Ballyea and Éire Óg on spree for three

BALLYEA (hurling) and Éire Óg’s (football) quest for a historic three in a row of senior titles were put into sharper focus on Wednesday evening when the draws for all eleven adult hurling and football championships were made at the June Meeting of Clare GAA in Hotel Woodstock, writes Eoin Brennan.

With only two teams to emerge from each group in the senior hurling championship, the back-to-back champions face a difficult title defence when pitted against 2021 finalists Inagh-Kilnamona, Clare Cup holders Kilmaley, Intermediate winners St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield and 2020 equivalents Scariff.

One of the most intriguing pools was Group 3 which comprises of four neighbours Cratloe, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Wolfe Tones and Clooney-Quin.

In the race for Jack Daly, three teams will emerge from Group 1 that involves last year’s semi-finalists Corofin and Kilmurry Ibrickane, Cusack Cup champions St Breckan’s and 2020 intermediate winners St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield.

It was also announced that TUS have come on board as sponsors of the Clare Senior and Intermediate GAA Championships for the next three years while the County Junior Championships will be sponsored by Martin Murphy Building & Civil Contractors Ltd.

Formats

Hurling

2023 County Senior Hurling Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of July 22nd/23rd)

17 teams divided into four groups.

As semi-finalists from 2022, Ballyea, Cratloe, Éire Óg and Sixmilebridge are seeded in separate groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals (Group winner v Group runners-up).

The bottom team in each group will enter the relegation play-offs, with a draw to determine two matches in which the loser of both is demoted to intermediate for 2024.

A Senior B Championship will also take place for the four 3rd Placed teams in each group along with the 4th placed team in the groups of 5, with one preliminary round tie leading to semi-finals.

Group 1 – Ballyea, St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield, Inagh-Kilnamona, Scariff, Kilmaley

Group 2 – Sixmilebridge, Crusheen, Clonlara, O’Callaghan’s Mills

Group 3 – Cratloe, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Wolfe Tones, Clooney-Quin

Group 4 – Éire Óg, Feakle, Broadford, Clarecastle

2023 County intermediate Hurling Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of July 29/30th)

15 teams divided into three groups of five teams.

As relegated sides from senior, Smith O’Brien’s and Whitegate are seeded in separate groups as are the intermediate semi-finalists from 2022, Corofin, Sixmilebridge and Tulla.

The top two teams from each group along with the 3rd placed teams from the groups with the senior relegated sides (Smith O’Brien’s and Whitegate) will contest the quarter-finals where no repeat pairings from the group stages will be permitted where possible.

The bottom team in each group will enter a three-way relegation play-off. The first team drawn will receive a bye. The other two teams will play off with the winning team consolidating their status while the losers subsequently plays the team which received the bye and the losing team from this tie will be relegated to Junior A for 2024.

Group 1 – Tulla, Smith O’Brien’s, Bodyke, Killanena, Tubber

Group 2 – Corofin, Whitegate, Ruan, St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield, O’Callaghan’s Mills

Group 3 – Sixmilebridge, Inagh-Kilnamona, Parteen-Meelick, Ogonnelloe, Newmarket-on-Fergus

2023 County Junior A Hurling Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of July 29/30th)

13 teams divided into one group of five teams and two groups of four, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals along with the 3rd Placed Team in the group of five as well as the winner of a play-off between the two 3rd placed teams in the groups of four.

As semi-finalists from 2022, Ballyea, Clarecastle and Éire Óg are seeded in separate groups, with no repeat pairings permitted for the quarter-finals.

No team will be relegated from Junior A in 2023.

Group 1 – Clarecastle, Banner, Ennistymon, Broadford, Sixmilebridge

Group 2 – Ballyea, Clonlara, Cratloe, Kilmaley

Group 3 – Éire Óg, Scariff, Clooney-Quin, Crusheen

2023 County Junior B Hurling Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of July 29/30th)

22 teams divided into two groups of six teams and two groups of five, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals.

The four bottom teams will also be relegated to Premier Junior C for 2024.

