Sports

IT is informative to read back on what Clare manager Micheál McDermott said in the aftermath of Clare’s 1-23 to 0-11 Munster quarter-final defeat to Cork on May 22. “We carried ball into the tackle, gave away possession cheaply and that’s where a lot of Cork’s scores came from. The turnovers were killing us and when you turn over the ball against quality opposition like Cork, they will punish you,” was some of what McDermott said five weeks ago in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Playing Down at 3pm in Cusack Park on Saturday isn’t much less of a task than playing the All-Ireland and national league champions in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Clare would be well advised not to worry too much about what the final scoreboard will look like. If their training and coaching regime over the last five weeks was of a high quality, Clare will not lose the ball as often in the tackle, won’t turn over cheap possession …

Comment The long-term currency of Clare’s stirring display in Limerick cannot be gauged until July 2, when they play Galway in Salthill. If Clare manage a repeat delivery of the many laudable aspects evident last Sunday and knock Galway out of the championship, it will be unequivocally clear that the 2011 championship was one in which the county made a significant step towards rejoining hurling’s elite counties. Aside from reproducing the best aspects of their nine-point defeat to Tipperary, Clare must of course work on cementing over the cracks, which were equally evident. As manfully as Conor McGrath, Conor Cooney, Cian Dillon and Diarmuid McMahon played, Clare will have to closely examine areas where they didn’t do so well. Nobody can query their aggression, physicality or indeed the excellence of their early hurling. They put over 1-5 from six scoring opportunities and their early touch was sublime.  The concession of the three first-half goals took the wind from Clare though. …

Clare   2-19 Cork   0-14 Despite some difficulty in getting a panel together because of clashes with club games and, in some cases, a lack of interest on the part of players, Clare qualified for the Munster intermediate hurling final when they deservingly beat a fancied Cork outfit at Pairc na nGael in Limerick on Sunday. With a good mix of youth and experience, Clare dictated the play and were never headed. They were four points clear after 10 minutes but when Cork fought back to level at the start of the second quarter, there was concern that they might pull away. After all, they had the benefit of a first-round outing in which they beat Tipperary.Clare kept their noses in front until the three-quarter stage, when the game’s opening goal gave them a big lift and when they added a second goal six minutes later, there was no way back for the Leesiders. The result means Clare will play Limerick …

“CONCENTRATION cost us,” sighed Clare manager Ger O’Loughlin after suffering defeat to Tipperary. “We got a great start and could not have asked for better. We looked awful sharp and very committed. We played to the plan. We man marked and did it well but concentration cost us as we saw with the ball coming in that Corbett got on to. It was naïve stuff and we need to learn from it. Tipp will eat you up if you give them an opportunity. Conceding four goals is too much. However, we take a lot of positives out of it.”He added, “They deserved to beat us but we contributed to our own downfall. I hate going away saying we were proud because we still lost, which is disappointing. Somewhere along the way, we have to turn the corner and start winning these games. That one was there. If you score 1-19, you would nearly expect to come away with a victory.” …

TIPPERARY manager Declan Ryan felt his side’s ability to rattle the Clare net was one of the main reasons why his team qualified for the Munster final on July 10 against Waterford.

Tipperary  4-19 Clare  1-19 RANK outsiders ahead of the game, Clare gave All-Ireland champions Tipperary plenty of problems before going down to a nine-point defeat in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship semi-final at Páirc na nGael in Limerick on Sunday. While there was much to be pleased with in Clare’s performance, the concession of four goals cost them dearly. The defence was hit for three goals in a five-minute spell midway through the first half, which turned the tie in the Premier County’s favour.Clare had a dream start with a goal from one of the stars of the game, Conor McGrath, inside the opening minute. They quickly added three points to lead by six after as many minutes. A further four minutes elapsed before the winners had their first score.Despite this magnificent start, Clare showed a lack of experience at this level and it was to prove so costly midway through the half. With the score at 1-5 to 0-2 …

THE Clare Champion-sponsored Cumann na mBunscoil hurling and camogie finals have provided lots of entertainment for all involved over the past decade. That trend continued at Cusack Park on Wednesday when six finals in this year’s programme took place. Six more finals will take place this Thursday.Members of the Clare senior hurling panel were in attendance to see the stars of the future in action. John Conlon, who played in a number of finals with Clonlara National School and Fergal Lynch, now a member of the teaching staff at Quin, were interested spectators.There was some outstanding play on Wednesday with the Division 1 decider proving particularly exciting. Ennis CBS emerged as the winners when they scored a one-point victory over the title holders, Clarecastle, 2-6 to 2-5. Goals from Matthew Davenport and Cathal Ruane played a huge part in their win. Clarecastle’s goals came from David Barry and Cian Donnelly.The B teams from the schools met in the shield final …

Sixmilebridge are the Clare Camogie Féile winners for 2011 but three more camogie clubs from the county will also take part in Féile at the request of the Galway Camogie Board. Sixmilebridge will be in Group B of Division 2, along with Galway sides, Clarinbridge and Oranmore. St Patrick’s of Keady in Armagh will be the fourth team in the group. Clooney/Quin will feature in Group D of Division 3, along with hosts, Kiltormer and Meelick-Eyrecourt and Mayo side Na Brídeoga. Group C in Division 5 will see the remaining two Clare sides, The Burren and Killanena, face up to Clontibret of Monaghan and Longford Slashers. In both Division 2 and 3, Sixmilebridge and Clooney/Quin will need to finish top of their group to progress to the semi-finals. In Division 5, there are three groups, with the winners of each group, along with the runners up of Group A, progressing to the semi-finals.The camogie club in Sixmilebridge was formed in …