Sports

  A huge crowed turned out at Bellharbour last Sunday for the annual County Clare Hunt point-to-point where punters were entertained with a fantastic day’s racing.All present agreed that this year’s renewal was one of the best ever seen at the idyllic North Clare venue, with the lands of Dermot and Jennifer Linnane in pristine condition, resulting in a perfect racing surface.Riding honours for the afternoon went to visiting Wexford rider Matt O’Connor who bagged two winners.O’Connor kicked off with a very impressive success aboard newcomer Classical Twist in the opening four-year-old maiden.Eleven runners went to post here with 5/1 shot Classical Twist, who is trained in Enniscorthy, Wexford by Denis Murphy, staying on best in the closing stages to beat the Derek O’Connor-ridden favourite Band Of Blood by two lengths.O’Connor went on to complete his double in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden where he teamed up with Cork-based trainer Jim Culloty to score aboard easy winner Legal Exit.Sent off at …

There was mixed luck for Avenue schoolboy sides at the weekend in National Cup action. The U-16s had a great victory at Lees Road but the U-13s, despite a strong display, were beaten after extra time in Carrigaline. However, the Clare club has lodged an appeal with the authorities because the game was played on astro turf and they hadn’t been given prior notice. They argue that, according to rule, 48 hours notice must be given of any change. Avenue Utd 1   Villa, Waterford 0 Avenue United’s U-16s are through to the last 16 in the Barry cup thanks to a hard earned win over a fancied Villa side from Waterford on Saturday last at Lees Road.Before a big crowd, the Ennis outfit produced a great team display to win through to the next stage of the competition where they will play Newbridge at the end of the month.The all important goal came midway through the first half and was …

The Athletics Association of Ireland juvenile B cross country U-11 to U-19s plus inter-county relays for U-12 and U-14, intermediate and masters men’s and ladies’ championships were held in Lough Key Forest Park, Boyle, Roscommon, at the weekend.

The NCBI Holmpatrick Cup is underway in Clare, with club qualifiers in progress for the annual All-Ireland fourball challenge in aid of NCBI, the national sight loss agency. Ultimately, there is an opportunity to play at the world-famous St Andrew’s course in Scotland.Six of the 11 clubs in the county took part in the competition last year, with Lahinch emerging as champions. NCBI is hoping to see even more Clare clubs enter the competition in 2012. NCBI provides valuable support and services to 16,500 people with sight loss but the charity needs to raise substantial funds on an ongoing basis to maintain these services. Funds raised from the Holmpatrick Cup go to developing services for the 350 people living with sight loss in Clare. The Holmpatrick Cup can be organised as a dedicated fourball competition or run in conjunction with an existing club competition and should take place by the end of June. Club winners go forward to their county …

THE inaugural running of the Vetsearch Recharge Open 525 at the Limerick Greyhound Racing Stadium will be remembered for its exciting clocks and track records. In the three rounds leading to the final next Saturday night, the track record was smashed on two occasions. Two weeks ago, the Graham Holland-trained and Mallow-owned Calling Spice (Ballymac Maeve-No Joe Spice) clocked a new 28.27 in his opening round beating his existing record of 28.30. He had a very exciting 28.31 in the second round and had another magnificient clock of 28.30 when winning his semi-final heat last Saturday night.However, a short time later, the Tom and Sean Óg Fitzgerald’s Ogie Tom claimed a new record after completing the Dock Road circuit in a blistering 28.25.In the opening semi-final, Calling Spice, in trap four, had a flyer of a start to lead Crossfield Star to the opening bend. Four lengths clear down the back, she stayed comfortably in front to beat Crossfield Star …

St Flannan’s College was the venue for the Clare Community Games chess competitions for U-12 and U-16 age groups last Sunday. Competitions were co-ordinated by John Cassidy from Ennis. Eleven teams took part in the U-12 competition while seven took part at U-16 level. The standard of competition was high but it was evident from the start that Shannon had extremely good teams. Shannon won the gold medals in both age groups and now go forward to represent Clare in the Munster finals in UL on March 31.In the U-12 semi-finals, Shannon played Ennis St John’s B, beating them 5-0, while Quin/Clooney beat An Droichead 31/2 to 11/2. Shannon beat Quin/Clooney 4-1 in the final while Ennis St John’s B beat An Droichead by the same score in the third and fourth-place play-off.In the U-16 semi-finals Shannon also met the Ennis B side and beat them 5-0, while Quin/Clooney beat the Ennis St John’s A side 3-2. In the final, …

Sizing Europe enjoyed the perfect dress-rehearsal for the 2012 Queen Mother Champion Chase when slamming his old adversary, Big Zeb, in the Boylesports.com Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown last Sunday.The pair have clashed on a regular basis over the past few years, but on Sunday there was no denying that 9/10 favourite Sizing Europe had the edge when putting up a first-class display.Meath jockey Andrew Lynch, whose fortunes have really taken a turn for the better over the past 12 months, sent the Ann and Alan Potts-owned Sizing Europe to the front at the second last and this Grade 2 contest was over in a matter of strides at the 10-year-old quickly opened up and scooted all of 15 lengths clear of the toiling Big Zeb. No-hoper Imperial Shabra went around in his own time to complete the placings a further 57 lengths in rear.Sunday’s effort was just the job for Sizing Europe who now heads to next month’s Cheltenham …

Twenty three-year-olds Darren Gass/Enda Sherry won last weekends Safety Direct Galway International Rally in their Subaru with just over six seconds covering the top three at the finish. Tim McNulty led the rally for more than half the distance but then his Subaru collided with a straw bale chicane and bent the steering. From that moment on, Tarmac champion McNulty struggled. Eugene Donnelly drove superbly to survive a puncture in his new Colm Quinn-backed Mini WRC and he recorded some stunning times which brought him into second place, just 1.3s behind Gass. McNulty finished four seconds behind Donnelly in third.  Clare Motor Club crews who featured in the results included Michael Fitzgibbon from Darragh with Newmarket man Pa Baker calling the notes and they were the winners in Class J2 in their Honda Civic. Steering problems for the earlier stages which were eventually sorted out in service and they finished ahead of another Ennis crew Niall O’Sullivan and Chris Horan, …