Sports

Damian O’Halloran brings All-Ireland minor winning experience to the Clare set up from his involvement with the Galway sides that won titles in 2017 and ’18 – now for a third title in the grade that would be the sweetest of all, writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh Been there and done that! There are a few of the Clare backroom team that have ticked these boxes where competing in All-Ireland finals is concerned. Of course, Dónal Moloney is the obvious one to default to when fitting that bill, on the back of his sterling, and ever-continuing, job of journeywork at underage level that brought with it four All-Ireland final appearances in five seasons during his first coming. Damian O’Halloran is the other, with the Inagh-Kilnamona man looking ahead to his fourth All-Ireland final day out, but where this day will differ from the previous three is that this will be his maiden voyage with a saffron and blue bib on his …

Clare’s minors will be hoping to bridge a 26-year gap on Sunday as 1997 was the year that the first and only All-Ireland minor title came to the county. Joe Ó Muircheartaigh recalls the win from the most famous day in Clare hurling history. We’ve heard it before but we’ll say again: when explaining away the fortunes of a team, if you go back far enough you’ll always find that their darkest hour comes before the dawn of greater days. It can be said of Brian O’Connell’s minor team of the past two years that had the legacy of the 40-point defeat to Cork in 2021 hanging over them until it didn’t and at once they started out on a journey that has led to Sunday’s All-Ireland final. It can be said of the last Clare team to reach an All-Ireland minor final – the 2010 team that in the words of joint-manager Gerry O’Connor were “a beaten docket” in …

In what has been an epic minor season to date, two of Clare’s standout performers have been Eoghan Gunning and James Hegarty, who apart from their primary role as defenders have made important contributions to the scorecard writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh who spoke to them ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland final. To borrow the vernacular of a different GAA time, they’re real tearaways, with a cut and dash about them that lifts those around them on the field – the team and its performance and the watching public riding along with every ebb and flow of the proceedings before them. Corner-back and captain Eoghan Gunning; centre-back and every bit the leader that his captain is, James Hegarty. Second-year minors and driving forces from deep in Clare push to win the Irish Press Cup for only the second time. They weren’t born the first time it happened, while the last time a Clare minor team reached the All-Ireland final frontier in 2010, …

With national discussions surrounding the balance between enjoyment as opposed to winning at underage level, Clare’s minor side have struck the perfect balance. That’s certainly the opinion of Clare selector Ger Hickey as he states that the freedom the players are given has helped forge this group in to All Ireland contenders. “We give them the freedom to express themselves. We do have tactics and we monitor their workload but they still have that freedom to make decisions. Everything we do is player led. They get to express themselves on the field and in training.” “They have great groundings with their club and school. We have seen Scariff (Community College), St. Joseph’s Tulla, Flannan’s and Ardscoil Rís all enjoy success. They have the freedom to go out and play while the bonus is that they have won Munster and hopefully will win an All Ireland.” Hickey was in charge of Clare’s Celtic Challenge side last year and since becoming involved …

St Joseph’s Tulla……2-11 St Flannans (A-K)…….1-10 Anyone holding ambitions of county minor management in 2026/27 was upgrading their CV at 12.30pm on Friday last following a high-quality final between two even sides that showed admirable fielding skills and increased levels of motivation as the game progressed. The Clare post-primary GAA season ended in stunning sunshine at Cusack Park five short days since 18,000 people hurled every ball and enjoyed a post-game disco. This time it was two sides that will by the end of the decade provide a sizable minority of the Clare senior panel that engaged in this year’s encounter. Noticeable prior to the game was the physical power advantage that existed in favour of the East Clare school. The opening salvo of the game was fired over the bar by St Joseph’s centre back Cian Maxted before the towering presence of Paddy Murphy added a second score with just four minutes played at headquarters. Had the winners lost …

TERRACE tickets for Sunday week’s Munster final went on sale this morning and sold out in less than half an hour. The rematch of last year’s provincial final has sparked huge interest in both Clare and Limerick, particularly after the Banner’s toppling of the All Ireland champions in the round robin phase. Tickets went on sale via Ticketmaster at 12 noon and were also available in certain retail outlets. They were all gone well before 12.30, much to the frustration of many supporters. Stand tickets, the majority of the Gaelic Grounds capacity, are set to be allocated to clubs in the coming days. But, with people not having certainty about receiving those, there was overwhelming demand for the tickets on sale today. Last year’s Munster final saw a similar means of distributing tickets, which also saw many people queuing only to be disappointed.

WHEN last Sunday’s results unexpectedly threw up a Clare-Limerick Munster final it seemed that the logical venue would be Thurles, where last year’s decider took place. However there was some consternation and bemusement in the county on Monday as it appeared likely that the game would go to Cork’s Páirc Uí Chaoimh, a particularly awkward venue for Clare supporters. While home advantage was ceded, there was still a good deal of relief on Tuesday when it was confirmed that the match will be played at the Gaelic Grounds. Speaking about the matter on Wednesday, Clare County Board chairman Kieran Keating explained what had happened. “Thurles was our preference, that’s where we nominated and Limerick nominated Cork. We did our canvassing and so on to the delegates. The game was in Thurles last year and obviously Cork felt they were entitled to their turn. That’s the way we felt the vote was going to go and we consulted with our management …

Premier Division Avenue United 3 2 Newmarket Celtic A 17th game will be required this Saturday to finally decide the destination of the Premier Division after holders Avenue United secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over leaders Newmarket Celtic in resplendent sunshine in Roslevan on Wednesday evening, writes Eoin Brennan. With the FAI Junior Cup champions leading by three points in the table ahead of this final round showdown, nothing but an Avenue victory was sufficient to extend the title race. And that seemed a mere formality as the home side stormed into the contest with a sixth minute solo goal from Nnabuike Nneji bolstered by a further brace from the excellent Elias Kunz to soar 3-0 clear by the 33rd minute. With a depleted Newmarket appearing ragged and warweary, Avenue might have capitalised further while down the other end a glorious back post opportunity for Jack Kelly cleared the crossbar while an injury-time Stephen Kelly scrambled effort managed to ricochet …