Sports

Derrick Lynch The 2020 Clare Ladies football championships get underway on Monday evening with games down for decision in the senior and intermediate divisions. After their maiden success last year, reigning champions Kilmihil will be bidding to follow up that historic success by defending their title, with the first step on that road coming against Doora Barefield in Gurteen. The holders are joined in their group by the Parish, and by the parish closest to them in the form of last year’s intermediate champions Cooraclare. Having led Kilmihil to their first title last year, the management team of Kevin Callinan, David O’Brien and David Anglim are guiding the ship once more. Callinan is looking forward to another positive campaign, and doesn’t expect the mantle of champions to be one that brings any pressure with it. “It is a brand new experience for us to be coming out onto the field as county champions. We were long enough trying to get …

Broadford 0-17 Clonlara 0-15 A DOGGED display saw last year’s intermediate champions Broadford bravely defeat Clonlara in a sun-soaked Cusack Park this afternoon. Diarmuid Moloney was the star of the show for Broadford as he landed 0-10 (0-9f) to help Broadford edge the clash and cause the upset. The sides were evenly matched throughout the first half with free-takers Diarmuid Moloney and Micheál O’Loughlin landing most of the scores in a tit-for-tat battle. O’Loughlin started at a breakneck speed with two fine points from play in the first three minutes while Stiofán McMahon responded in kind, alongside Moloney frees. Neither team could get a grip on the game as the battle for supremacy resulted in both teams falling foul of the law regularly. Craig and Cathal Chaplin both chipped in with scores from the half-back line for Broadford while Ian Galvin, David Fitzgerald and Conor Bourke all found scores to keep Clonlara hot on Broadford’s heels. This ensured Broadford took …

Clare SHC: Feakle 5-20 Clarecastle 2-12 Feakle came to Cusack Park with an axe to grind after suffering defeat to the Magpies in the 2017 relegation decider, but by the time the final whistle blew it was well and truly buried. The East Clare side produced a ruthless display to power their way into the quarter-final draw with Shane McGrath firing 4-10 over the course of an impressive performance. The writing was on the cards early in the contest as Feakle raced into a 2-8 to 0-2 lead inside the opening quarter. McGrath raided for both his sides goals, with the first coming as he pounced on a break before lashing home a brilliant finish to the far corner. The second was all about persistence as he saw his initial effort hooked but he followed up to whip home and give his side 12 point cushion at the first water break. It was a young Clarecastle side, with nine of …

Clare SHC: Kilmaley 4-13 Wolfe Tones 1-17 An impressive performance from Kilmaley saw them overcome Wolfe Tones and seal their spot in the quarter-finals of the Clare SHC. A brace of goals for Daire Keane and Tom O’Rourke were the crucial scores with all bar two of their scores coming from play, while Conor Cleary’s commanding presence in the square also proved a crucial factor. Wolfe Tones were without Ben O’Gorman from their defence while captain Jamie Roughan also saw his day come to an early end as he picked up an injury The opening period mirrored the weather conditions with a blistering first half that produced 21 scores and saw Kilmaley narrowly in front. The tone was set as early as the 30th second when Tom O’Rourke crashed the ball to the Wolfe Tones net after an incisive pass from the impressive Daire Keane. Mikey O’Neill followed up with a tidy point from distance, but Wolfe Tones found their …

Clare SHC: Inagh-Kilnamona 1-21 Newmarket 1-14 Inagh-Kilnamona produced a composed display to see off the challenge of Newmarket and book their place in the last eight of the Clare SHC. Aidan McCarthy’s first half goal helped him to a personal tally of 1-10 for Fergal Hegarty’s men as they became the first team into the hat for the quarter-final draw. Inagh-Kilnamona’s tactic of opening up the play with diagonal attacks along with Shane McInerney’s protection of the full-back line helped Fergal Hegarty’s charges to lead 0-5 to 0-2 at the opening water break. Aidan McCarthy was unerring from placed balls with three to his name while his brother Jason and young star Kealan Guyler were also on target in the opening quarter. Newmarket had Colin Ryan frees to thank for their two scores, and it looked as if last year’s beaten semi-finalists were well on top. A change of approach from the Blues saw Colin Guilfoyle moved to operate around …

A case of Covid-19 has been identified in a person associated with Cratloe GAA Club. The club issued a statement on their Facebook page this afternoon, which outlined that the diagnosis had been confirmed. Cratloe are due to play Eire Óg in the second round of the Clare SHC on Sunday afternoon while the footballers are slated to take on Clondegad in the losers section of the Clare SFC next weekend. No statement has yet been issued by Clare GAA on the matter but it is expected an update will be issued later this (Friday) evening.

Derrick Lynch looks ahead to the next round of the Clare senior hurling championship where eight teams will see their season come to an end. Inagh-Kilnamona v Newmarket on Fergus They might have been in different pots for the second round draw, but both sides will come into this tie with plenty positives to glean from their opening rounds. Newmarket were on the wrong side of the result against Clonlara on the opening evening, but it was a result that was not decided too long before the full-time whistle. Club veteran Colin Ryan led the scoring stakes on the night with eight pointed frees, while Eoin Guilfoyle, Colin Guilfoyle, Stephen Kelly and James Liddy all chipped in too. The worry for Newmarket will be the over-reliance on the ever reliable Ryan to take those chances from placed balls, with 1-6 of their tally coming from play last time out. By contrast, Inagh-Kilnamona racked up 2-9 from play in their clash …

Derrick Lynch Clare IHC Round Two Preview Tulla v Killanena Both sides put up good scores in their opening round ties, but it is Tulla who enter this round with a victory already under their belts. They began life in the second tier with a hard fought win over East Clare neighbours Scariff, with David McInerney, Niall Bolton, Sean Torpey and Daragh Corry all playing key roles. Killanena were on the wrong side of the result in their showdown with Bodyke, where Mark Flaherty once more carried the lion’s share of the scoring burden. Tulla’s greater spread of a scoring threat coupled with a tight defence should see them through to the quarter finals. Verdict: Tulla Sixmilebridge v Clonlara Sixmilebridge are getting used to playing in dramatic games in the Clare intermediate hurling championship, as they came through a fascinating extra-time battle with Inagh-Kilnamona last time out. Their fitness told as they finished that game well, and they will carry …