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CLARE face Cork for the first time under Brian Lohan this weekend after this morning’s All-Ireland Senior Hurling Round 2 Qualifier draw threw up an All-Munster encounter, writes Eoin Brennan. The game takes place in LIT Gaelic Grounds in Limerick with throw-in at 4.30. It’s the first time since 2019 that the counties have met in what was to be Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor’s last match in charge as the Banner bounced back from heavy losses to Tipperary and Limerick to overcome the Rebels in Cusack Park by 2-23 to 2-18. Ironically, despite defeat, Cork would squeeze through to the All-Ireland series on score difference at the expense of Clare. https://twitter.com/noelm300/status/1417035427953975298?s=20 More significantly for Clare, however, it halted a five match championship losing streak (including Munster Final reverses in 2017 and ’18) to the Rebels since the 2013 All-Ireland Final Replay. A repeat of the 2017 All-Ireland decider will also take place this Saturday between Waterford and Galway, with …

All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies Football Championship Round 2 Leitrim 4-7 Clare 2-9 CLARE’S bizarre opening round hoodoo continued this afternoon when ambushed by a ravenous Leitrim who deservedly topped the group in Duggan Park in Ballinasloe, reports Eoin Brennan. Following first round reverses against Wexford (2019) and Kildare (2020), Division 4 finalists Leitrim completed the Banner’s unwanted hat-trick to cause the biggest upset of them all as prior to last week, the Connaught side had not won a championship match since 2017. They certainly made up for lost time as four perfectly timed goals provided consistent sucker-punches that accumulated into too big a mountain to climb for a Clare side that just couldn’t get out of second gear at any stage. The stifling conditions certainly zapped the energy levels and can be held accountable for some of the handling errors but ultimately it was the same for both sides and Leitrim, despite contesting their second championship match in eight days, appeared …

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Round 1 Qualifier Clare 2-25 Wexford 2-22 AS the championship heated up so did Clare after completing a hat-trick of championship knock-out victories over Wexford since 2018 in Semple Stadium, Thurles this afternoon, reports Eoin Brennan. It was a testament to all 40 players for providing such entertainment amidst a veritable sauna as Clare passed a true test of character with flying colours after feigning off an inevitable Wexford backlash. Davy Fitzgerald’s side had previously exited the championship at the hands of the Banner in two of the last three campaigns but far from being a motivational tool, they appeared to be suffering sunstroke in the opening quarter as a sharper Clare completely dominated proceedings with 1-7 without reply in just eleven minutes. The goal arrived in the ninth minute through the tireless Cathal Malone who made an excellent burst to finish to the roof of Mark Fanning’s net on their way to a 1-9 to …

CLARE battled until the end but Kilkenny’s superior quality up front shone through as they secured the spoils in Sixmilebridge writes Ivan Smyth. A battling Clare side fell to a 0-16 to 0-22 defeat against Kilkenny as the reigning All-Ireland and league champions held on for a deserved win. Clare certainly gave as good as they got throughout and can look back on some spurned goal chances in the second half going forward . Chloe Morey saw a 20m free blocked on the line early in the second half while corner forward Eimear Kelly was thwarted by Kilkenny goalkeeper Emma Kavanagh. Morey was also fouled going through on goal late in the game while Bridin Dinan saw Kavanagh save her goal-bound effort in the final play of the game. Despite the goal chances Kilkenny possessed the greater firepower up front with Clare heavily reliant on Morey frees for scores in the second half. They only shot three points from play …

Clare 0-6 Cork 6-28 CLARE hurling received if not its largest defeat, then definitely one of its greatest setbacks as Cork signalled their intentions for national honours by providing Clare with a lesson in hurling, movement, skill and legitimate aggression in Semple Stadium on Wednesday evening. The pre-match suggestion that Clare were underdogs on a grand scale could not set up one for what transpired. Galway had beaten Clare with some ease in a challenge but Cork had done likewise to Galway. Cork wing forward Tadhg O Connell and his colleague at wing back James Dwyer had Cork two points to the good after four minutes action in Semple Stadium. Clare had threatened with positivity in the early minutes but two more scores from Jack Leahy (free) and Diarmuid Healy had Clare four in arrears s and on the backfoot as Cork raided with pace down the wings with full forward Leahy moving out the field. Clare’s first effort for …

CLARE finally banished their championship hoodoo at the grade following a facile 2-20 to 0-15 victory over Kerry in Austin Stack Park in Tralee this evening, writes Eoin Brennan. A slick first half display crowned by a late blitz of goals through Oisin O’Donnell and Shane Punch allied to six Diarmuid Cahill points from play ensured an unassailable 2-15 to 0-05 half-time cushion. However, one would be forgiven for thinking that the teams swapped jerseys at the break as Kerry snatched the whip hand on the turnover and deservedly outscored a rudderless Banner by 0-10 to 0-05. Not that there was ever any doubt about the result but it certainly left a bitter aftertaste that will need to be rectified by next Monday when Sean Doyle’s side make the much shorter trip to the LIT Gaelic Grounds in Limerick for a Shannonside derby semi-final showdown. Strong displays from Shane Punch and Oisin O’Donnell were accentuated by the constant threat of …

FOR the second year in succession Clare will face Wexford in the All-Ireland hurling series. This morning’s live draw pitted the Banner against the Yellow Bellies in the round one qualifier at 1.30pm Saturday in Semple Stadium Thurles. Once more, former team-mates and now rivals Brian Lohan and Davy Fitzgerald will face off, providing extra spice to the clash. Clare v Wexford 🤙🏼😂 You couldn’t write it The man above has a warped sense of humour — Eddie Brennan (@NedzerB13) July 12, 2021 The rancour between the two teams and coaches in recent years will have been exacerbated by the Covid controversy that ensued when Clare players were forced to isolate following this year’s league clash in Ennis after being named as close contacts of a Wexford player who contracted the virus. Wexford took the points that day, but Clare took the honours last year when the sides met in the qualifiers. In the other round 1 tie, Waterford will …

Munster Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final Tipperary 3-23 Clare 2-22 CLARE’S Munster Final hopes were frustratingly dealt a detrimental blow following a controversial refereeing decision which handed Tipperary a pivotal initiative in the LIT Gaelic Grounds, Limerick this afternoon, reports Eoin Brennan. Clare had rolled with the punches in a seesaw first half, with goals from Ian Galvin and Tony Kelly sandwiching two brilliant saves from Eibhear Quilligan to nudge Clare the minimum in front by the break. However, the match would hinge on a mistimed challenge by Aidan McCarthy on Jake Morris just inside the 20 metre line near the left sideline that was deemed to be a cynical foul to prevent a goalscoring opportunity. Only three minutes into the new half, it was a contentious call that Clare would never recover from as McCarthy was sin binned for ten minutes, by which time Tipperary had produced an eight point turnaround to soar 3-17 to 2-14 in front. Jason Forde …