ARSON attacks on the Ashline Traveller Group Housing Scheme in Ennis have  left the site resembling “a war zone”, according to the chair of Clare County Council’s Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee (LTACC).

Clare senior football manager Mick O’Dwyer has been forced to delay naming a team for Sunday’s Round 3 Division 4 National League tie against Offaly because of injuries to a number of players.It’s a crucial tie for both counties as both go into the game with one win and one loss from their opening two games in the competition. Another loss would considerably dent a team’s chances of winning promotion.The Clare boss acknowledged the importance of Sunday’s game when he spoke to The Clare Champion earlier this week and agreed that “we face a difficult task as Offaly are never easily beaten in either hurling or football”.Ian McInerney, Rory Donnelly and Lawrence Healy are all struggling to shake off hamstring injuries and it is likely that a final decision on their fitness won’t be made until shortly before the scheduled  2pm throw-in time at O’Connor Park.On top of that, David Tubridy and Gordon Kelly have been battling injuries all season …

THE memory of a newborn baby who passed away at the Cliffs of Moher in 2006 is set to be honoured in March as part of events to mark the 25th anniversary of the twinning of Ennis with Phoenix, Arizona.

Waterford 2-15 Clare 1-17 Clare went into Sunday’s opening game in the National Hurling League as hot favourites to mark their return to the top flight with a victory over Waterford.The loss of a number of key players due to retirements and work commitments together with suggestions that all was not well in the Waterford camp, allied to Clare’s impressive form in winning the Waterford Crystal Tournament, influenced this view.That Sunday’s result came as a huge disappointment is without question and the outcome has already sparked speculation that Clare will now struggle to hold onto their Division 1 status.There is no doubt that there will have to be a big improvement if the Banner men are to get some points on the board and they face a very heavy schedule in March with four games on successive weekends.On Sunday the Clare forwards failed to make an impression. This was reflected in the fact that three of the starting six failed …

Davy Fitzgerald didn’t try to hide his disappointment at seeing his charges go down in the opening round of the hurling league but he was at pains to pay tribute to the winners, many of whose players were in the team he managed for four years until the end of 2011.Asked if the wide count run up by Clare was the reason for the loss, he replied. “No, it’s down to ourselves and we didn’t play well. I think we believed the bull***t that was written in the last week. It paid awful disrespect to Waterford that I think is very unfair considering how many Munster championship winners they have in their team. “I think our fellas got a bit complacent coming in. We had enough chances and we didn’t win it. Well done to Waterford”.The Clare boss didn’t have any question about the free that led to the winning point. “It was a free and we have no complaints …

St Michael’s  2-13 McEgan College  2-6 St Michael’s College, Kilmihil retained the Munster Vocational schools senior C football title on Wednesday afternoon at Charleville when they defeated McEgan college from Macroom.They will have little time to celebrate, however, as they are back in action this Friday when they play St Augustine’s from Dungarvan, the Munster colleges senior C champions, for a place in the All-Ireland semi-final. This Friday’s game will take place at Lattin in Tipperary.Indeed, these are busy times for the Kilmihil school as they are also through to the provincial junior final and are awaiting news of who will qualify from the other half of the draw to face them in that game.Wednesday’s success is just reward for the efforts of teachers Stephen Brown and Declan Nolan, who took charge of the team. They were assisted by Graham Glynn from Éire Óg – his father Flan hails from Kilmihil – who was a member of the teaching staff …

LAST Sunday saw the commencement of the U-14 and U-15 regional hurling sessions. In total, 240 players will be participating in these outings. The players will each receive five coaching sessions and complete their programme with a blitz on the last day.Over the coming weeks, the sessions will take place as follows: Sunday: U-14 at Tulla, Éire Óg, Clarecastle and Crusheen; Sunday, March 10: U-14 at Ogonnelloe, Clarecastle, Sixmilebridge and Tubber; Monday, March 18: U-14 at Gurteen, Tulla, Newmarket and Ennistymon; Sunday, March 24: U-14 at Killanena, Éire Óg, Shannon and Corofin; Sunday, April 7: U-14 at St Flannan’s and Éire Óg for blitz games involving eight teams.The venues for the U-15 sessions are this Sunday at Ogonnelloe, Ruan and Newmarket; Sunday, March 10 at Kilkishen, Inagh and Broadford; Monday, March 18 at Sixmilebridge, Corofin and Parteen; Sunday, March 24 at Crusheen, Kilnamona and Cratloe; Monday, April 1: St Flannan’s for blitz games for six teams.U- 14Region 1 (East): Bodyke …

THE head coach of the Australia Rugby League team visited Thomond Park on Wednesday, the venue for his side’s 2013 Rugby League World Cup clash with Ireland this November.Tim Sheen, who has managed the Kangaroos since 2009, met with stadium officials and members of the press ahead of the Group A clash on Saturday, November 9.An global TV audience of over 20 million is expected to tune in to see Ireland take on the tournament favourites, who have won the competition more times than any other country. Ireland’s other Group opponents will be England and Fiji.Shannon Development and the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau teamed up with Rugby League Ireland and Thomond Park in July 2011 to launch a successful bid for Limerick’s right to host the 14th staging of the World Cup. The home of Munster rugby will be the only Irish venue to host a match in this year’s tournament, which is taking place across Wales and …