CLARE and Ballyea corner back Jack Browne, like his team-mates, was still on the Thurles sod well over an hour after the final whistle. It’s not unkind to Antrim to suggest that the Clare players were under more pressure signing autographs and posing for photographs, than they had been in the game itself. “I didn’t think there was this many people in Clare,” Jack Browne laughed, surrounded by young autograph hunters, who were trading secrets on what player was where across the fabled Tipperary sward. “It means everything. When you’re growing up as a young lad, all you want to do is win an All-Ireland medal. It’s great,” he said of Clare’s third All-Ireland U/21 win. Jack Browne couldn’t believe the size of the crowd roaring on Clare, given that the seniors will be back in Croke Park on September 28. “There was a massive Clare crowd. The roaring that was going on for Clare scores was great. When we …

Another car aimed squarely at our January market is Peugeot’s brand new second generation 308. The last few models from Peugeot have subtly moved the marque upmarket, with better interiors and higher quality materials employed to enhance showroom appeal. The new 308 is up to 140 kilos lighter than the model it replaces, a saving of over 10% and the claim is that it’s now the lightest car in the class. Peugeot are embracing the trend of downsized petrol engines, with a 1.2 litre triple producing 82 bhp in base trim, although power outputs up to 130 bhp are also available. We don’t yet know whether these variants will make it to these shores however. Inside, there’s a minimalist look to the dashboard, with major controls accommodated on a large 10″ touchscreen. This and the eye-level instrument panel are referred to collectively by Peugeot as ‘i-cockpit’ and we can expect similar designs on future models from the French manufacturer.

Although the star of the Opel stand at Frankfurt was their gorgeous Monza concept, back in the real world, we had the Insignia. Although described as a new car, it really is more an extensive facelift. It’s recognisably an Insignia but in every way it has been improved – dramatically in some areas. Inside, you’ll find a refreshed interior, with an impressive 8″ touchscreen to control various systems in the car, including audio and communications. The touchscreen is joined by a mousepad affair between the seats and I’m told that this advanced tech will be standard on all bar the base model when the car reaches Ireland before the end of the year. Next month, we’ll have a chance to drive the car on Irish roads and experience the new 1.6 litre turbo, which delivers a very impressive 170 bhp and is said to have exceptional fuel economy. A 70 litre tank makes this an ideal choice for company drivers …

MARK Glynn is acclimatising to life at UCD having traded Kilrush Community School for the prestigious third level campus. The 18-year-old Cappa man achieved stunning results in the leaving certificate, emerging with eight A1s and one A2. Mark, who has two sisters and a brother, was one of just nine students nation-wide to achieve similar results. Utilising his mathematical prowess to tot up his points tally, he realised that it sat at a maximum 625. Not surprisingly he sailed into medicine, his first-choice course. “I wasn’t expecting to get those results at all although I needed those points to get medicine,” the self deprecating student told The Clare Champion last week. Mark probably sensed that something was up when it was suggested that he stay around for a bit, on the day the leaving certificate results were distributed. “I went into the school at about 9.30am. They handed me the envelope. I was just told to wait back for a …

JASON Ryan has got to know almost every back road in West Clare in recent months. The Kilrush man, who is a retained fire fighter in the town, has been partaking in four hour early morning training stints as he prepares for a five day, 2,100km (1,350 miles) cycle around Ireland. The cycle starts at 3pm in Trim on Sunday and is due to last five days. Jason, who is fundraising for the West Clare Cancer Centre in Kilkee and the Clare 250 Cycle, is confident that he is in physical shape to cycle up to 500km daily. “I’ve been out most mornings, nearly every morning, for the last couple of months. I’ve been clocking up between 80 to 100km at least four mornings a week. When it was brighter I was heading out at 5 or 5.30am but for the last few weeks it has been about 6.30am,” he told The Clare Champion this week. Once he leaves his …

AT least 10 CCTV cameras will be erected in Kilrush town centre following the completion of a tendering and Part 8 planning process. At Tuesday’s September meeting of Kilrush Town Council, members unanimously backed the initiative, which was originally proposed by current town mayor, Councillor Paul Moroney. “What’s proposed is to have a number of cameras throughout the town. There’s a total of ten. Six of them are fixed at various locations throughout the town. Four of them are zoom cameras, which can move. The town centre is deemed an area of concern,” town clerk John Corry stated. “We’re going to have a fixed camera on the credit union and the Vodafone shop (subject to approval). There’s also going to be cameras on poles either side of the town hall. One will take in Moore Street, Francis Street and the square. The other one will take in Henry Street, John Street and Burton Street. We’re also going to have a …

WERE it not for Colin Lynch, Lissycasey may not have been playing senior football at all in 2013. Lynch, who is part of the Ennistymon management, along with Mark Shanahan and Cathal Crowe, came out of football retirement last year to assist his native club in retaining their senior status. He kicked three points in their relegation final replay defeat of Miltown. An integral component of Lissycasey’s 2007 championship winning team, Lynch has to put his personal affiliations aside on Sunday in Clarecastle. Everyone involved with Ennistymon will remember how poorly they played at the same stage last year, when they lost to Kilrush in Quilty. Memories of that implosion will motivate them this weekend as they attempt to reach the semi-final stage of the senior championship. When that will be played nobody knows but that doesn’t dilute the desire of Ennistymon and Lissycasey to reach that stage. To reach the quarter-final Ennistymon defeated St Breckan’s in Round 1 and …

THE losers of the Clondegad v Wolfe Tones second round losers game on Sunday in Clarecastle will have to face into playing a relegation semi-final against Liscannor. That stark fact will be to the forefront of both clubs thinking ahead of Sunday’s game, which has been held up for several weeks. Wolfe Tones cited the absence of Aaron Cunningham, due to his senior hurling commitments, as the reason why they couldn’t play, while at a county board meeting earlier this summer, Clondegad pointed to the fact that Tony Kelly and Paul Flanagan are also tied up with the senior hurlers. Clondegad lost their first round game to Éire Óg while Wolfe Tones were comprehensively beaten by Kilkee. It’s difficult to predict a winner given that neither club has any recent form line to go on. However, Wolfe Tones have more experience of playing senior football and perhaps that might edge the result in their favour. The prize for the winners …