Tag Archives: Tony Considine

IT was a night of remembering times past at Cannys Bar on Saturday, when Killanena GAA Club honoured the members of the junior championship-winning team from 1977. All members of the squad, with the exception of Chicago-based Michael Leonard and the late Denis Sammon and Joe Horan, were in attendance. It was a particularly memorable year for the club, as they won the junior A championship, beating Corofin in a replay in the final, while they also won the 1976 league title, in a final played in 1977. Special guest was former Clare selector and manager, Tony Considine, who recalled that campaign in detail and many of the games between his native Cratloe and Killanena in the 1970s. Brian Borus was a very successful amalgamation in the ’70s with Bodyke, Tulla and Killanena coming together to form a senior team, which won the county senior championship title in 1975. Killanena provided a number of members to the team including Paddy …

Most GAA clubs feature families who have been involved as players or administrators for generations. Cratloe have some of that type of influence but most of their active GAA families are not originally from the parish. Cratloe native and former Kilmallock senior hurling manager, Tony Considine feels this is in fact a huge advantage to Cratloe and adds freshness to the club. Generational baggage handed down is not a factor. “Management-wise everyone they have is inside but remember they’re not from Cratloe. Maybe if there was an insider, they mightn’t be as successful. Somebody didn’t buy the right pig from a fella or stole his hen,” Considine suggested. “In a club where someone local is involved, everyone knows you and, more importantly, they know everyone belonging to you. Your great uncle might have hit a slap at some fella in a pub or told him he was useless years ago. That’s the same everywhere. “I think this is why Cratloe …