Sports

Munster Club Football Semi-Final: Miltown St Joseph’s v Clonmel Commercials After a dogged battle with Rathgormack last weekend, the Clare champions must turn around and do it all over again this Sunday when Tipperary kingpins Clonmel Commercials come to West Clare. There was a marked difference in the manner of victory for both sides last weekend, as the Premier outfit ran riot without ever really breaking sweat in their county final win over JK Bracken’s en route to a 3-19 to 0-7. On the other hand, Miltown had to go to the well to eventually see off Rathgormack with the question now being how much that effort took out of the tank, and how many times they will need to use the natural recovery therapy offered by the ocean this week. The energy it took to grind out the win and the short turnaround between games will be a concern, while the loss of Eoin Curtin to an ankle injury …

THIRTY-FOUR Clare sports clubs are to receive €1,051,538 in Government funding through this year’s Sports Capital Grant scheme. Among the bigger Clare allocations were €70,368 to Kilkee Golf Club for an upgrade of its course and clubhouse; €65,714 to the Crusheen Community Centre and Sports Hall; €59,489 to Newmarket-on-Fergus GAA Club for the Cora Caitlin Restoration project; €58,590 to Lisdoonvarna Fáilte for a walking/jogging gym circuit and €56,696 to Active Ennis for the refurbishment of dressing rooms as well as a further €17,176 for resurfacing the Cloughleigh astro-turf pitch. Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey said that sports clubs around Clare that will benefit from the scheme will, “make great use of it to the benefit of local communities.” Deputy Carey continued: “I’m delighted that the funding is going to benefit so many clubs involved in a wide range of sporting activity throughout the entire county. Active engagement in sports not only helps keep young people healthy, but also builds …

Brian Lohan has added a strength and conditioning coach along with a new kitman to his Clare senior hurling backroom team. Keith Carr joins as S&C coach bringing a wealth of experience to the role. He previously worked the Galway and Roscommon footballers along with the Galway U21 and intermediate hurlers. Meanwhile Kilmaleys Niall Romer has also been added to the ticket as kitman. Romer was one of the five man committee appointed to select the new manager last month. It’s believed the first session under the new regime will take place on Sunday ahead of the opening game of the Munster Hurling League next month.

Derrick Lynch Seven Clare senior hurling titles, two Munster club hurling titles, and an All-Ireland club hurling title with Sixmilebridge. An All-Ireland title, two Munster senior titles, an All-Star, a Munster intermediate and All-Ireland intermediate title with Clare. Now that Niall Gilligan has brought the curtain down on a glittering 25 year career playing hurling at the highest level, he will need every spare moment to keep all that silverware dusted. 2019 saw Gilligan finally bow out and he did so with yet another Clare senior title success for his beloved Sixmilebridge, with the decision coming in the aftermath of their Munster club loss to Ballygunner. The 1999 All-Star admits it was always in the back of his mind that this year would be his last at senior level. “I am happy I made the right decision and I kind of knew it all throughout the year. I am lucky to have played to 43 years old and that my …

Eoghan Moloney CLARE will look to bounce back from a losing start to the 2019 Oscar Traynor competition against Limerick, as they welcome Kerry to Frank Healy Park this Sunday. Clare narrowly lost 2-1 to Limerick District League in Jackman Park on Halloween night, having taken the lead and manager Shane Keegan says there are enough positives to build on from that performance, in a game he says is a ‘must not lose’. “If we got a draw from this, we’d still be in with a fighting chance going into the last game. The scoreline of the other group game [Limerick Desmond 4-0 Limerick District] has blown this group apart. “Kerry are always strong and they will be there or thereabouts. Going on form lines, you’d be concerned for us but at the same time, it is one of those groups where you could see all the teams finishing between four and six points, so it will be a really …

Derrick Lynch Chairman of Clare GAA Joe Cooney has revealed that over €2 million was spent on the initial purchase of the site for the Centre of Excellencefacility in Caherlohan. It comes as he outlined an overall breakdown of the costs involved, following on from Clare GAA treasurer Michael Gallagher informing delegates that the total cost of the project currently stands at €4.8 million. Concerns were expressed at the cost of the development with issues relating to the pitches in the last few years leading to county teams being forced to train in UL and other venues rather than at the Tulla site. In 2018, secretary of Clare GAA Pat Fitzgerald described the problems at the venue as an embarrassment. Mr Cooney said he feels the cost represents value for money and detailed where the money has been spent. He stated: “The Clare GAA Centre of Excellence in Caherlohan near Tulla is a fantastic facility. There have been questions asked …

Eoghan Moloney AS the curtain draws on what has been a forgettable year for Clare hurling, on and off the field, it is worth taking stock of where Clare hurling is, as it approaches a critical crossroads in 2020. While the inter-county season of 2019 came to an end with a defiant defeat of Cork, it marked the end of Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor’s tenure at the helm after three years. It was a year that had peaks and troughs but the lows certainly obscured any highs that were achieved. Two embarrassing defeats to Tipperary and Limerick left a sour taste in many a mouth, with heated discussions and calls for widespread change endemic within the county. On the club scene, Clare’s senior and intermediate champions, Sixmilebridge and Broadford, bowed out in their first games in the Munster championship, suffering defeats of 12 and 17 points respectively. After their defeat to Ballygunner, Sixmilebridge manager Tim Crowe speculated as to …

Clare have been dealt a hammer blow ahead of the 2020 intercounty football season. The Clare Champion understands that captain Gary Brennan will not be part of the panel for the coming year. The Clondegad man is believed to have informed the panel this week that he will not be available for the campaign, which gets underway when they defend their McGrath Cup title next month. The St Flannans based teacher has been a key figure in the rise of Clare’s fortunes in recent times, and lifted the Division 3 title in Croke Park in 2016. It means Colm Collins will be without his captain along with Jamie Malone (travelling), Sean O’Donoghue (returned to USA) and Aaron Fitzgerald (knee injury).