Clarecastle’s Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin will manage Cork club side Newtownshandrum in 2013.

WITH the CAO deadline of February 1 fast approaching, more than 50,000 Leaving Certificate students nationwide will begin to consider career and college options.While completing the CAO form can be a daunting task for students, it is an important step towards securing their college and course of choice. Griffith College schools liaison officer Richard Murphy says there is no need for students or parents to be fazed by it. He gives his top tips for completing this year’s CAO form:DO research your course choices in advance.  Sites such as www.cao.ie and www.qualifax.ie are very useful to assist students with their decision.DO check the basic entry requirements for each of the courses you are interested in. Some courses will have language requirements or may require a certain grade in Maths. DO apply online, as opposed to the paper format. The online form is significantly cheaper and it does not allow applicants to make mistakes by entering a course code that does …

The Clare GAA referees association (CRA) annual general meeting was held recently in the West County Hotel, Ennis, and was well attended by referees and officers from the senior county board, Bord na nÓg Iomaint and Bord na nÓg Peil.

LIMERICK will present Clare with a significantly more stringent test in Foynes on Sunday from 2pm, when the counties meet in the quarter-final of the McGrath Cup.

CLARE Camogie hosted their annual awards night last Friday in the Auburn Lodge Hotel, Ennis. The occasion has grown significantly since its inception in 2009, with over 400 people in attendance. Young players from the primary, U-13, U-14 and U-15 development squads were presented with certificates and medals by Munster Camogie Player of 2012, Fiona Lafferty.  

  Former Tipperary All-Ireland senior hurling manager Liam Sheedy completed a great season with Newmarket GAA on Saturday night in the Clare Inn Hotel when he presented the senior hurlers with their championship and league medals. A full house of 340 gave a standing ovation to the Tipperary man after he addressed the gathering, praising the management and the members of the panel. He thanked the Newmarket people for the warm reception he received when he came to the club in 2012 to help in the preparation of the side, which went on to complete the senior double in Clare for the first time since 1974. Club chairman Pat Keogh, who was part of the backroom team, thanked all for their work during the year and paid tribute to the various teams that represented the club. There was special praise for the senior hurlers, who had ended a 31-year wait for championship honours. Warm tributes were paid to each member …

Tulla United A 4   Connolly Celtic A 3 Tulla United A staged a late rally to beat Connolly Celtic at the Cragg in the premier league on Sunday.Trailing 3-1 well into the final quarter, the visitors looked to be on the way to collecting the points Connolly took the lead after just two minutes. A free kick from the left caused problems for the home side’s defence and Kieran Dillon pounced for the opening goal.

WEST Clare audiences will have five opportunities to delve into the fantasy world of pantomime in the coming days. Kilkee-based Crack’d Spoon Theatre Company will travel the length and breadth of west and south Clare with their presentation of The Wizard of Oz. Three months of rehearsing for the cast of about 40 children and adults will come to fruition on Saturday at 3pm when the theatre in Kilkee library hosts the pantomime at 3pm. Last Saturday Kilkee Community Centre buzzed with adrenaline as children, adults and the back-stage crew prepared for one of their final pre-show rehearsals.  “For the last couple of years, people have been coming and asking us when is it happening again? We’re just a local theatre group and they’re lining up to ask can they be in it. The children get a lot of fun out of it. Children have been rehearsing once a week and adults twice a week,” show director Breda Latham told …