Sports

There’s good news for Clare ahead of the 2019 Munster SHC. All-Star John Conlon & Colm Galvin made their return from injury during Clonlara’s Clare Cup win over Clooney/Quin. Galvin started the game while Conlon played the last 10 minutes. Clare are due to face Waterford in Walsh Park on May 12th.

Crows are not always the most welcome sight in a rural place like West Clare, but Ailish Considine may just have changed all that. The Kilmihil native crowned an incredible journey by getting on the scoreboard as the Adelaide Crows emerged victorious in the Women’s Australian Grand Final last weekend, with Considine among the goalscorers in the 63-18 win over Carlton. It was not her first time to split the posts, with four goals to her name across a dream debut season. It has been a meteoric rise for the 26-year-old with her first taste of the sport coming when she joined up with the West Clare Waves, a women’s Australian Rules team which was set up and masterminded by fellow Kilmihil native Michael Currane. He had already built up a wealth of knowledge of the sport having spent time down under, and that experience would prove to be a crucial first step on the road to last weekend’s historic …

On this weeks podcast: Derrick Lynch, Eoghan Moloney and Peter O’Connell review the weekend action and ask what’s next for the Clare hurlers as the Munster SHC looms. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/599323461″ params=”color=#ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

THE substantial shadow of the man who is not there will not damage the Irish Open. That’s the firm view of host Paul McGinley but he admits that Rory McIlroy is a major loss from the field at Lahinch. “I’m still very disappointed. He’s one of the top players in the world, he’s Irish and he’s chosen this year to sit out the Irish Open, which is a huge disappointment for everyone; you’ve got to be honest and open about it. But, you know what, the Irish Open isn’t going to be defined by whether Rory McIlroy plays or not. The Irish Open has been in the schedule for a great number of years, with some great champions like Seve Ballesteros, Olazábal, Bernhard Langer; Rory’s won it himself. Players come and go, eras come and go but the Irish Open will always remain.” McIlroy’s reasoning that playing Lahinch would damage his chances at the British Open doesn’t hold water, McGinley …

Clare 3-15    Tipperary 1-19 Eoghan Moloney CLARE came out the right end of an absolute classic in Semple Stadium this afternoon to retain their Division Two status in dramatic fashion. A late Keelan Sexton goal was the difference maker as momentum swung back and forth before points from Gary Brennan and Tubridy sealed the win. Tipperary started like a house on fire and had 1-1 in the first three minutes through captain Conor Sweeney. The goal coming after Philip Austin spilt the defence and rounded Robert Eyres before spying Sweeney free at the edge of the square. He had a simple fist to the net to open the scoring. Gavin Cooney opened Clare’s account after five minutes when he beat his man and popped the ball over. Five minutes later he had a goal when a Gary Brennan’s shot hit the post and fell into his arms and he had the simple task of finishing the goal. Just the slice …

AT the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi, Team Ireland got off to a great start with Ennis girl Emma Barrett winning a gold for the 25m freestyle relay team. The team also featured Damien Breslin, Offaly; Chelsea Phillips, Roscommon and Edel Armstrong, Dublin. The games officially got under way at a spectacular Opening Ceremony at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City Stadium, the largest stadium in the United Arab Emirates. Team Ireland were walked out by Irish representatives including Brendan Whelan, Chairman of Special Olympics Ireland and Shane Ross, Minister of Transport, Tourism and Sport, during the celebratory parade which featured a number of international celebrities including singer and Special Olympics global ambassador, Nicole Scherzinger. This is a huge year for Special Olympics Ireland and the 91 athletes who have travelled to Abu Dhabi to compete as part of Team Ireland, with athletes having been selected after four years of training competition. Supported by a volunteer management …

Clare 1-7          Meath 1-12 Eoghan Moloney Meath pulled away from Clare to earn the two points in a strong second half display in Cusack Park. Meath controlled the game early on and found themselves 0-5 to 0-2 up after 14 minutes courtesy of two Thomas O’Reilly points and scores from Ethan Devine, Darragh Campion and Cillian O’Sullivan. Clare did eventually warm to the task and Gavin Cooney as well as an Eoin Cleary free got Clare off the mark. Clare were playing into the teeth of a very strong breeze which did make life quite hard, especially from kick-outs. So when they were only two points behind in the first quarter after Cleary added his second free, it was far from calamitous. Clare eventually got to grips with the elements and moved the ball quite well through the lines with Cian O’Dea and Gary Brennan doing a lot of the hard running. David Tubridy then got on the scoreboard from …

Waterford 0-31 Clare 1-14 Eoghan Moloney WATERFORD trounced Clare in front of 2,763 in Walsh Park this afternoon in what was a lacklustre display from a Clare side that had lead at half-time but were completely dominated in the second half, as Waterford outscored them 20 points to four in that period. Tony Kelly got off to a flyer – landing two points in the opening two minutes, before Cathal Malone got a fine point from half way a minute later. Waterford also started quickly with points from Pauric Mahony and Austin Gleeson. Clare had a massive wind and used it to their advantage by going route one on many occasions and this yielded three scorable frees in a row for Peter Duggan. After 15 minutes, Gary Cooney was dragged down by Shane McNulty as he went through on goal. Peter Duggan took the penalty and made no mistake. O’Keefe did get a touch on it but it was not …