CULTURAL events dominated Clare Community Games activities last weekend with the talent competitions taking place on Sunday in the GAA Hall in Sixmilebridge.

Kilrush 29   NewcastleWest 22 In a very close affair at the UL grounds in Annacoty, Kilrush U-14s added the North Munster Conference title to their recently won U-15 title beating Newcastle West in a game of nine tries.

Garryowen 12   Ennis 10 Ennis travelled to Dooradoyle last Sunday to take on Garryowen in the semi-final of the U-17 North Munster Cup. When these teams met in the league earlier in the season, there was very little between them and this week’s contest proved to be equally absorbing.

The U-14 Clare basketball finals were held in Ennis last Saturday with over 140 boys and girls participating. Clubs represented were Abbey Lakers Quin, Clarecastle Comets, Doora-Barefield Panthers, Cooraclare Bluestars, Kilrush Shamrocks, St Colman’s Gort and Ennistymon Cascaders and DC Vikings.

    The Pakie Ryan Memorial 10k fun run, 5k walk, 10-mile run, 30k and 50k cycle was held in Newmarket-on-Fergus on Saturday when there was a record entry of over 2,400 competitors, despite the bitterly cold conditionsMichael Shannon and Kenneth Rodgers, both St John’s set a blistering pace through the village covering the 1k in just under three minutes. James Liddane (BMOH) was in a group of three that included Mike Cunningham (Bilboa), Dermot Kearns (Dooneen), and Niall Shannahan (Limerick). At the 3k mark the leaders, Michael Shannon and Kenneth Rodgers, were shoulder-to-shoulder and had a big lead on Keith Lynch (BMOH). They went through the half way point in 16.34.Both athletes were shoulder-to-shoulder right through this race before a big sprint on the downhill stretch to the line saw Shannon just take the title in 32.01, two seconds ahead of Rodgers, with Keith Lynch third in 34.22.In the men’s 10-mile James Liddane led all the way from start …

THE final of the country’s richest puppy stake, the Con and Annie Kirby Memorial Sweepstake, should attract a big crowd to the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium on Saturday night. In contention for the winner’s cheque of €80,000 will be Clare hurling manager, Davy Fitzgerald and Clonlara brothers, Diarmaid and Eoin Garrahy, owners of the trap-five runner, Droopy’s  Banner.

JUMP racing fans will be heading en-masse to Quakerstown, Boston, next Sunday where the annual County Clare Hunt Easter Sunday Point-to-Point is taking place on the lands of the Lee family.

In the men’s matchplay qualifier at East Clare, the winner was Kevin Stritch (18) with 42 points from Pat McNamara (12) with 41 and Andrew Moloney (18) with 41.