Sports

SPORTING organisations in Clare are to benefit to the tune of €216,550 in government funding through sports capital appeals. The village of Newmarket-on-Fergus fares particularly well with €80,837.81 going to the local GAA club for its Cora Caitlin GAA Renovation Project. Meanwhile €56,073.39 goes to Newmarket-on-Fergus school board of management for the development of an artificial playing surface. Some €50,122.35 has been granted to the Russell Cultural Centre Doolin for the refurbishment of Doolin Community Centre Sports Hall for Multi-Sport purposes. Finally €29,515.70 goes to Lifford Oldtown FC for the development of a synthetic training area for soccer. Welcoming the news, Senator Roisin Garvey said, “Thanks to Green Party Minister for Sport Catherine Martin for supporting the sports capital appeals of these Clare groups and providing €216,550 in Sports Capital funding for Clare Sport.

“Avenue are back,” exclaimed captain Dylan Casey as he held aloft the Clare Cup after a 2-1 victory over Newmarket Celtic broke the latter’s decade-long stranglehold in Frank Healy Park, Doora. First quarter goals through influential attacking duo Elias Kunz and Eoghan Thynne set the tone for a merited first cup crown for the storied Ennis club since 2011. Their composure and assurance throughout belied their relative inexperience albeit that the guile and inspiration of Avenue’s centre half partnership of captain Casey and Conor Mullen provided the rock-like foundation of their win. Newmarket did grab a spectacular goal from a curling Eoin Hayes free kick in the 95th minute but it was to be the last real act of an absorbing heavyweight contest. There had been some anxious moments and fightback too in Newmarket’s historic nine in a row (COVID accounting for the absence of a 2020 competition) but in truth, outside of that last gasp consolation goal, there wouldn’t …

BEFORE a sliotar was struck in the 2022 championship, an easy way to fill some space before any battle was joined was to do a round of the pundits, be they ex-players or ex-managers who have been there and done that, or the GAA hacks who actually do this thing for a living. See what they think. See what their expert predictions are from the hurling ditch, for good or for ill, and why. See what shall come to pass after all the ash has been clashed — not forgetting the bamboo too — and the dust of hurling’s late spring and high summer campaign has finally settled. What’s it to be lads, and lassies too as we’re well down the road to having gender quotas [and there’s nothing wrong with it] in the world of GAA punditry? Who will the movers and shakers be? Or, parsing it down to the bare facts, who is going to come out of …

While the county’s fingers and toes were crossed in anticipation of Shane O’Donnell getting back in time for the Munster Championship, behind the scenes the marquee Éire Óg forward was actually contemplating not being able to return at all. Not dissimilar to Clare ladies football captain Laurie Ryan’s prolonged absence a few years back, a concussion injury sustained at training in June 2021 further demonstrated just how debilitating the condition can be. As a result, O’Donnell’s first taste of championship action in 17 months against Tipperary last month was much more triumphant than just long-awaited return to the fold. “It was tough to come back into it to be honest.” Admitted the 2013 All-Ireland winner in front of the dug-outs in Cusack Park on Sunday. “I definitely had a long few months thinking whether I would be back on the pitch at all and it was a major milestone getting back on the pitch, togging out with Clare again.” “It …

Clare finished at the summit of the Munster Senior Hurling Championship table after overpowering Waterford in their final home match of 2022 to complete an unbeaten group campaign and yet despite the contrasting form guide, it was still seen as a surprise. From the outside looking in, Clare, having blazed a trail safely through to a Munster Final showdown with Limerick with a game to spare, didn’t appear have much to play for outside of giving valuable game-time to new and recovering players. For Waterford however, off the back of two successive defeats, a stirring response was simply a prerequisite to back up their National League winning form and just stay alive in the championship. From the inside looking out though, nothing could be further from the truth as captain Cathal Malone, deputising for the rested Tony Kelly, outlined immediately afterwards. “Every match you get to play for Clare is valuable. You want to play every single game and win …

Heading in to this Sunday’s TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies Football Championship, Clare manager Evan Talty admits his side are trying to replicate the success of the county’s camogie side. With Clare travelling to face Down this Sunday, Talty wants his charges to show the same grit and determination during their Championship campaign that the camogie side have displayed thus far. In recent weeks, John Carmody and Conor Dolan’s side have pushed last year’s All Ireland finalists Cork to extra time in the Munster final, eventually losing 0-24 to 1-18. Then they struck the final two points of the game to pick up a share of the spoils against Tipperary in the opening round of the Glen Dimplex Senior Camogie Championship last weekend. The Kilmurry-Ibrickane clubman wants his side to show the same mettle in this Championship campaign, starting with Sunday’s tricky away assignment. “I’d have a good relationship with Conor (Dolan) with us having dual players. The Camogie team have …

Avenue United captain Dylan Casey is expecting fireworks when his side come up against Newmarket Celtic in the Banner Carpets and Flooring Clare Cup final this evening in Frank Healy Park (kick off 5pm). The two traditional heavyweights of Clare soccer go head to head in what a game which has the potential to see sparks fly. With Newmarket Celtic going for a scarcely believable 10th Clare Cup title in a row, Casey is aware that his side face a huge task to dethrone the roll of honour leaders. The centre back knows the challenge ahead is a tough one but he wants his side to focus on their own performance. “We just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing. Just because it’s Newmarket doesn’t mean we should be changing our approach to the game. There’s always a bit of bite in these games. It’s going to be a cracker.” There’s nothing unusual about a member of the Casey …

Paddy Purcell has been there and seen it all. The experienced Newmarket Celtic centre half maintains the same level of hunger that he showed during his 10 year spell with Limerick FC and his subsequent time with the kingpins of Clare soccer. With Newmarket Celtic trying to claim 10 Banner Carpets and Flooring Clare Cups in a row, Purcell insists this side’s drive to succeed is as strong as ever. “We are as hungry and motivated as ever. This is why you play football. We are in the Cup final and are involved in the business end of the League too so we want to win our next two games.” The Newmarket captain claims that completing the 10 in a row does not provide additional motivation for him or the team. “I don’t think the whole 10 in a row is extra motivation. I don’t think the number matters really. Personally, it’s not on my mind. Our sole focus is …