Sports

Clare 3-15    Tipperary 1-19 Eoghan Moloney CLARE came out the right end of an absolute classic in Semple Stadium this afternoon to retain their Division Two status in dramatic fashion. A late Keelan Sexton goal was the difference maker as momentum swung back and forth before points from Gary Brennan and Tubridy sealed the win. Tipperary started like a house on fire and had 1-1 in the first three minutes through captain Conor Sweeney. The goal coming after Philip Austin spilt the defence and rounded Robert Eyres before spying Sweeney free at the edge of the square. He had a simple fist to the net to open the scoring. Gavin Cooney opened Clare’s account after five minutes when he beat his man and popped the ball over. Five minutes later he had a goal when a Gary Brennan’s shot hit the post and fell into his arms and he had the simple task of finishing the goal. Just the slice …

AT the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi, Team Ireland got off to a great start with Ennis girl Emma Barrett winning a gold for the 25m freestyle relay team. The team also featured Damien Breslin, Offaly; Chelsea Phillips, Roscommon and Edel Armstrong, Dublin. The games officially got under way at a spectacular Opening Ceremony at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City Stadium, the largest stadium in the United Arab Emirates. Team Ireland were walked out by Irish representatives including Brendan Whelan, Chairman of Special Olympics Ireland and Shane Ross, Minister of Transport, Tourism and Sport, during the celebratory parade which featured a number of international celebrities including singer and Special Olympics global ambassador, Nicole Scherzinger. This is a huge year for Special Olympics Ireland and the 91 athletes who have travelled to Abu Dhabi to compete as part of Team Ireland, with athletes having been selected after four years of training competition. Supported by a volunteer management …

Clare 1-7          Meath 1-12 Eoghan Moloney Meath pulled away from Clare to earn the two points in a strong second half display in Cusack Park. Meath controlled the game early on and found themselves 0-5 to 0-2 up after 14 minutes courtesy of two Thomas O’Reilly points and scores from Ethan Devine, Darragh Campion and Cillian O’Sullivan. Clare did eventually warm to the task and Gavin Cooney as well as an Eoin Cleary free got Clare off the mark. Clare were playing into the teeth of a very strong breeze which did make life quite hard, especially from kick-outs. So when they were only two points behind in the first quarter after Cleary added his second free, it was far from calamitous. Clare eventually got to grips with the elements and moved the ball quite well through the lines with Cian O’Dea and Gary Brennan doing a lot of the hard running. David Tubridy then got on the scoreboard from …

Waterford 0-31 Clare 1-14 Eoghan Moloney WATERFORD trounced Clare in front of 2,763 in Walsh Park this afternoon in what was a lacklustre display from a Clare side that had lead at half-time but were completely dominated in the second half, as Waterford outscored them 20 points to four in that period. Tony Kelly got off to a flyer – landing two points in the opening two minutes, before Cathal Malone got a fine point from half way a minute later. Waterford also started quickly with points from Pauric Mahony and Austin Gleeson. Clare had a massive wind and used it to their advantage by going route one on many occasions and this yielded three scorable frees in a row for Peter Duggan. After 15 minutes, Gary Cooney was dragged down by Shane McNulty as he went through on goal. Peter Duggan took the penalty and made no mistake. O’Keefe did get a touch on it but it was not …

Clare face the first of two crucial games in Division Two of the National Football League this weekend when Meath are the visitors to Cusack Park. Successive defeats against Kildare and Fermanagh in the last two previous rounds leaves the Banner fighting to retain their status in the second tier with the clash against the Royals and trip to take on Tipperary to come over the next week. This fixture hasn’t been a happy one for Clare over the last two seasons, with Meath winning both previous ties by a combined total of 26 points, including a 12 point victory when they last met in Cusack Park in the final round in 2017. It will be Clare’s first outing since the loss to Fermanagh in Brewster Park a fortnight ago and captain Gary Brennan feels they have now moved on from that as their sights are firmly set on Meath. “We reviewed that game in the days after and looked …

It is shaping up to be busy 2019 for Fergal Lynch. The 2013 All-Ireland winner is not just juggling his job as principal of Quin National School with managing the Clare minor hurlers, but he is also planning to take up arms once more for Clooney/Quin as the club season rolls around. It’s a role he says he is enjoying. “Managing your county is something you would always love to be able to do no matter what the level. I was involved with the Clare U-14’s back in 2008 and I really enjoyed it. I chose to focus on my own hurling career at that point, and when I made the decision to retire from playing inter-county myself I got involved as part of Davy Fitzgerald’s backroom team for a few years so when this opportunity came about I said I would go for it, and so far we have been going well. We started at the end of October …

Clare selector Enda Coughlan has been around football long enough to recognise when a battle is on the horizon, and the Kilmurry Ibrickane man admits this weekend’s tie with Meath in Cusack Park is a massive game in the context of their National League campaign. With just two games left to go, Clare face a relegation scrap if they’re to extend their stay in the second tier to fourth season having moved up as Division Three champions in 2016. The Shannon-based Garda feels a huge seven day period lies ahead. “The way it’s panning out, this is a massive game now for us, along with the last round against Tipperary. We probably need to pick up a couple of points in both of those games so hopefully we can do the business this weekend first. The last two games have been disappointing in that we haven’t come away with any points on the board. We went up to both places, …

THE Clare starting 15 shows five changes from the side that drew with Limerick in their last league game, ahead of Saturday’s league quarter-final against Waterford in Walsh Park.  Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge) makes his first start of the year at corner back in place of Rory Hayes, while Cathal Malone replaces David Fitzgerald at wing back.  Aidan McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona) starts at wing forward in place of Diarmuid Ryan, Gary Cooney (O’Callaghan’s Mills) comes in for Ian Galvin at corner forward, and Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones na Sionna) starts at full forward in place of Niall Deasy. Saturday’s game throws in at 3pm. Donal Tuohy (Crusheen) Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge) David McInerney (Tulla) Jack Browne (Ballyea) Patrick O’Connor (Tubber) – Captain Conor Cleary (St. Joseph’s Miltown) Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge) Shane Golden (Sixmilebridge) Colm Galvin (Clonlara) Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin) Tony Kelly (Ballyea) Aidan McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona) Gary Cooney (O’Callaghan’s Mills) Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones na Sionna) Podge Collins (Cratloe) Substitutes: Keith Hogan (Clooney-Quin) David Fitzgerald …