Clondegad                   3-9Kildysart                   0-14 A five point win over their neighbours Kildysart has earned Clondegad a place in the final of the Garry Cup (Division 2) as the win has seen them finish on top of the group. A further bonus for them is that they will be back in the Division 1 next season after a two-year absence.Three first-half goals proved decisive to Saturday’s victory which was achieved without the influential Brennan brothers, Gary (injured) and Shane (overseas).Kenneth Kelly opened the scoring with a Clondegad point but like scores from Ger Kelly and Damian Murtagh had the home side in front before Kenneth Kelly levelled the game at 0-2 each.The first goal arrived in the 12th minute when Paudge McMahon soloed through and blasted to the net. Eoin Donlon followed with another before McMahon pointed to put his side seven clear. Ger Kelly pulled a point back for the home side but straight from the kick-out …

Calls for some members of the executive to stand down, claims that the rules weren’t properly applied in relation to at least one disciplinary matter and complaints over the collection of registration fees were just some of the issues that led to a lively Clare Junior Soccer League annual general meeting on Monday night. The meeting attracted one of the biggest attendances for some time and, after more than three hours of debate, was adjourned as 11.30pm approached. Delegates are to be notified as to when the meeting will resume to debate the motions, some of which are certain to cause some controversy if the discussion on the opening one is anything to go by.Delegate Michael Guilfoyle asked two members of the outgoing executive not to seek re-election. Directing his comments at Michael Lydon (fixtures secretary) and Thomas Leahy (Munster delegate), Guilfoyle told the meeting that he had “no faith in the executive if they are going to overlook it …

Calling for more volunteers to come forward to help with fundraising, matches at the county grounds and activities that occur during the season, Oliver Fitzpatrick told this week’s meeting, “The secretary’s role can often take up to 30 hours in a week and some other positions also take up a lot of time. We are a voluntary organisation and it takes a lot of time to run the league.”In his report to the delegates, he said, “One of the highlights of the season were the performances of the Oscar Traynor team,” and he paid a warm tribute to the management team.Referring to the domestic leagues, he said, “Domestic soccer was disrupted again this season by long stoppages due to the weather but despite this, there were some great matches played in all divisions.”Financial mattersThe income for the past year for the Clare District Soccer League showed a drop  of €12,747 from the previous year. The income amounted to €63,580, with …

CLARE Community Games’ 43rd county athletic finals took place last Sunday in Lees Road in good conditions.Prior to the finals, there was a very colourful parade of athletes from areas across the county to the music of the Tulla Pipe Band followed by the official opening ceremony. The chairman, Pat Taylor, welcomed everyone including the Mayor of Ennis, Peter Considine and, most of all, the competitors and mangers from the 37 areas around the county. He acknowledged Munster group, Clare County Council and Shannon Development. He acknowledged the volunteers who worked hard on Saturday afternoon preparing the venue for the finals, before wishing all the competitors good luck in the finals.Mayor Considine acknowledged the work done by the volunteers in Community Games for the children of Clare. He spoke on the great facilities provided by Clare County Council and Ennis Town Council in Lees Road for organisations such as Community Games. The torch was carried by Shannon Hegarty (Ennis St …

SHANNON Airport’s status on the global aviation map has been reaffirmed by the decision of the representative body for the industry worldwide to bring three conferences to the region later this year.

Sixmilebridge will be gripped in marathon mania next week when the village becomes home to an elite group of athletes, who plan to run 10 marathons in just 10 days in a ground-breaking event.To the uninitiated, long-distance running can be perceived as putting the body through a lot of hardship but for those caught up in the sport, marathon running can become an obsession.It is that obsession that has driven athletes, some from the UK, Austria, Italy and South Africa, to register their participation in the Sixmilebridge event, the first of its kind in Ireland, which has already generated significant local and international interest. Athletes will run their first marathon on the same 13.1 mile loop on Thursday, July 4, concluding their marathon mission on Saturday, July 13. The race times are 5pm weekdays and 2pm on the Saturday and Sunday.Although 35 athletes will run each day, there is a hardcore of 20 athletes, who plan to run all 10. …

The eighth annual Clare 10k mini marathon was staged around the streets of Ennis on Saturday last, starting and finishing at Lees Road, in aid of Clare Haven services. Despite the difficult conditions of heavy showers and strong winds, the event attracted another big entry.Sean Hehir from Kilkishen and running with Rathfarnham AC, Dublin, smashed the course record with a time of 29.43 in 2011. He went out hard from the start and he came home in 29.54, just 13 seconds outside his own course record, with Michael Shannon and Kenneth Rodgers (both St John’s) sprinting down the track for the second and third spot in 31.21.The senior ladies’ race resulted in a great victory by Veronica Colleran (Ennis Track) for the third year in a row, with a time of 37.57, with Tracy Guilfoyle a very good second in 39.50 with Mary Sweeney (St Finbarr’s, Cork) in third spot in 40.00.Almost 1,000 competitors were on the line as James …

JACKIE Kennedy, wife of  John F Kennedy, had strong family connections with Shanadrum near Mullagh in West Clare.