the sides, it was Tipperary, despite facing into the conditions, that had the better of the opening stages as Damien Corbett’s guiding frees …

Munster Minor Hurling Championship Semi-Final Clare 2-17 Cork 1-17 FROM the nadir of last year’s pummelling to the zenith of a near flawless collective display, the wheel had certainly turned full circle for Clare and Cork as the Banner deservedly powered into a first Munster Minor Hurling decider since 2019 in Páirc Uí Rinn on Tuesday evening, writes Eoin Brennan. A 43 point turnaround wasn’t even the main headline grabbing act as Clare dethroned the holders with an unprecedented brand of professionalism, efficiency and most significantly an ice-cool nerve to never deviate or revert from the meticulous passing game that left Cork chasing shadows for the majority. Everyone played their part as the Banner rolled with the punches of being sucker-punched by a controversial late first half goal that wiped out their advantage, only to come out swinging once more when Cian Neylon fired home a second Clare goal after only 90 seconds of the new half. Indeed, Clare were …

Munster Senior Hurling Championship Round 2 Clare 3-21 Tipperary 2-16 CLARE thundered into the Munster Senior Hurling Championship to blitz hosts Tipperary and open up the door of possibility in Semple Stadium, Thurles this afternoon, writes Eoin Brennan. With both sides craving a victory for differing reasons, three first half Banner goals with the aid of the conditions through Ian Galvin, Peter Duggan and Tony Kelly carved out a 13 point interval cushion that would effectively end Tipperary’s championship hopes, only a full week into the new campaign. The return of Peter Duggan and Shane O’Donnell were pivotal ingredients to detonating the first championship upset as the Clooney-Quin talisman had a direct hand in all three goals while the latter was a huge source of inspiration throughout. Those star performances took some of the attention on top scorer Tony Kelly who finished with 1-7 while John Conlon, Rory Hayes, Diarmuid Ryan and debutant Robin Mounsey were others to excel in …

Munster Minor Hurling Championship Round 3 Clare 1-22 Waterford 1-8 THIS was much more like it as Clare blew away Waterford in style to kickstart their Munster Minor Hurling Championship campaign in Cusack Park on Tuesday evening, reports Eoin Brennan. Floored by a brace of Tipperary third quarter goals in their opening tie a week previously, Clare demonstrated that lessons were quickly learned in the intervening period as they held a vice-like grip on proceedings from start to finish to run out comprehensive winners. Their appetite, movement and confidence was a clear step ahead of Waterford who had all the hallmarks of a nervy side playing in their first championship tie. Clare made the most of home advantage though with centre-back James Hegarty, playmaker Jack O’Neill, scorer-in-chief Cian Neylon and newcomer Sean McMahon pulling the strings for a Banner side that were 15 points clear at one stage of the second period. Unerring freetaker Oisin Whelan, Diarmuid Stritch, goalkeeper Mark …