Sports

A contribution of 1-3 from Dessie Molohan helped Miltown to a merited win over St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield in the opening round of the Clare Senior Football Championship at Kilmihil on Friday evening.The game had been deferred from the previous weekend due to the untimely death of St Joseph’s player Niall White and before Friday’s game got underway a minute’s silence was observed as a mark of respect to the late St Joseph’s and Clare senior player.This was a poor contest in which Miltown’s greater experience proved decisive. While they deserved their victory on the evening, St Joseph’s will look back on a game in which they missed some very easy chances, particularly in the opening half when they managed nine wides. They managed just two scores from play during the course of the hour when four of their starting forward line failed to find the target.While only two of Miltown’s forward line managed to get on the scoresheet, the others …

Clare Champion Cup Crusheen      3-14Clarecastle     2-15 Crusheen cemented their position at the top of Division 1 of the Clare Champion Cup with this win over Clarecastle.Conditions were perfect for open hurling and even though both sides were missing championship regulars, a lively encounter ensued. Patrick O’Grady, who scored a hat-trick against Clarecastle in the intermediate, did likewise in this game with each goal coming at a crucial period for Crusheen. The home side could have snatched a draw and a missed chance near the end signalled the end of their challenge. Pat Kelly lining out at centre-back for Clarecastle opened the scoring after seven minutes followed two minutes later by a Darragh O’Doherty point for the winners. Kevin O’Dwyer responded for Clarecastle before Patrick O’Grady blasted home from close range for the game’s first goal in the 11th  minute. The visitors led 1-5 to 0-5 at the interval.Fergus Kennedy, who had lined out with the Clare U-21’s in …

“CLARE camogie is delighted that the project to bring to fruition a county camogie grounds at Doora has taken a huge step forward,” Clare Camogie chairperson, Orla Considine said earlier this week.“Clare Camogie lodged notice for planning permission in last week’s Clare Champion. This notice looks for planning for dressing rooms, toilet facilities, fencing, rear goal netting, lighting posts, and surface car parking. The plans will shortly be lodged with Clare County Council,” the chairperson outlined.She went onto point out that Clare County Council agreed to provide a field for Clare camogie back in 1988. “The process was re-ignited two years ago and after many council meetings and meetings between the council and camogie boards, this is the next step. Clare Camogie, at its June meeting, set up a development committee to deal with issues around the field development, implementation, funding and future development. This committee consists of Michael Maher, Orla Considine, Joe Cooney, Patricia McCarthy, Pat Hayes, Dr Pádraig …

THE weather may not have been as kind as officials had hoped for but the heavy rain did not deter the crowds from flocking to Gurteen on Sunday for the official opening of the St Joseph’s GAA club’s new facilities.From early morning, young and old gathered for a day of celebration, which got underway with the parade of young teams representing camogie, ladies’ football, hurling and football.Because of the heavy rain, many of the activities were switched to the club’s magnificent new hall. Parish priest Fr Jerry Carey was the chief celebrant of mass in the hall, which involved the parish choirs with soloist, Caroline O’Connor.Mass was followed by the blessing of the new facilities by Canon Caimin O’Carroll after which well-known GAA broadcaster, Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh performed the official opening. The GAA’s director general, Padraic Duffy, then performed the official launch of the club’s commemorative book, a publication which runs to over 200 pages covering all aspects of GAA …

ENNIS won their section of the Jimmy Bruen competition at the weekend on their own course. They opened their challenge for honours with a 4-1 win over Woodstock, who had defeated Dromoland in round one, and this put them into a section semi-final against Kilkee, where they won on a score of 3½ to 1½.In other first-round games, Kilkee beat Kilrush, Shannon beat Spanish Point and East Clare accounted for Lahinch. Shannon then scored a 4-1 win over East Clare to set up a section final date on Sunday with Ennis. The home side won this on a 3½ to 1½ scoreline and they are now through to the North Munster semi-final against Roscrea or Adare Manor. This game will take place in Nenagh on June 24.The members of the Ennis panel are Kieran Ryan and Paul Higgins; Victor Coote and Jason Woods; Alan Butler and Enda Heaney; Ian Myatt and Mark Geraghty; TJ Scanlan and Cyril Corry and David …

CLARE athletes won 13 medals, four gold, four silver and five bronze, at the Munster juvenile U-9, U-10 and U-11 2×2 team events, plus the boys and girls’ U-12 and U-13 Track and Field Championships, which were held over two days at the Lees Road Sports Complex. It is was the first time that the championships were held at the venue and the event attracted over 2,000 people.The star of the show on day one was Alex O’Neill, St Cronan’s, who set a new Munster record in the girls’ U-12 high jump at 1.37m, along with Vicky Cusack, Liscarroll, Cork. They both went for 1.40m and failed on the final three jumps, with Alex taking the silver medal. She also captured a silver medal in the 600m.Day two was held in very wet conditions. Tara Kelly, St Mary’s, won the girls’ U-12 long jump and Alex O’Neill captured the bronze medal, with Grace Moloney, Tulla winning the U-12 ball throw.In …

THERE was one poignant moment that aptly sums up the Munster ‘family’ ethos in the midst of the jubilation marking their third Magners League Trophy recently.Veteran out-half Ronan O’Gara wheeled Munster strength and conditioning coach, Paul Darbyshire, who is battling motor neurone disease, to the podium, where he was presented with the cup in the after-match celebrations at Thomond Park.While Munster players were thrilled to end the season on a high note, defeating favourites Leinster 19-9, the victory was tinged with sadness in the knowledge it was the last game for their former coach.‘Darbs’ as he is affectionately known, was told he would not be able to attend any more Munster games a few months ago but Munster’s new forwards coach Anthony Foley said this was never going to be the case and he went to considerable effort to attend the semi-final and final.The last time the former Warrington Wolves player worked with Munster was back in September, when Leinster …

Two Clare surfers have been selected for the Irish surf team to represent the country when the European Surfing Championships take place in Bundoran, from September 23 until October 3.Oliver O’Flaherty, 24, and Stephen Kelleher 24, both from Lahinch, competed in a series of selection events in early 2011 in order to secure a place on the Irish team. Ollie O’Flaherty, a member of the West Coast Surf Club, will be competing in the open surfing division of Eurosurf.Stephen Kelleher is also from Lahinch and has recently been elected vice-chairman of West Coast Surf Club. Stephen is no stranger to international competition and was ranked 17th, while representing Ireland at Eurosurf 2009 in Jersey. He was also WCSC longboard champion in 2008. Stephen will compete in the longboard division of Eurosurf.The other team members are Ronan Oertzen, Shauna Ward, Darragh McCarter and Richie Fitzgerald from Bundoran; Easkey Britton from Rossnowlagh; Stephen Kilfeather and Ashleigh Smith from Sligo; John McCurry from …