Sports

ON yet another wet October morning, Ennis RFC mini teams travelled in strength to Athlone to play against Buccaneers. More than 160 players, along with mentors and parents, travelled in three coaches for a blitz tournament. This was the first time most of this group played against the hosts and Carrick-on-Shannon were also invited.The event also marked another first for the Ennis RFC set up with age teams representing U-8, U-9, U-10, U-11 and U-12, all travelling together. Usually, one age grade travels to invitation tournaments.The Ennis U-9 panel that was involved in four games was: Calum Barrett, Colm Hynes, Keith Barry, Peadar McNeils, Cillian Brennan, Stephen McSherry, Roan O’Flaherty, Jason Considine, Jarlath Collins, Joseph Rafferty, Dara Nagle, Adrian Baker, Matthew McNamara, Liam Keating, Charlie McGuinness, Charlie Farrell, Cian O’Dwyer, John Connaughton, Eoghan Talty andFinn Woods.In the U-10s, Ennis fielded two teams and played six games, winning four, drawing one and losing one. Ennis U-10: Jason Geraghty, Cian Hadden, Patrick …

ENNIS Boxing Club, celebrating 50 years of unbroken service to the youth of the town, pulled out all the stops on Saturday night last to showcase its impressive array of male and female fighters in the splendid arena in the West County Hotel, Ennis.The venue has been synonymous with cracking tournaments in the past 30 years and this one was special to highlight the significance of a golden jubilee occasion and the boxers who are now the future of this club.A special programme chronicled the club’s history with pictures of its heroes through the decades and while one wonders at the slow progress in the ’60s, the ’70s arrived with abundant and titles and champions became the norm for the club. Ollie Markham signalled the club’s potential with a bang when he captured the Irish Senior Middleweight Championship in 1976 and to date, 64 national titles have found their way to the Ennis nursery.Ladies boxing, buoyant since the arrival of …

THE Golden Vale Clare Community Games All-Star awards function and 40th anniversary celebrations were held in the West County Hotel, Ennis on Friday night. Seventy-five children from 19 areas across the county received awards. Amongst the invited guests were Mayor of Clare Pat Hayes, Mayor of Ennis Michael Guilfoyle, Micheál Roche representing main sponsors Golden Vale milk, Chief Superintendent John Kerin, Fr Willie Russell and Billie Saunderson representing the International Police Association.In his address, Mayor of Clare Pat Hayes acknowledged all involved in Community Games for their commitment to the children. He admired the hard work, dedication and commitment of all the volunteers who have kept the games going over the past 40 years. This was reiterated by the Mayor of Ennis Michael Guilfoyle who said Ennis Town Council were always available to help and support Community Games with facilities such as Lees Road complex.County chairman Pat Taylor congratulated the all stars and welcomed everyone. He thanked Golden Vale, and …

The curtain came down on racing at Galway for 2011 over the weekend where John Kiely’s 4/1 shot Sweeps Hill looked good when landing Saturday’s Grade 3 €30,000 Faber Audiovisuals Ballybrit Novice Chase.Ground conditions for this two-day autumn fixture were testing following the heavy rain of late but that didn’t deter JP McManus’ chaser who handled conditions with aplomb.David Casey, who only returned to race-riding recently following yet another enforced spell on the sidelines, was on board Sweeps Hill and he had the son of Montjeu poised on the heels of the leaders as the field headed downhill into the dip.Once into the home straight, Casey unleashed Sweeps Hill and the seven-year-old swept to the front a furlong out before staying on powerfully up the final hill to beat front-running Regal D’Estruval by five and a half lengths.Dungarvan-based Kiely was full of praise for his latest winner.“This is a very nice horse,” he said. “He has been slightly disappointing up …

Inagh-Kilnamona  1-16 Clonlara  1-13 INAGH-Kilnamona qualified for their first Clare Champion Cup (Senior Hurling League) final when they overcame Clonlara in a replay at Clarecastle on Saturday afternoon. In a game in which the lead changed hands on a number of occasions, Inagh-Kilnamona finished strongly to secure a final spot against either Kilmaley or Newmarket. However, Clonlara will be disappointed at the result given the fact that they had 15 wides while a couple of mistakes by goalkeeper Ger O’Connell proved very costly midway through the second half.The winners got off to a great start and raced into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead after 10 minutes. Clonlara enjoyed the better of the next 10 minutes and they had jumped into a one-point lead, 0-6 to 0-5, with seven minutes still to play in the half. Points were exchanged a couple of times between here and the half-time whistle at which time the winners were in front, 0-8 to 0-7.Clonlara could …

Éire Óg   1-14 Ruan  0-6 This is not a championship Éire Óg will hope to win again any time soon. One intermediate championship will suffice. They were desperate to win it last Sunday in Clarecastle however and regain their senior status, which they lost in 2008. Due to be played as a curtain-raiser to the senior final in Cusack Park, the intermediate final was switched to Clarecastle following a pitch inspection at the county grounds on Sunday morning. The intermediate finalists definitely benefited from the change of venue. Bearing in mind the torrential rain that fell last weekend, the surface in Clarecastle was in superb condition. In fact, the pitch was in better nick at the end of the hour’s hurling than Cusack Park was after both senior teams had merely warmed up. Yet while the players got to play on a decent pitch, Éire Óg and Ruan supporters didn’t come out of it so well. With no covered viewing …

Éire Óg  4-7 Broadford  1-2 An outstanding first-half display earned Éire Óg a spot in the minor C camogie final when they accounted for Broadford. Torrential rain fell throughout the match, making play difficult for both sides but the Ennis girls took full advantage of the breeze and scores from Orla Devitt, Lisa Greene and Shaunagh O’Brien gave them a 3-6 to no score lead at half-time.A determined Broadford side put up a great fight in the second half and outscored Éire Óg by 1-3 to 1-1 but they had left themselves a mountain to climb and Éire Óg ran out victorious. Éire Óg: Katie Malone; Rae Wall, Sophie Hanna, Aoife Sheehan, Claire McMahon, Tara Sheehan, Orla Devitt (1-5, 2f), Alana O’Brien, Karen Roche, Aoife O’Neill, Caroline Walsh, Shaunagh O’Brien (3-1), Lisa Greene (0-1).Subs: Deirbhile Ryan for Karen Roche (inj, 45mins); Orlaith Flynn for Aoife O’Neill (50 mins); Laura Maloney for Caroline Walsh (50 mins).Broadford: Lorraine Kiniry; Sharon Moloney, Cliona …

LAHINCH Ladies’ Club, under the guidance of Elaine Doyle, lady captain, won the women’s international team challenge at Fisher’s Island, New York last week. The other members of the successful team are Nollie McCarthy, Anna Glynn, Yvonne Morrison, Niamh Whelan and Jenny Cagney.The competition was played over two rounds in fourball Stableford format. Niamh Whelan and Jenny Cagney formed one pairing with Elaine Doyle and Nollie McCarthy in another and Anna Glynn and Yvonne Morrison making up the third pairing.In the men’s open singles at the club last Thursday, Jim O’Brien (7), from Balcarrick, was the winner with 37 points from Brendan O’Connor (19), Blainroe, with 34 points.Saturday’s men’s singles Stableford competition was won by Derek O’Neill (6) with 36 points from Gary Lavelle (5) with 35 points and Brian Cusack (17) with 34 points. Mass for deceased members will take place on this Saturday at 8pm. EnnisENNIS Seniors’ group held a modified fourball competition on Thursday last the proceeds …