Sports

The Bernie Meaney Memorial and the 37th annual St Mary’s 5.5 mile road race was held at Kilmurry McMahon, organised by St Mary’s AC. The event attracted a fine turnout of athletes with Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy) recording a big win in a sprint finish with a time of 27.09 from Kenneth Rodgers (St John’s), who led all the way until the final few metres. In third place was Dermot Galvin (St John’s). The Tommy McCarthy Cup went to St John’s on 27 points ahead of Nenagh Olympic on 50 points, with Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare third on 54 points.Maria Carey (Ennis Track) was the big winner when she captured the ladies’ title in 32.39. Former Irish International athlete Rita Kierce (St Mary’s), who was competing in the O-50 section, captured the runner-up spot in 35.57. In third spot was Marian Burke (St Mary’s) in 36.15.Four athletes made an early break with Kenneth Rodgers (St John’s) setting a lively pace from the …

ST Senan’s and Skibbereen fought out a very close and hard battle in Division 1 of the Munster Junior League at Jimmy Slattery Park on Sunday with the result in doubt up to the very last kick, when Jed McNamara just missed the posts with a 40m effort. Senan’s got off to the worst possible start when trying to run the ball out of their 22. A dropped pass was pounced on by Skibbereen’s John O Sullivan who had a clear run in under the posts for the opening try and an easy conversion by David Shannon followed. Playing against the breeze and under severe pressure, the home side kept their shape and only conceded one more score. The Cork club were awarded a penalty when Senan’s backs were caught offside at a ruck and again David Shannon converted to leave the score at half-time at 10-0. With the breeze at their backs, Senan’s completely dominated the second half and …

Éire Óg  5-12  St Joseph’s  2-10 Éire Óg were crowned Junior B football champions when they proved too strong for St Joseph’s at Corofin on Sunday. Éire Óg were the quicker to settle and two goals, one each from Shauna Keane and Orla Devitt, had them six points up within two minutes of the throw-in. Playing with the aid of a strong breeze, the Ennis girls capitalised on this advantage, notching up 3-6 with another goal from Shauna Keane and points from Orla Devitt, Shaunagh O’Brien, Shauna Keane and Tara Sheehan, before St Joseph’s Rebecca Devine found the net with a well-taken strike in the 20th minute. The kick-out ended up in the arms of Éire Óg’s Orla McMahon, whose excellent layoff to Shauna Keane ended up splitting the posts. Rebecca Devine pointed for the Parish but Éire Óg finished the half strongly with points from Shauna Keane and Shaunagh O’Brien to leave the half-time score at 3-9 to 1-1.St …

Whitegate 6-6 Ruan 5-8 WHITEGATE managed to hold off a storming second half performance from Ruan to make it through to the minor C final by the minimum of margins on Saturday afternoon in Feakle. Whitegate got of to a stronger start with two points from Karen Bugler and two goals from Shauna Donnellan.After many missed chances, Ruan got their first score when a great pass from Lauren O’Donoghue to Rebecca Crowe who put it over the bar. Whitegate responded with another goal and two points from Susan Fahy. Ruan had a much needed goal  after  Ashling O’Brien passed to Amy O’Brien who scored. However Whitegate finished the half as strong as they started with another two goals in quick succession ,leaving the half time score at Whitegate 5-3 Ruan 1-2. Whitegate had the opening point of the second half but it was Ruan who dominated the half as they launched attack after attack. Alice Casey converted a free and …

Clare owners scored four wins at the Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium last Thursday night but the top-graded race of the night escaped them when the Mick Downes-trained Alice Rumble finished runner-up.This was an A2-graded race over 550 yards and the outside runner, Leos Bettina, went off the 6- 4 favourite. The Nenagh-owned black did not delay from traps to lead Colie O’Loughlion’s Pal Duke by two lengths at the opening bend. This was still the order as they moved down the far side and as they reached the line Leos Bettina had three and a half lengths on the Janet Downes-owned Alice Rumble, who had moved into second place. Third home was I Remember Paddy, trained by Stephen Murray for Ennis owner, Frankie Sheehan.The opening semi-final of the St Thomas GAA Club 525 resulted in a 29.38 win for the Rynal Ruane-trained Jumeriah Joe (Brett Lee-Droopys Just), who beat Glenbrack Shane by two lengths in a time of 29.38. Third …

Oaks heroine, Skellig Babe giving a faultless performance in winning the all-age bitch stake and young Jamie Allen from Ballyduff bringing off a fine double in the major stakes were the highlights of an outstanding Miltown Malbay coursing meeting at Ballymakea Mor, Quilty, last weekend. Skellig Babe, as expected, collected more precious points and with a New Ross Cup win already under her belt, she is well on the way to Clonmel for the Grace Bruton Champion Stakes.In the trial stakes, Clare owners went a long way but failed at the final hurdles when Tromora Penny, owned in Quilty by Karen Hogan, was beaten in the final of the Derby trial stake and Woodpark Diva, owned by Johnny Quinn, Woodpark, Newmarket-on-Fergus, came out second best in the Oaks decider.Last year, it was the turn of the O’Driscoll family from Glanmire to leave Miltown Malbay with two cups, Skellig Time winning the Oaks trial stake and Skellig Wave coming out on …

All eyes this weekend will be on Down Royal, where Saturday’s €140,000 Grade 1 JN.wine.com Champion Chase has attracted a class field. This three-mile test has been won by some pretty useful sorts over the years, including 12 months ago by dual Gold Cup winner,Kauto Star. His trainer Paul Nicholls looks likely to be represented by The Nightingale on this occasion.The winner of a novice chase at this fixture 12 months ago, The Nightingale has only appeared once in the interim when pulled-up behind Long Run at Kempton back in January. Obviously, something went amiss with Graham Roach’s chaser on that occasion but the vibes coming from Nicholls’ Ditchheat base of late suggest the French-bred is back to his best. His regular partner, Ruby Walsh, faces an anxious wait, however, to see if he can ride the eight-year-old, with the Kildare rider’s appeal against a controversial five-day whip ban, which rules him out of this weekend’s action, due to be …

Lahinch hosted a team-of-four competition on both courses on Sunday. On the championship course, the winners with 90 points were Ray Hennessy, Paddy Coleman, Robert Hanrahan and Bob Loftus from Gráinne Hennessy, Jean Basheer, Stephen Henessy and Ronan Murphy with 88 points. In third spot with 87 points were Billy and Nance Casey, Tom and Elaine Doyle. Meanwhile, on the Castle Course, the winners with 100 points were Martin Clohessy, John Shannon, Michael Howley and Michael McDonagh from Michael Whelan, Paddy and Theresa O’Brien and Bridie Whelan, with 96 points.Last week’s ladies’ turkey competition was won by Jenny Cagney (14) and Patricia Ramsey (22). Michael O’Connor (17), Woodstock was the winner of Wednesday’s open singles on the Castle Course with 38 points. Thursday’s open singles on the championship course was won by Frank Considine (11) with 34 points from Vivien Killeen (9) on a similar score. Shay Leonard (13) from Lucan was third with 34 points while the gross was …