Sports

Avenue United 1   Ennis Town Rock 0 Favourites Avenue were crowned Clare Youths Cup champions at the County Grounds in Doora on Saturday but they were a little fortunate to overcome their neighbouring town rivals.

  Clare 0-18   Cork 1-9 Clare’s dream of a third successive Munster Minor Hurling Championship title is alive and well following a merited win over Cork at Cusack Park, Ennis last Thursday. A strong second-half showing gave the home side the upperhand and ensured a Munster semi-final date with neighbours Limerick on June 29, a game that is also scheduled for Cusack Park.A little unlucky to lose to Waterford after extra-time in the first round a week earlier, Clare made no mistake when securing the last semi-final spot with this victory over Cork, who had lost their first-round game to Limerick before easily overcoming Kerry in play-off one last Saturday.The value of Jamie Shanahan to Clare’s bid for a first three in a row of provincial minor titles was highlighted last week. A key member of the title-winning sides of 2010 and 2011, Shanahan returned to action last week following a shoulder injury and his presence for the second half …

Banner Ladies 2-8   West Clare Gaels 1-4 Banner Ladies sent out a clear signal on Sunday evening last when, at Kilmihil in wintry weather conditions, they claimed the Division 1 League title.

St Joseph’s, Tulla 0-15   St Caimin’s, Shannon 1-10 St Joseph’s survived a late St Caimin’s rally to capture the Clare Colleges U-15 hurling title at Clareabbey last week. The title offers compensation for the fact that the East Clare School were narrowly defeated earlier in the season by eventual winners Nenagh CBS in the Munster B U-15 semi-final.

Ennistymon 0-15   Corofin 1-9 Ennistymon scored a merited three-point win in this North Clare derby Division 2 hurling tie in Corofin last Saturday evening.

The Clare Hurling and Football Championships were launched at Cusack Park at the weekend. ’Champion photographer John Kelly was on hand to record the excitement.

When the Clare Junior Soccer League begins its new season in August, Rhine Rovers will be celebrating their 30th anniversary in existence. The Quin club could scarcely have provided themselves with a more fitting birthday present than securing promotion to the Premier Division for the first time in 27 years.It is a success tinged with disappointment, however, given the dramatic and anti-climatic end to their league campaign. Needing only a draw on the last day of the season to clinch the title, they suffered the pain of a last minute goal against Bunratty Cratloe and, with Connolly winning their final game, the championship went to a play-off decider between the two clubs. Connolly prevailed in the County Grounds to seal their first league win in 25 years and Rovers’ players could only look on as Connolly skipper Niall Quinn raised the trophy. The club was magnanimous in defeat though and congratulated their counterparts on their success, acknowledging that the league …

The Clare Athletics Association Juvenile Track and Field Championships was held over two days at Lees Road with bright sunshine the order of the day on Saturday while there were strong winds on Sunday. Over  300 athletes participated with Ennis Track Club being crowned best overall club on the day.