All according to forum

Fixtures for the 2012 season were ratified at a special meeting of Clare Camogie Board last Wednesday night.
Following on from suggestions put forward at the club forum in October, the fixtures committee proposed changes that will see the senior championship finalists kept apart at the group stage, an earlier start for the minor championship, a June start for the U-16 championship as opposed to August, delaying the start of the U-14 championship to August and the introduction of an U-13 championship and an U-16 spring league.
The fixtures committee put forward their proposals to a well-attended meeting and all proposals for the 2012 playing season were adopted. The U-16 league will be finalised at the March meeting, whilst the minor championship format will be ratified after congress at the end of March, due to a motion that may see a change to the age rule. Currently, players have to be over 14 to play at minor level. However, proposals from Clare, Cork and Tipperary put forward to annual congress may see that age limit lowered to allow players over the age of 13 to play at minor level for club.
With the recent news from Croke Park grading committee that Clare clubs will continue to play in the intermediate and junior club championship, there was a debate also on introducing a promotion/relegation system which will, over a period of four years, see the championship level out in 2015, with eight teams playing in senior, eight teams in intermediate and 10 teams in junior. At the end of the playing season in 2012, the following changes will start to be implemented:
2013 will see one team promoted to senior from intermediate; one team promoted from junior to intermediate.
2014 will see one team relegated from senior to intermediate and one team promoted from intermediate to senior. One team promoted from junior to intermediate.
2015 will see one team relegated from senior to intermediate and one team promoted from intermediate to senior. One team promoted from junior to intermediate.
2016 will see one team relegated from senior to intermediate and one team promoted from intermediate to senior. One team relegated from intermediate to junior and one team promoted from junior to intermediate.
Relegation in championship will be based on bottom two teams playing off in relegation final, with the loser to be relegated.
Likewise, there is a change to the structure of the adult league competitions. After the 2012 season, the leagues will be known as Division 1 (current senior League), Division 2 (current intermediate) and Division 3 (current junior), with the introduction of a Division 4 in 2015.
2013 will see relegation from Division 1 to Division 2, promotion from Division 3 to Division 2.
2014 will see relegation from Division 1 to Division 2, promotion from Division 2 to 1. Relegation from Division 2 to 3, promotion from Division 3 to 2.
In 2015, Division 3 is to be split to Division 3 (six teams) and Division 4 (five teams) based on average group position for 2012-14. There will be relegation from Division 1 to Division 2. Promotion from Division 2 to 1. Relegation from Division 2 to 3. Promotion from Division 3 to 2. Relegation from Division 3 to 4 and promotion from Division 4 to 3.
The bottom team in a group will be relegated and where there are two groups there will be a relegation play-off. In the league, should two teams finish level on points at the bottom of the group, the team relegated will be the team that lost the head-to-head game in the group stages.
Promotion on championship is based on finishing top in the group standings on the league in a one-group system. In a two or more group system, promotion will be based on winning the league final. Again, should two teams finish level on points at the top of a one-group system, the team that won the head-to-head in the group stages will be promoted.
The current system, which sees championship winners promoted whilst league winners continue to play at the same grade, will be phased out, thus building a structure that promotes the team that wins the league and affording them the opportunity to play at a higher level in the league.
With the introduction of relegation, results from all games will be crucial in order to avoid demotion for the following season.
The introduction of relegation was debated by all present and was unanimously agreed on, with all delegates in agreement that the implementation of these new structures would lead to more competitive club competitions.
The leagues begin this weekend. Clooney Quin, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Wolfe Tones and Kilkishen are in Group 1 and Kilmaley, Sixmilebridge and Inagh-Kilnamona in Group 2. The Wolfe Tones v Kilkishen game is deferred to the following weekend. All eyes will be on the clash of neighbours Kilmaley and Inagh-Kilnamona.
In the intermediate league, last year’s winners, Truagh-Clonlara, take on St Joseph’s, while newcomers Crusheen face Whitegate. The Clarecastle v Corofin game is deferred to the following weekend.
In the junior league for 2012, there are 12 teams taking part, with second-string teams from Kilmaley, Kilkishen, Truagh-Clonlara, Sixmilebridge and Wolfe Tones. Ruan make a welcome return to adult competition, not having fielded at adult level since 2005.
With 12 teams in the competition, it is split into four groups of three, first in each group go into A semi-finals, with second in each group going into the B semi-finals.
In the underage fixtures, the introduction of the U-13 championship will see three divisions as follows:
U-13A, Sixmilebridge, Kilkishen, Clarecastle, Clooney-Quin, Inagh-Kilnamona, Feakle.
U-13B, Ballyea, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Kilmaley, Wolfe Tones, Scariff-Ogonnelloe , Truagh-Clonlara, Éire Óg, St Joseph’s.
U-13C (13-a-side), Ruan, Killanena, Tulla, Broadford , Whitegate, Burren, Parteen, Cratloe, Bodyke, Corofin.
The U-14 championship is graded as follows:
U-14A, Sixmilebridge, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Clarecastle, Clooney-Quin, Inagh-Kilnamona, Feakle.
U-14B, Broadford, Corofin, Kilkishen, Kilmaley, Scariff-Ogonnelloe, Éire Óg, St Joseph’s.
U-14C, Ballyea, Parteen, Ruan, Tulla-Bodyke, Whitegate, Burren, Killanena, Truagh-Clonlara.
The U-16 Championship groups are:
U-16A, Sixmilebridge, Éire Óg, Clooney-Quin, Newmarket-on-Fergus, St Joseph’s, Inagh-Kilnamona.
U16B, Ballyea, Kilkishen, Kilmaley, Wolfe Tones, Corofin, Broadford.
U16C, Whitegate, Killanena, Truagh-Clonlara, ­Tulla-Bodyke, Ruan, Scariff-Ogonnelloe, Burren, Clarecastle.
Ashbourne

All-stars
Three Clare players were named on the Ashbourne All-Star team, Naomi Carroll, who impressed with a 10-point haul for Mary Immaculate in their win over St Pat’s, Susan Vaughan and Niamh O’Dea.

Senior challenge begins

Clare will begin their ­challenge for All-Ireland senior camogie honours on Saturday, June 23 when they take on Cork.
Their remaining fixtures in this competition will be on June 30 against Tipperary, on July 7 against Galway and on July 14 against Dublin.
Play-offs are set for July 21, with quarter-finals on July 28 and August 4. The semi-finals are on September 1, with the final on September 16.
Meanwhile, Clare’s National League campaign will commence on March 11, when they play Kilkenny.
Their remaining games will be on March 25 against ­Offaly, April 8 against Tipperary and April 15 against Galway.
In the all-Ireland minor championship, Clare will play the losers of the first round clash between Kilkenny and Galway on March 3.
In the All-Ireland U-16 championship, Clare play Galway on June 24 and play Dublin on July 1.