Sports

Clare will have a representative at this year’s Olympic Games. Ballyvaughan native Liam Jegou will compete in the Canoe Slalom event in the C1 category, which is due to be held in Kasai Canoe Slalom Centre in Tokyo on July 26 and July 27. Jegou has already stamped his mark on the international stage, winning silver in the 2014 Junior World Championships and bronze in the 2019 U-23 World Championships. The 24-year-old is only the second Irish athlete ever to compete in the C1 Canoe Slalom at the Olympics, with the only other athlete being Mike Corcoran, who last competed in Atlanta 1996. He said: “Being an Olympian has always been my biggest dream since I started training at 11 years old. The past month has been unbelievable knowing that I going to be competing for Ireland at the Olympics. In my sport, the Olympics is everything and it is what everybody works towards. It is such a select thing …

Clare’s Munster U-2o Football Quarter-Final v Waterford has been postponed. The game was due to be held this evening at Hennessey Park in Miltown, but with poor weather conditions forecast for the evening, the decision was taken to postpone the fixture. The game has been re-fixed for this Thursday evening in Miltown with a 7pm start.

Derrick Lynch Clare begin their U-20 football championship campaign on Wednesday evening when they host Waterford in the Munster quarter-final. Hennessey Park in Miltown will host the fixture with Clare coming into the game off the back of a mixed pre-season which saw them reach the O’Connor Cup final before losing out to Offaly. Manager Michael Neylon is confident that they are ready for the challenge but admits they will not know where they are until the first whistle is blown. “It feels like we have only been with the players for five minutes in this campaign it has been so quick. We are delighted with the response and we feel preparations have gone well but we are also very aware that everything up to now has only been preparations and it will all come down to championship. We have about 30 players who have been with us from the beginning and they are extremely committed. They have energised us …

Clare manager Michael Neylon has named his side for Wednesday evening’s Munster U-20 Football Quarter-Final clash with Waterford.  Captain Seán Conway makes his return from injury to line out in the half-back line while the other wing-back spot is filled by Kilmurry Ibrickane’s Daniel Walsh who is making his first appearance of the year. Senior panellists Cillian Rouine and Emmet McMahon start, while star forward Shane Meehan is on the edge of the square. Clare U-20 team v Waterford: Tom O’Brien (Doora Barefield); Manus Doherty (Eire Óg), Micheál Murray (Miltown), Ciarán McMahon (Ennistymon); Daniel Walsh (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Cillian Rouine (Ennistymon), Seán Conway (Doonbeg, c); Oisín Looney (Miltown), Eoin Rouine (Ennistymon); John Murphy (Ennistymon), Emmet McMahon (Kildysart), Thomas Clancy (O’Curry’s); Diarmuid O’Donnell (Kildysart), Shane Meehan (Banner), Mark McInerney (Eire Óg). Subs: Oisin O’Loughlin (St Breckans), Eoghan Thynne (Doora Barefield), Morgan Garry (Clondegad), Gavin D’Auria (Éire Óg), Seamus Casey (Kildysart), Stephen Sheehan (Kildysart), Cian McDonough (Doora-Barefield), Cian Meaney (Lissycasey), Darren O’Brien (Éire …

One of the greatest mysteries of Clare GAA appears to have been solved. 35 years have passed since The Clare Champion first reported on the saga of Tommy Guilfoyle’s missing jersey, but thanks to the power of social media, the famed number 14 jersey has been found. The background to the story was first outlined in the Clare Champion in the aftermath of Clare’s loss to Tipperary in the 1985 Munster U-21 Final, with the Feakle man lining out on the edge of the square.   The story reemerged in recent days after a picture of the article was posted online with Guilfoyle’s daughter Lauren posting a public appeal for information. I LOVE this. Dad called up in front of the county board for swapping his Clare jersey for a Tipperary one after a Munster U21 Final. #GAA pic.twitter.com/Ifmqoc5cDw — Lauren Guilfoyle (@LaurenGuilfoyle) February 17, 2020 Her tweet gained traction, and eventually led to the most infamous jersey being discovered …

NHL: Clare 0-17 Laois 0-9 Clare continued their unbeaten start to the National League with a battling win over Laois through the wind and rain in Cusack Park. Whatever about the arrival of Storm Dennis to Cusack Park, it was the return of Aaron Cunningham that provided arguably the highlight of the half inside the opening two minutes. The Wolfe Tones man marked his first start in almost two years by angling over a brilliant point from the sideline after a excellent first touch saw him lose his marker. The sheeting wind and rain meant that it was never going to be a classic, and it was no surprise that the opening half saw just five points scored from play. Ross King landed 0-3 from frees for Laois while Willie Dunphy finished a nice move for the Laois men for their only score from play. At the break, it was Clare 0-9 to 0-4 ahead having played with the wind, …

Derrick Lynch Clare’s National Hurling League campaign continues this weekend when Laois come to Cusack Park on Sunday for their Round Three encounter. Two wins from the opening two games for Brian Lohan’s outfit leaves them in a strong position to qualify for the knockout out stages of this year’s competition, and victory on Sunday would all but guarantee their progression. Central to that cause will be Ballyea’s Tony Kelly, with the 2013 Hurler of the Year in brilliant form so far in 2020 as he amassed 0-24 from the Banner’s two outings to date. He admits it is has been a good start under the management, but no one is getting carried away just yet. “It is just a start and a positive one having played two games and won two games. That being said, we are under no illusions and we know there is plenty to work on. The wins were satisfying but the hurling the last day …

With the Master Fixtures plan for 2020 now in place, and club leagues set to begin in less than a month’s time, there are still some spots to be filled on the managerial merry-go-round. Eight of the clubs in the Clare senior football championship will have new management in 2020, while nine of the top tier hurling clubs have changed the guard. SENIOR FOOTBALL One of the biggest departures comes with county football champions Miltown, who are currently searching for David O’Brien’s replacement. The publican stepped back from his role after just one year in charge having led his native club to a Cusack Cup and championship double. A spokesperson for the club confirmed to The Clare Champion that they are working on identifying a replacement for O’Brien, while his management team including Kerry native David Geaney, have also stepped down. Beaten county finalists Kilmurry Ibrickane have retained the services of 1992 Munster championship winner Aidan ‘Horse Moloney’ who continues …