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SUNDAY will represent Clare’s 18th appearance in a Munster senior football final, with two finals that were 75 years apart being the stand-out games in the county’s long history of contesting the provincial championship that started in 1888. On that maiden voyage provincial campaign 135 years ago Clare found themselves in a similar situation to what they face on Sunday, as they had to go into battle against the reigning All-Ireland champions – they’ll be hoping for the same result, if not the aftermath. On that occasion the Clare selection, backboned by members of Newmarket Dalgais scored a famous victory over Limerick Commercials in Birdhill by 1-3 to 1-0, only to lose the game afterwards in the boardroom after being accused of fielding illegal players. That was the year a Munster title got away from Clare, but there was no denying them on two red-letter days – in 1917 when they scored a comprehensive 5-1 to 0-1 win over Cork …

SHANNON’S Matthew Halpin completed the Marathon des Sables last week, a 250km six day ultra marathon through the Sahara. He signed up to honour the memory of his friend Kevin Hayes, who died as a result of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, and he used the opportunity to raise funds for Heart House, a free family heart screening clinic at the Mater Hospital. Covering 250km of the Sahara is not easy and Matthew said he had suffered in the sun. “It was pretty tough, yeah. I got a fever on the second day and I had to slow down on the third day to get through. On day four, which was a long day, it was 52 or 53 degrees. I think it was 45 in the shade.” Despite the obvious difficulties, he says it was well worth doing. “I’m happy that I was able to do it, it raised a nice bit of money for the charity which was good. …

Munster Minor Hurling Championship Semi-Final Clare 2-21 Limerick 2-15 Clare will contest back-to-back Munster Minor Hurling Finals for the first time in eleven years after finally shaking off neighbours Limerick in front of 1,804 in Cusack Park Ennis on Tuesday evening. Three days after lowering Limerick in the senior equivalent, a buoyant Banner maintained that momentum with a dramatic turnaround in a typically frenetic derby showdown. Darren Collopy’s early four point blitz had initially powered Limerick 0-5 to 0-1 clear, only for a seismic shift to unearth an eleven point turnaround as playmaker and point-taker supreme Michael Collins scored three and directly set up as many more to turn the tide. Level on three occasions by the 24th minute, the home side gathered pace once more approaching the break as points through Marc O’Brien, James Hegarty, Michael Power and Collins put Clare into the ascendency before the bonus of a last gasp goal to take into the dressing rooms at …

The 22nd annual World Stone Throwing Championship will take place in Bofey Quinn’s in Corofin this coming Sunday, with contestants set to battle it out for the most prestigious prize in stone throwing. After a strong local showing in last year’s competition with Corofin natives Saundra O’Brien and Dylan O’Loughlin claiming the main prizes, a major national and international challenge is expected for this year’s event. The competition, which is part of the annual Festival of Finn, was originally thought up over a pint by Cormac McConnell and Johnny Campbell in 2000. Participants are challenged to break glass bottles placed on spikes using nothing but stones. There is both a male and a female trophy and the competition in both categories is fierce. The competition attracts stone throwers from all over the world with previous winners coming from as far away as London, Chicago, Scotland and Germany. There is an entry fee of just €5 per contestant, which entitles you …

Munster Under 20 Hurling Championship Round 4 Cork 1-24 Clare 0-22 Clare will have to depend on their Shannonside neighbours to do them a favour this Friday if they are to continue their Munster Under 20 Championship bid after being sucker-punched by a late Cork surge in Cusack Park on Wednesday evening. In complete contrast to the previous evening’s minor clash between the same sides in Sixmilebridge, this time it was Cork that stepped up sufficiently coming down the final straight to finally see off their stubborn hosts. A Ben Cunningham goal in the 55th minute proved the clinching score that Clare simply couldn’t recover from, having battled gamefully throughout a seesaw second period. With the sides level eight times in the second half alone and never more than a point separating the sides in either direction, it seemed as if Clare were destined for a third draw of the campaign. That narrative altered however when Eoin Downey’s defensive free …

MUNSTER MINOR A CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL CORK 1-13 CLARE 2-7 If this Munster Final had gone on for another five minutes have no doubt that the Banner would be celebrating after a pulsating incredible fightback when all hope seemed lost. The second half of this unbelievable Munster Final saw Clare take the game to Cork outscoring the Rebels 2-4 to 0-4. Throwing the shackles off Clare pushed up on Cork pinning them back inside their own half. There were heroes all over the field with magical moments and drama aplenty. From keeper Jenna Murphy heroically saving a penalty to Lauren Conway’s brilliant goal these Banner girls gave every ounce of effort they could muster. In the harsh reality where the winner takes all John O’Malley’s teams journey ends here as there are no second chances in this knock-out format which is extremely disappointing. There is no doubt the damage was done in that opening twenty minutes where Clare seemed nervous and …

Clare 0-17 Cork 0-12 A scorching finish washed away any previous misgivings as Clare soared into the final three of the Munster Minor Hurling Championship in front of 1.491 in O’Garney Park Sixmilebridge on Tuesday evening. Being their final group outing, Clare craved a victory to keep their fate in their own hands and they duly responded with a commanding display that arguably should have been much more comfortable than the final scoreline indicates. Allied to their 17 points were 16 wides that highlighted just how dominant the home side were against a Cork side that were flawless up to Tuesday’s tie but were surprisingly lacklustre without their top-scorer Barry Walsh. For long periods, it did seem as if Clare’s profligacy would come back to haunt them as a crossfield breeze proved tricky for two freetakers to master. In contrast, Cork’s Johnny Murphy arrowed over three early frees that meant they matched their hosts for the opening quarter. A brace …

A CABINET meeting earlier today saw approval granted for a funding package that is set to see Clare County Council take over responsibility for Shannon Heritage attractions in the county. It is understood that the Council will receive €6 million in funding this year. They will also receive a ‘letter of comfort’ promising further support in 2024 and 2025. Clare County Council are set to discuss the offer in the coming days and are likely to accept it, which would end a long running saga around the future of the sites. In a statement this afternoon Clare TD Cathal Crowe welcomed the development. “Today the Cabinet met and approved a funding package which will now go to Clare County Council to be ratified. “This funding package secures the future of the iconic sites in our region including Bunratty Castle and brings certainty to the workers of these sites who, for far too long, have been left wondering what the future …