Sports

Quin jockey, Paul O’Neill opened his account for the season when riding the first winner of the day at last Sunday’s West Waterford Hunt point-to-point meeting at Boulta in East Cork. A very experienced pilot, O’Neill was aboard 8-1 shot Definite Memories in the first division of the opening four-year-old maiden for Wexford trainer, Pat Cloke and the pair came good when registering a very impressive success.Help up in the early stages, the daughter of Definite Article, who was making her debut, knew the job very well and having jumped to the front two out she ran on really strongly to beat runner-up Eugene O’Sullivan’s Lady Milano by four lengths.Enniscorthy native, Cloke, who has care of the winner for his brother, Tom, said, “Paul gave this mare a great ride. He is one of the most underrated jockeys in the country and I get him to ride my horses all the time. He’s a very good horseman and is especially …

Cavan Equestrian Centre hosted its annual end-of-season pony show last week.With over 1,500 entries, the competition was of a very high standard.The show included the final of the Cavan Kingsland League and the Tansan Properties Pony Champions Tour Final. Riders have been gaining points for these finals since last March and it paid off, with the following Clare Pony Riders claiming the spoils.Results148 – 90cm (dc) Margaret McCarthy’s Lecarrowmore, Kate McCarthy.148 – 1.00 (dc) Patrick O’Brien’s Blazer, Sean O’Brien.148 – 1.10cm (placed) 1. Margaret McCarthy’s Inshaalah Grey, Kate McCarthy. 5. Catherine Harrington’s Gentle Lady, Tom Foley.148 – 1.20cm (placed) 1. Carmel King’s Crown Jewel, Tom Foley.128 – 70cm (dc) Yvonne Casey’s Jacksun King, Eimer Casey.128 80cm (dc) Kevin Reidy’s King of Rock n Roll, Jack Reidy.138 – 90cm (dc) Anthony Malone’s Ballinvella Polly, Alison Malone. Yvonne Casey’s Gowerhass Boy, Eric Casey.138 – 1.00m (placed) 3. Simone Barry’s Dalligans Drifter, Kieran Barry; 4. Carmel King’s Dundrum Lady, Patrick McNamara. 6. John …

THE Woodies DIY Athletics Association of Ireland Inter-Counties’ Cross Country Championships plus the juvenile even ages from U-12 to U-18 were held in Sligo Racecourse, where Clare athletes produced outstanding performances. Alex O’Neill (St Cronan’s) finished fifth in the girls’ U-12 2,000m and led Clare to gold medals.Aidan McCarthy (St Cronan’s) finished fifth in the boys’ U-12 2,000m with Clare taking the inter-county silver medals.Niamh Markham (Ennis Track) finished seventh in the girls’ U-18 5,000m and led Clare and Ennis Track to silver medals.Orla O’Mahoney, a former Marian athlete from Ennis and running in the Clare colours finish eighth overall in the senior ladies’ 8,000m. In the senior men’s 10,000m, Sean Hehir  (Kilkishen and Rathfarnham AC, Dublin) was outstanding in very heavy underfoot conditions and finished seventh overall for the second year in-a-row. Rory Chesser (Ennis Track) made the journey from London and finished 21st with Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy) producing a very gutsy performance to finish 25th followed by Dermot …

Dr Crokes 0-12   Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-9   FOR 40 minutes of their 15th Munster club game since 1967, Kilmurry Ibrickane played the best football they’ve produced in living memory. They showed scant respect for the Kerry champions in Páirc Dr Crócaig, kicked a succession of sublime points, defended with vigour and took the game to Dr Crokes. Everything was rosy in the Kilmurry garden until 13 minutes into the second half.It was then that Dr Croke’s centre-forward Daithí Casey, who had kicked three points, was issued with a second yellow card following a tangle with Stephen Moloney. The game looked up for Dr Crokes and Kilmurry’s huge following sensed their club was on the cusp of a stunning win.  At that stage, Kilmurry led 0-9 to 0-7, with Colm Cooper yet to score for Dr Crokes. Yet it was from that moment on, Kilmurry imploded and Dr Crokes upped their game, outscoring the Clare champions 0-5 to 0-0 in the …

ONE Crusheen family could pick up five Munster medals on Sunday.Half of the defence facing Na Piarsaigh will be made up of Dillon brothers, Cronan, Cathal and Cian, while another two brothers, Shaun and Briain, are also on the panel.At 34, Cronan is the eldest of the five and is at full-back now, having spent most of his career in the half-back line. Throughout a long career with the club he didn’t expect to reach a Munster final. On a personal level, he says it took him a while to get used to playing in the full-back line. “Times change and maybe I’m getting a bit slower. In fairness to Cian there aren’t many centre-backs as good as him around, so I ended up at full back. It’s a position I found hard to get used to at first, when you’re in the half-back line and the ball goes behind you don’t worry about it as much but now it’s …

IN the lead up to the provincial senior club hurling semi-finals two weeks ago, opinions were divided as to whether it would be Crusheen or Carrigtwohill who would come through to play hot favourites, Ballygunner. Few outside of Na Piarsaigh gave the Limerick side the nod to win their first game in the provincial championship. Ballygunner had all the makings of holding up their end of the prediction, as halfway through that game, they held a six-point advantage and pushed the lead to seven points in the second half.From then on it was a different story as Na Piarsaigh, inspired by teenager and current minor Shane Dowling, dictated matters to win by six. Forcing a rethink, many are now tipping the Limerick City outfit to bring home the Munster title on Sunday.There is much interest in the final as both teams are appearing at this stage of the championship for the first time. The Clare-Limerick rivalry is another reason why …

  JOHN and Regina O’Connell have been fighting almost every night lately. Thankfully, the Barefield husband and wife haven’t been brawling with each other. Instead, they have been religiously heading to Ennis Boxing Club in Chapel Lane, preparing for Friday’s Clare Conquest fight night in the Queen’s Hotel. John will fight Tony O’Dwyer in the night’s opening bout at 8.05pm, while his wife will take on Aisling O’Loughlin from Corofin later in the card, which will consist of 17 fights.“It was years ago. I was about 12, I’d say,” John replied, when asked if he’d ever boxed before. “I had no notion of going at the beginning but Regina and a couple of the lads went, so I decided I’d go as well. The craic has been mighty since. You meet some great friends,” he added.When John the ‘Mean Machine’ takes to the ring, he’ll have to manage without ‘Raging’ Regina’s moral or vocal support. She’ll have enough to do, …

CLARE intermediate camogie champions, Inagh take on London club, Tara in the All-Ireland Junior Camogie Club Championship final on Sunday. The game is scheduled for Ashbourne at 2.30pm. It will be history in the making for both sides as they contest an All-Ireland club final for the first time.Both sides have enjoyed a successful year. The London side bagged both the London senior league and championship titles. They overcame Ruairi Óg of Cushendall, Antrim 2-9 to 0-11 in the Ulster final and at home in the semi-final, saw off Myshal, Carlow, 2-6 to 0-6 on Saturday.The exiles have a strong panel from which to pick and captain Denise Gilligan, who leads the attack, will be a formidable opponent to mark. Gilligan bagged 1-6 against Myshall and 2-6 in the quarter-final.Inagh lost out on the league title in Clare in cruel fashion, when Truagh-Clonlara’s Michelle Caulfield goaled from a 45’ in the dying seconds of the game to snatch victory from …