Tag Archives: Thurles

Cork 1-25 Clare 1-20 A sharper Cork sent Clare hurling fans home disappointed from Semple stadium in Thurles this Sunday afternoon as they captured the Munster senior title for the first time in three years. The result completed a very very disappointing day for Clare hurling and a disappointing weekend for Clare GAA. Beaten in the ladies intermediate football final on Saturday, Clare were then dumped out of the All-Ireland championship when beaten by Mayo leaving fans making the journey to Thurles hoping for a change in fortunes. All is not lost however and both minor and senior hurlers now face All-Ireland quarter final ties in two weeks time, the minors against Ulster opposition and the seniors against either Tipperary or Waterford. Before an attendance of 45,558, the game started at a very lively pace and the teams exchanged points three times before the twelfth minute when Cork struck for an Alan Cadogan goal after the cork corner forward had …

THE achievement of winning three All-Irelands at U-21 level and an All-Ireland senior title in five years “is phenomenal”, according to Cork selector Pat Hartnett. The Midleton man, who helped Cork to championship glory in 1984 and 1986, argues that Clare has “a serious pool of talent” and “are big time favourites for Sunday’s game”. Given Cork’s absence from the roll of honour in recent years, is there pressure on them to win this title? “There is no pressure in our view,” was the dentist’s response. “We played Clare a number of weeks ago behind closed doors. They are as good as we have met this year, they were scintillating on the night. They are big time favourites for Sunday. It’s up to management team to work with the tools they are given. Three All-Irelands in five years is phenomenal. Look, a blind man knows when the sun is shining,” he added. Regarding the 2013 All-Ireland final, he noted it …

WHEN Cork stripped their great rivals, Tipperary, of the Munster Minor Hurling Championship title in a semi-final replay at Pairc Uí Rinn on Monday evening, it installed the Leesiders as favourites for Sunday’s final clash with Clare at Semple Stadium. Clare’s progress to the final has surprised some, as their semi-final opponents, Limerick, were fancied to make it a fifth successive provincial final appearance, given that they had a fair scattering of last year’s squad that contested the All-Ireland final in their ranks. However, Clare’s greater hunger for victory proved decisive in last week’s clash and they emerged as deserving winners in a tie that required extra time. The fact the Cork v Tipperary tie was still level after extra-time, which led to Monday’s replay, confirms the view held by the Clare management that the four semi-finalists were evenly matched and that there will not be much between the teams on Sunday. In the drawn tie, Brian Turnbull and Daire …

AS the clock ticks closer to the Munster senior hurling final, one of the big talking points is the likely line-up of the side to face Cork. David McInerney is winning his battle to be fit, having suffered a hamstring injury when playing for his club Tulla in a Clare Champion Cup tie almost four weeks ago. He played in an internal game on Sunday last and is expected to be named at full-back on Sunday. Oisin O’Brien has returned to action after a near six-month lay-off due to a knee injury suffered at the beginning of the season. He has participated in training and internal games for the past few weeks, while he played a full league game with Clonlara two weeks ago. Recognised as a leading man-marker, there is much speculation that he will be in the starting line-up and given the task of following Conor Lehane, who has sparkled for Cork in their two championship games to …

The Clare teams to play Cork in Sunday’s Munster senior and minor finals against Cork show two changes from that which started their respective semi-finals against Limerick Oisin O’Brien returns to the senior team after injury and he comes in at wing back in place of Gearoid O’Connell who, surprisingly, has failed to find a place in the match day twenty six. The other change sees Cathal Malone named at midfield in place of David Reidy. the expectation is that Malone will be at wing forward with Tony Kelly moving out to partner Colm Galvin in the middle of the field.  It had been speculated that Peter Duggan or Niall Deasy would be called into the attack. Both are included amongst the substitutes as are veterans Brendan Bugler and Patrick Donnellan. David McInerney had recovered from injury and will take his place at full back flanked by Seadna Morey and Patrick O’Connor Andrew Fahy continues in goal with Donal Tuohy …

TICKET-mania has gripped the county ahead of what is a huge week for Clare GAA, when four teams will be trying to progress in their respective championships. The minor and senior hurlers face Cork in Thurles on Sunday, the senior footballers host Mayo in round 3A of the qualifiers on Saturday while, on Wednesday evening next, the U-21 hurlers will play Limerick in the Munster championship semi-final. The Munster Hurling Championship has always had a special appeal and on Sunday, Clare will contest both the minor and senior finals on the same day for only the fourth time ever. Clare won the minor title in 1981, when captain by John Lynch from Sixmilebridge, but suffered defeat in the senior final. Clare lost to Tipperary in the 1997 Munster minor final but won the senior crown the same day. Less than two months later, both teams were crowned All-Ireland champions. 1997 was the first year of the back-door system. Clare lost …

Sunday is judgement day noted joint Clare senior hurling manager Gerry O’Connor. “We will be judged as a management and the players will be judged. Being absolutely honest, we have targeted this day and that brings its own pressures but so be it. “I remember 1995 in Thurles and ’96 in the Gaelic Grounds and form went out the window on both days. Donal [Moloney] and myself have been involved in a huge amount of U-21 games and form goes out the window. It comes down to the team that is most focussed on the day and best prepared. “Then there is the Paul Kinnerk and Joe O’Connor factor also. It’s very unusual. We have soldiered long and hard and Donal, Paul and myself have had our greatest memories from Thurles. These guys [Clare players] have grown up performing in Thurles. We expect a top-class display.” When it was put to him that the public perception is that Clare will …

Tipperary 0-28 Clare 0-21 Tipperary’s greater all round physical strength proved decisive inthis division 1A hurling league tie at Semple stadium in Thurles today. They took control in the second half and while Clare made them battle all the way to the finish, the premier outfit were deserving of victory, their third in as many outings in this campaign. Despite playing against the breeze, Tipperary made the better start and raced into a five point lead after just seven minutes. A further two minutes elapsed before Clare had their first score, a point from Podge Collins. From here on Clare showed steady improvement and when the half time whistle sounded they were ahead by the minimum margin,0-11 to 0-10. The winners again made the better start to the second half and hit the first three points to open a two point lead. Podge Collins again was Clare’s first scorer in the half by the mid point of which the winners …