Sports

Clare schoolboys/girls soccer has a new chairman. Ennis native Tommy Molloy, a member of Corofin Harps club, was elected to the position at Monday’s annual general meeting, beating the holder Ronnie Pyne on a vote of 35 to 28.The election of officers came near the end of a three-hour meeting, which attracted a huge attendance. According to the outgoing chairman Pyne, “This is the biggest attendance at an AGM since I came on the committee over 10 years ago.”The only contest was for the post of chairman and after his election Molloy thanked the club for their support before promising that he “will work with all and I will answer my phone”.Former chairman Frankie Gormley is the new vice-chairman. He was the only candidate for the post after Tom Egan withdrew while Leonard Meaney had indicated in advance that he would not be seeking re-election to the committee this year.Davy Kerin (secretary) from Avenue United and Flan Hehir (treasurer) from …

The opening round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Rally, was won by the Kerry crew of Thomas Fitzmaurice/Fionn Foley (Subaru WRC).In an absorbing tussle through all nine stages, they finished 17 seconds ahead of the Cork/Mayo combination of Brian O’Mahony/John Higgins, also in a Subaru WRC. Monaghan pair Niall Maguire and Enda Sherry (Subaru WRC), were third, 44 seconds further adrift.The Group N category was won by Robert Barrable/Dermot O’Gorman (Skoda Fabia S2000) and Frank Kelly/Liam Brennan (Ford Escort) took victory in the Modified section.Fitzmaurice (Subaru WRC) made a great start and punched in the best time on the opening stage – three seconds ahead of both Brian O’Mahony (Subaru WRC) and Niall Maguire (Subaru WRC), who tied for second. Robert Barrable (Skoda Fabia S2000) was fourth – eight seconds further behind and two ahead of the MG S2000 of Roy White. Colm Murphy (Subaru) held sixth overall. Fitzmaurice also set the pace on the …

Clonlara will be without two first choice players for Sunday’s All-Ireland junior B hurling semi-final clash with Micheál Breathnach’s from Galway at Killeedy.Brian Woods suffered a broken wrist in the South East Clare side’s semi-final win and missed out on their final victory over Croom. He is still out of action.Kieran Murphy has emigrated since his side beat Croom in the Munster final and he will be absent for Sunday’s game that throws in at 2pm. Clonlara will be looking to such as William Slattery, Alan O’Connell, Pa Stritch, Pa Clancy, Jason Murphy and Paul Barry to inspire them to victory this week.The winners will play the Kilkenny and Leinster champions in the final on Sunday March 18.  

Ennis man Rory Hickey has been appointed to referee the All-Ireland Senior Football Club final between Crossmaglen (Armagh) and Garrycastle (Westmeath) at Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day.The Éire Óg clubman has been a member of the national panel for the past number of years and last year he handled five games in the All-Ireland senior championship.Hickey had refereed Munster football finals at all grades from U-16 to senior. Last December he took charge of the Munster senior club final for the second time when Dr Croke’s defeated UCC.In the current National football league he took charge of the opening round game between Mayo and Laois while, in round two, he was in charge of the Cork v Down game.Rory is a dual referee in Clare where he has handled finals at all levels in both codes.  

  Lifford A 0   Newmarket Celtic A 1 NEWMARKET Celtic A continued their march towards the Premier League title with this win over Lifford at Cassidy Park on Sunday. The home side had the better of the first-half exchanges but failed to breach the visitors’ defence.In the second half, Newmarket got the upperhand and Daithi O’Connell scored what proved to be the all-important goal with 20 minutes remaining. Lifford A: Jan Da Silva; Eoin Murphy, Joe Lynch, Michael J Sulllivan, Dylan Blake; Paul Cantillon, TJ Ajisomo, Pat Darcy, Ruairi Norrby; Ryan Boyle, Killian Malone.Subs: Scott Hennessy for Norrby; Lunga Balman for Malone. Newmarket Celtic A: Jason Casey; Darren Cullinan, Stephen Kelly, Eoin O’Brien, David O’Grady; Mike Devitt, Alan Kelly, Ronan McCormack, Paudie Hayes, Daithi O’Connell and Gary Collins.Subs: Seamus Lawlor for Kelly; Seamus Considine for Collins; Kieran Devitt for McCormack. Shannon Olympic A 3   Burren United 5 IN a high-scoring tie at Lisdoonvarna on Sunday, Burren United proved too strong …

  Last Sunday’s East Clare Harriers’ point-to-point at Garranboy, Killaloe, was a resounding success with Quin trainer John O’Neill providing the sole local success when saddling 5/1 shot, He’s A Magpie, ridden by his son Paul, to land the seven-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden.A very consistent son of Yashgan, He’s A Magpie really had to dig deep in the closing stages with the seven-year-old answering every call from his stylish rider to beat Talkin Man by a head.O’Neill, who trains the winner for well-known local auctioneer Frank Lynch, was thrilled, saying, “I’m delighted for all concerned as he was well due his turn. He travelled and jumped very well today and we’ll have a crack at a winners’ race with him now.” Training honours for the afternoon went to Cork handler Eugene O’Sullivan who left the popular Flynn family-owned hillside track with two winners.Pocket Reader (2/1) gave the Lombardstown native his first success when taking the opening winners of two …

ENNIS accountant, Michael Vaughan and his wife, Rose, had good reason to celebrate when their horse, Fairy Wing (4/1 joint-favourite), landed the Ladbrokes Bet In Play Handicap at Dundalk last Friday evening.Returning to action after a 179-day break, Fairy Wing, who landed a Bellewstown handicap in facile fashion last August, was nestled at the bottom of the handicap on the nine-stone mark in this one-mile handicap and he won with a fair bit in hand.Shane Foley’s mount, who is trained in Moone, County Kildare by Jessica Harrington, was always prominent, making full use of his light weight when forging clear in the closing stages to beat the Johnny Murtagh-ridden Aragorn Rouge by three parts of a length.Obviously a talented sort, Fairy Wing has scope for further improvement and now that he appears to thrive on the all-weather surface at Dundalk, he is likely to reappear there in the not-too-distant future, according to his trainer. She stated, “Fairy Wing is a …

THE final round of the Mid-West Alliance will take place this Sunday at Dromoland. Reigning champion, Dromoland professional, Dave Foley, is two shots behind Tony Cleary going into the final round. Both are members of the host club. EnnisENNIS seniors’ group held a team-of-four competition, in which 84 competed last Thursday when the winners returned 83 points. They were Paddy Cahill, Michael Finn, Pierce Cahill and Tony Kehoe. They were followed on 81 points by Johnny Cullinan, Sean O’Gorman, Frank Landy, and Jimmy McNamara.In third spot on 79 points were Tom Pender, Tom Duggan, Tony Coote, and TJ Kerins followed by Maurice Walshe, Michael Cummins, Michael Connolly and Pat O’Reilly on 78; Jimmy Kearns, Conor Murphy, John O’Loughlin and Tom Fox on 78; Luke Coote, Tim Kelly, Pat Cusack and Pat McGuire on 76 and Paddy Lane, Ferdie O’Donoghue, Johnny Stack and Brian Warner on 75.LahinchIN the men’s singles Stableford competition at the Castle course on Saturday, Don Dillon (13) …