Group 1 – Clarecastle, Wolfe Tones, Inagh-Kilnamona, Clooney-Quin, Tubber, O’Callaghan’s Mills

Group 2 – Clonlara, Éire Óg, Ballyea, Broadford, St Josephs Doora/Barefield, Parteen-Meelick

Group 3 – Newmarket-on-Fergus, Bodyke, Corofin, Kilmaley, Tulla

Group 4 – Sixmilebridge, Ruan, Whitegate, Feakle, Smith O’Brien’s

2023 County Premier Junior C Hurling Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of July 29/30th)

8 teams divided into two groups of four teams, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

The bottom team from each group will play-off, with the losers to be relegated to Junior C for 2024.

Group 1 – Tulla, Scariff, St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield, Cratloe

Group 2 – Newmarket-on-Fergus, Ogonnelloe, Crusheen, Wolfe Tones

2023 County Junior C Hurling Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of July 29/30th)

4 teams play each other after which the top two teams advance to the final.

Clonbony, Banner, Killanena, Kilkee/Bealaha

Football

2023 County Senior Football Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of JuAugust 5/6/7th)

12 teams divided into three groups of four. As semi-finalists from 2022, Corofin, Éire Óg, Ennistymon and Kilmurry Ibrickane are seeded, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals along with the 3rd Placed Team in the group of two seeded teams as well as the winner of a play-off between the two 3rd placed teams in the other two groups.

The bottom team in each group will enter a three-way relegation play-off. The first team drawn will receive a bye. The other two teams will play off with the winning team consolidating their status while the losers subsequently plays the team which received the bye and the losing team from this tie will be relegated to intermediate for 2024.

Group 1 – Corofin, St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield, Kilmurry Ibrickane, St Breckan’s

Group 2 – Éire Óg, Clondegad, St Joseph’s Miltown, Doonbeg

Group 3 – Ennistymon, Kildysart, Lissycasey, Cratloe

2023 County Intermediate Football Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of August 5/6/7th)

12 teams divided into three groups of four teams, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals along with the two best 3rd Placed Teams based on points and then scoring difference.

As semi-finalists from 2022, Cooraclare, Ennistymon and O’Curry’s are seeded in separate groups, with no repeat pairings permitted for the quarter-finals.

The bottom team in each group will enter a three-way relegation play-off. The first team drawn will receive a bye. The other two teams will play off with the winning team consolidating their status while the losers subsequently plays the team which received the bye and the losing team from this tie will be relegated to Junior A for 2024.

Group 1 – O’Curry’s, Wolfe Tones, Kilmihil, Shannon Gaels

Group 2 – Ennistymon, Coolmeen, Liscannor, Naomh Eoin

Group 3 – Cooraclare, Kilrush Shamrocks, Kilfenora, Banner

2023 County Junior A Football Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of August 5/6/7th)

17 teams divided into three groups of four teams and one group of five.

The top two teams from each group advance to the quarter-finals (Group winner v Group runner-up). As semi-finalists from 2022, Killimer, Kilmurry Ibrickane and St Senan’s Kilkee are seeded into separate groups alongside Michael Cusack’s who were relegated from Intermediate.

Pot 2 seeds are the teams in which Junior A is their highest grade (Ballyvaughan, Clarecastle, Clooney-Quin, Parteen-Meelick).

The bottom team in each group will enter the relegation play-offs, with a draw to determine two matches in which the losers are both demoted to Junior B for 2024.

Group 1 – St Senan’s Kilkee, Parteen-Meelick, Cratloe, Éire Óg, St Breckan’s

Group 2 – Michael Cusack’s, Clooney-Quin, Clondegad, Doonbeg

Group 3 – Killimer, Ballyvaughan, Cooraclare, St Joseph’s Miltown

Group 4 – Kilmurry Ibrickane, Clarecastle, Lissycasey, St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield

2023 County Premier Junior B Football Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of August 5/6/7th)

13 teams divided into one group of five teams and two groups of four, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals along with the 3rd Placed Team in the group of five as well as the winner of a play-off between the two 3rd placed teams in the groups of four.

The bottom team from each group will be relegated to Junior B for 2024.

Group 1 – Lissycasey, Éire Óg, Michael Cusack’s, Kilrush Shamrocks, Kildysart

Group 2 – Corofin (2), Wolfe Tones, Moy, Ennistymon

Group 3 – Parteen-Meelick, Clondegad, St Joseph’s Miltown, Corofin (1)

2023 County Junior B Football Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of August 5/6/7th)

6 teams play each other after which the top two teams advance to the final.

Banner, Killimer, Shannon Gaels, Kilmihil, O’Curry’s, Cooraclare