Sports

INCREASING the number of girls teams in Ennis is high on the agenda of the new chairperson of the Clare schoolboys/girls league (CSSL). Ennis woman Deirdre Shannon was confirmed to the position at the recent annual general meeting of the CSSL. Shannon, who succeeds Brendan Wall in the chair, was nominated by Hermitage and seconded by multiple clubs and was unopposed on the night. She is the first woman chairperson in the league’s history. Shannon took her first steps in coaching with Park United and has overseen underage teams at club and county level over the past 12 years. She is the coordinator of the emerging talent programme (ETP) in Clare. In her address to delegates, Shannon thanked members of the outgoing committee for their work in putting the running of the underage game in Clare back on stable footing after some turbulent years. She then outlined her vision for her first year in the chair which coincides with Ireland …

Ennis Track athlete Dean Casey secured a bronze medal at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships on Sunday.  The Ennis man produced a lung bursting run to secure third place as the Irish U20 team scooped a silver medal. In his post race interview over in Italy, Casey stated: “For me it’s just unreal. I came thirteenth last year when I know I wasn’t the best so to come third this year shows how much training I’ve done.” Fellow Irish athlete Nick Griggs finished second as he was pipped on the line. Casey ran the 6km race in 17 minutes and 46 seconds. He finished six seconds behind the winner from Great Britain Will Barnicoat and five behind Griggs. He was eight seconds ahead of Great Britain’s Sam Mills in fourth. That was close!!🥈 & 🥉 for Griggs & Casey U20 men #Piemonte2022 Unlucky for Griggs, pipped on the line, lost out in the final metres!Great running, fantastic for Casey …

Ivan Smyth rounds up a selection of the action from the Maloney Hardware Premier Division Kilrush Rangers 2 Shannon Town 0 Kilrush Rangers secured their third league win in a row as they leapfrogged Shannon Town. Michael Clair’s side moved to sixth place in the league in what has been a promising conclusion to the opening half of the season. After losing their opening four games of the season, Kilrush Rangers have now won three on the spin. This was a very lively encounter with plenty of good open attacking football by both teams. Despite the endeavours of both outfits, neither side could create a guilt edged chance in the opening period despite both outfits being keen to play on the front foot. With the game goalless at half time, the start of the final period would prove decisive for both of these sides. The second half was only five minutes old when Kilrush Rangers took the lead. Striker Danny …

THREE years after turning professional, almost everything has gone to plan in boxing terms for Paddy Donovan. In the ring it has been victory after victory to date, but outside of it he has known loss and sadness that have sapped him far more than any of the opponents in the squared circle. Two heart breaking tragedies struck the young Ennis fighter last year, as he lost an uncle and a cousin to suicide within a few months of each other. It made 2021 a desperately sad and dark year for Donovan, but as 2022 comes to a close he says he has recovered and consolidated, and he plans to record the tenth victory of his still fledgling professional career on Saturday in Belfast. Twenty three years of age and unbeaten, Donovan is one of the brightest prospects in Irish boxing. After a glittering amateur career, he was courted by several of the biggest promoters in the world, before going …

Newmarket Celtic, Bridge United and Shannon Town are all in action this weekend in the Fourth Round of the Munster Junior Cup. All three sides enjoy home comforts as they aim to reach the Last 16 of the competition. This is the first round where they will be facing teams from outside the county. Newmarket Celtic face a tricky test against a Killavilla United AFC team that are top of the North Tipperary and District League having lost just one of their nine league games to date. This game will be played on Sunday with a kick off of 2pm. Paddy Purcell’s side have been in excellent form so far this season, progressing to the Fifth Round of the FAI Junior Cup along with remaining unbeaten in the league. They drew with Avenue United last weekend after winning their opening six league games. They also eliminated the Ennis side from this competition after Harvey Cullinan’s double saw them come from …

Eoin Brennan was in Caherlohan to see St Flannan’s College produce a devastating display sweeping Ardscoil Rís aside on a score of 5-25 to 1-3   THERE was an almost incredible 57 point turnaround from last year’s U15A final as St Flannan’s exacted full revenge on holders Ardscoil Rís to clinch their first Clare Under 15A title in Caherlohan on Thursday evening. The development competition promotes and prepares Clare players for the provincial championships which begin in January and given the large Clare contingents at schools like Limerick’s Ardscoil Rís and St Munchin’s and Galway’s Gort also features these teams from outside the Banner. Ardscoil’s outstanding inaugural title win 12 months previously proved a stepping stone to recent Dean Ryan Cup success whereas this time around, it was an exceptional St Flannan’s panel that showcased their pace, movement and scoring prowess in a devastating display. The schools’ great rivalry isn’t merely to do with their strong Clare links that saw …

Derek Dormer was on hand to watch St Flannan’s College defeat Clonakilty Community College 3-8 to 0-11   A 2-1 final quarter blitz from supersub James Doherty ensured that St Flannan’s College cemented their place in the last eight of the prestigious Munster Senior A Post-Primary Schools Football Championship in Ballyagran, Limerick on Wednesday afternoon. Requiring nothing less than a victory to keep their Corn Uí Mhuirí hopes alive, the Ennis school had to show immense character to produce a ten point second half turnaround. Therefore, regardless of what happens in the final round between Tralee CBS and Clonakilty, St Flannan’s are assured of one of the quarter-final places from the group. Substitute Doherty was the hero scoring 2-1 after his introduction in the 45th minute. In fact Doherty’s very first touch came only 20 seconds after his introduction when he picked up possession 25 metres out before unleashing an unstoppable rocket into the top corner. Doherty’s second major was …

Nine Clare players helped UL to secure All-Ireland Freshers 1 Hurling League honours with a 1-19 to 0-13 final victory over DCU in Clonad, Laois on Tuesday evening. The Banner’s sizeable representation dominated the spinal positions for Joe McGrath’s side who will hope to emulate this achievement for the championship version in the new year. Pictured from left to right are: Sean Rynne (Inagh-Kilnamona), John Conneally (Clooney-Quin), Rory O’Connell (Clarecastle), Ian McNamara (Killanena) (Captain), Ronan O’Connor (Feakle), Keith Smyth (Killanena), Colm Cleary (O’Callaghan’s Mills) and Tony Leyden (Tulla). Gearoid Sheehy (Ogonnelloe) was missing due to illness.