Tag Archives: Munster Club

Clare senior hurling champions Sixmilebridge could hardly have asked for a stiffer test in the Munster Club semi-final than a meeting with their Waterford counterparts, Ballygunner, at Walsh Park but they will travel with strong support this Sunday for the game. Na Piarsaigh from Limerick or Blackrock from Cork will provide the opposition in the final. This will be Ballygunner’s eighth consecutive week in championship action. Last week, the Waterford side delivered, arguably, their best display when overcoming Thurles Sarsfields in a quarter-final tie that needed extra time. That performance showed their determination to do well in this championship. Sixmilebridge have injury concerns hanging over captain, Paidi Fitzpatrick and fellow defender, Caimin Morey. Fitzpatrick suffered a broken finger in the drawn final with Clooney-Quin. Following treatment, he played in the replay but he suffered further damage to the hand, making him an extremely doubtful starter for Sunday. A final decision on whether or not he will play will not be …

CRATLOE are “a shining example to all clubs because of how much they value the club scene” is the view of Kilmallock manager and former Clare hurler, Ger O’Loughlin. “I have the utmost respect for the lads from Clare. When I needed lads to answer the call during my time at Clare manager, they responded and they were still in their teens. They have come on so well. “It will be a huge task for us to overcome the game they play, as there are so many areas they could beat you in. It will be a huge obstacle for us,” said the Clarecastle man, who helped his club win the Munster title in 1997. O’Loughlin continued, “When we set out this year, the primary target was to win the Limerick title. It’s not easy to get out of Limerick, as there are four or five strong contenders. We were absolutely delighted to get through that campaign and we had …

THE presence of Brian Lohan on the Cratloe training field, dressing room and sideline is one that adds solidity and steel to the Clare champions’ set-up. You get the feeling that when Lohan talks, his words are taken on board. That’s simply because of what he achieved on the hurling field and how he went about it. Many of the Cratloe players won’t remember 1995 or 1997 but what happened and Lohan’s role in that will be well known to them. More pertinently, Lohan, along with fellow coach, Alan Neville, has what everyone in Cratloe wants on Sunday, a Munster club medal.That’s a medal the Shannon man, who lives in Cratloe, says he values more now than he did in 1996, when Wolfe Tones ruled Munster. “As you live longer, it gets more important. It wasn’t that big a deal when you were playing but the longer you’re retired, the more important it becomes. It was the same when we …

COME 2.30pm this Sunday afternoon, by the mouth of the River Colligan in Dungarvan, Cratloe will take on The Nire for a place in Sunday fortnight’s Munster club football final. This weekend’s semi-final will represent this group of players’ 14th championship game of 2014. In their 780 minutes of championship hurling and football to date this year, Cratloe have yet to wave the white flag. The only white flag waving has been left to the men in white coats beside the posts. Plenty of people have held the view that winning a hurling/football double in the county was an impossible feat. Now, Cratloe are just 180 minutes from completing a Munster double, which would top their historic county double-winning achievement. Of course, thinking ahead isn’t something this Cratloe panel will be indulging in. They haven’t up to this point and that’s one of the reasons why they are where they are. Another reason is simply because they haven’t been held …

That 14 of the starting 15 for Thurles Sarsfields in last weekend’s senior hurling final have represented Tipperary teams in recent years, clearly indicates the challenge that faces Cratloe in Sunday’s Munster senior semi-final at Cusack Park. Munster champions in 2012, before being shocked in the All-Ireland semi-final by Kilcormac-Killoughey from Offaly, Thurles were knocked out of the Tipperary race early last season by Nenagh. Their victory last Sunday marked their fifth Tipperary senior title since 2005, after a gap of 31 years, and their 33rd in all. Amongst those who have featured in their last five wins are goalie Paddy McCormack, Lar Corbett and team captain, Pa Bourke. Five members of the Tipperary panel that contested the 2014 All-Ireland senior final are from Thurles and will play on Sunday. Padraic, Ronan and Denis Maher, Michael Cahill and Lar Corbett are key players and Cratloe are sure to have their hands full when they come up against them, while Billy …

O’Garney Park in Sixmilebridge will host the Munster Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-final on Sunday (throw-in 2pm) when county champions Feakle take on their Waterford counterparts Cappoquin. Little is known about the Déise representatives and with home advantage, Feakle will go into the game as slight favourites. In their only competitive outing since winning the title, when beating Parteen in the final, they made county senior champions, Cratloe, fight all the way before going under narrowly in the semi-final of the Clare Champion Cup. The East Clare side have a couple of injury worries ahead of Sunday and won’t finalise their line-up until nearer match time. Definitely ruled out of contention is defender Ger Hanrahan who suffered a cruciate knee injury in the championship final. This will keep him out of action until well into next season, at the earliest. “Ger is due to have his operation this week and he is certainly a big loss to us. We also have …