Sports

Munster MFC Final: Kerry 2-14 Clare 1-7 Clare’s bid to bridge a 67 year gap without a Munster minor football title just came short as Kerry continued their dominance of the grade with an eighth consecutive crown. It was already a historic night in the Gaelic Grounds with silverware being handed out three days before Christmas, but for Kerry it will be a night that will live long in the memory with another record going into the history books. There may not have been any silverware coming back out the Ennis road with the Clare squad, but there are plenty positives to be gleaned from a year that yielded a Munster final appearance that looked unlikely in the shadow of two lockdowns. There can be no fault attributed in terms of the workrate and effort of this Clare side who battled to the end, but at times the execution was not at the level shown by their opponents and those …

Derrick Lynch The new chairman of Clare GAA has outlined his three goals for the coming year with improvements at Caherlohan, progression in coaching structures and addressing the huge financial issues of the board being the main targets. Cratloe’s Jack Chaplin was unveiled as the successor to Joe Cooney in the chairman’s role at this week’s Annual Convention. He overcame Cooraclare’s PJ McGuane in the race for the position, gaining 116 of the 183 votes cast. McGuane congratulated Chaplin on his victory and outlined that it was the last election that he would be contesting in Clare GAA. It is the first time Chaplin has been elected to the executive of Clare GAA, but he has served as chairman of Cratloe for 17 years over two terms. He has also represented Cratloe as a county board delegate for a number of years while also serving as part of the master fixtures committee. The former referee outlined that while a daunting …

Munster MFC Semi-Final: Clare 4-20 Limerick 1-10 A third Munster final in the last four years awaits the Clare minor footballers after another impressive showing saw them overcome Limerick at the LIT Gaelic Grounds on Wednesday evening. Dermot Coughlan’s charges controlled the game from start to finish with their workrate and ability to transition quickly from defence to attack proving to be a potent combination, as they set up another final showdown with Kerry next Tuesday evening. That workrate in the middle third was a crucial element while the willingness to get up in support of the attack created several overlaps and scoring chances. Clare will need to be even more clinical in front of the posts if they are to reach the provincial summit, but on this performance there will be plenty positives to take into that tie. Having reeled off 1-18 from play last time out, it served as a warning that there was plenty scoring potential in …

Derrick Lynch Treasurer of Clare GAA Michael Gallagher has reiterated his warning about the finances of the board being in an extremely difficult position ahead of the coming year. The Doonbeg clubman addressed delegates at this week’s online convention in which he detailed the challenges facing the board and the realities that must be faced if a turn in fortunes is to be achieved. He likened the boards finances to a well, and stated that “the well is now dry, and it is up to each of us sitting around our computer screens this evening to take on the stark task of replenishing it”. This years accounts show that Clare GAA is carrying a deficit of close to €500,000 with that figure including a loss of almost €200,000 on the sale of part of the land purchased for the Caherlohan Centre of Excellence. Mr Gallagher addressed that issue and detailed that approximately 47 acres were purchased in April 2005 at …

Outgoing chairman of Clare GAA Joe Cooney has been praised as being a “tireless worker” for the Association in the county as his term of offices came to an end. The O’Callaghan’s Mills clubman oversaw his fifth and final Convention in the chair this week, having taken over the reins in 2016. In total, he has spent a decade on the executive having been elected as vice-chair in 2010. Several delegates put their thanks for his work on the record, with fellow clubman Neil O’Brien outlining his hopes that he would continue to be involved in some capacity with Clare GAA. Secretary Pat Fitzgerald also paid tribute to Mr Cooney, and praised the “enormous work” he had done. He said that he was always available day or night, and that whatever was needed to be done was always done. He thanked him for always being courteous to “me and my family”, and said that he could best be summed up …

Derrick Lynch Secretary of Clare GAA Pat Fitzgerald has hinted that his current contract for the position runs until 2023. It came after a query from Eire Óg delegate and former intercounty referee Rory Hickey, with the secretary stating that “my first contract was in 2009, my second was in 2016 so you can work it out yourself from there”. Hickey’s query was a follow up from an initial discussion on a motion from Tulla GAA club, in which they asked “that all future nomination papers include a full list of current positions, including names, and reasons, if any, why any particular position may not be nominated”. Tulla delegate Brian Torpey asked why the secretary role was not on the nomination papers, with chairman Joe Cooney outlining that some positions are not voted on, and are picked by the county committee and officers later on. Mr Torpey stated that he had asked the question at two previous Conventions, and was …

Clare GAA has a new chairman after Cratloe’s Jack Chaplin was elected to the position at the 2020 Annual Convention. In what is his first appointment to the executive, he overcame PJ McGuane in the race for the position with 116 of the votes, with McGuane picking up 67. Kieran Keating of Naomh Eoin is the new vice chairman with 92 votes, beating Neil O’Brien (62), Niall Romer (16) and Michael Maher (12). The Munster Council delegates will be Bernard Keane and John Fawl, with both men edging out Niall Gilligan in the race for the two spots. Michael Lee (Tubber) and Naoise Jordan (Parteen) will serve as the joint Presidents after agreeing to share the position. Anne Hayes (Vice-Secretary), Michael Gallagher (Treasurer), Tony Brohan (Vice-Treasurer) and Michael O’Connor (PRO) were all returned unopposed, while Pat Fitzgerald continues as secretary. The meeting saw Joe Cooney’s five year term as chairman come to an end.  

Munster MFC Quarter-Final: Clare 1-24 Tipperary 1-4 Not even an impromptu fireworks display could distract Clare in Semple Stadium as the young Banner men booked a Munster semi final spot with a sparkling performance. It was a brilliant display by Clare with disciplined tackling, strong support play and greater intensity being the key ingredients for the winners. Clare flew out of the blocks to lead 0-7 to 0-1 at the opening water break with that advantage thanks mainly to their dominance around the middle third. Brian McNamara was to the fore as he continually interrupted the Tipperary restart which Clare used as the foundation to build that lead. There were goal chances too, with Clare’s opening point from Dara Nagle just flashing over the crossbar. It kickstarted a run of six unanswered scores with Nagle, Craig Riordan and Diarmuid Fahy notching a brace each while Cillian McGroary kicked an excellent point from distance. A potential hammer blow arrived midway through …