Car Tourismo Banner
Home » Sports (page 704)

Sports

Brennan believes Clare can deliver

Peter O’Connell previews Clare’s opening match in the Munster Football Championship against Cork on Sunday IF the Clare footballers are to cause one of the biggest upsets in GAA history this weekend, Gary Brennan will have to be the county’s main man in the middle of the field. The St Flannan’s Irish and PE teacher has developed into one of the most complete midfielders in Munster in recent years and will never be more needed than from 3.30pm in Pairc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday. This week, Brennan’s thoughts will stray occasionally from the classroom and fast-forward a few days to the weekend. It would be impossible to block off all thoughts of playing against the best team in the country.“When you’re growing up, they’re the days you dream of; playing for your county in Munster championship in Pairc Uí Chaoimh. It doesn’t get much bigger. They’re the All-Ireland champions and I suppose that adds that extra bit to it. It’s …

Read More »

Super sub seals the title deal for Éire Óg U-16s

Éire Óg         4-11 Ennistymon         1-7 Éire Óg substitute Paddy O’Malley’s tally of 1-5 was a central factor in the Ennis club winning their first U-16A football title since 2000 in Cusack Park on Monday evening.Another significant element was Ennistymon’s poor use of the very strong wind. Playing with it in the opening half, they trailed 1-4 to 0-5 at the interval. Éire Óg’s James Wood scored the crucial goal before half-time for the winners. The first three scores of the second period were goals. Éire Óg raised two early green flags as Éanna Fennell and Paddy O’Malley found the net. O’Malley’s goal was from the penalty spot and was his first touch. Ennistymon could have folded at this point but to their credit, they fought back manfully. James McConigley buried a penalty and Éire Óg goalkeeper Nathan Murray made a couple of superb tip-over saves, which looked certain goals. Éire Óg finished the game very well …

Read More »

Killanena get first taste of the big leagues

Killanena  0-10 Smith O’Brien’s  1-7 History was made on Sunday when Killanena played in the senior hurling championship for the first time. For a long time it looked as if it would be a truly memorable day for the 2010 intermediate champions but Smith O’Brien’s pointed twice in the closing minutes to earn a share of the spoils. Missed chances, wrong options and poor striking are all part of first round games and there were plenty of errors from both sides when they clashed before a good attendance at Scariff.Playing against the wind in the first half, Killanena made a great start and raced five points clear after just nine minutes. Smith O’Brien’s problems increased four minutes later when they were reduced to 14 men. Liam Walsh was red carded following an off-the-ball incident which left Enda Collins needing attention and put him off the pitch for eight minutes. Referee Fergie McDonagh dismissed Walsh after consulting with his umpires.Three Mark …

Read More »

Scoring spread wins it for Inagh-Kilnamona

inagh-Kilnamona  0-16 Whitegate  3-9 Nine minutes from time Inagh-Kilnamona led by just two points (0-11 to 0-9). Briefly, it looked as if Whitegate were about to rouse themselves for a thundering closing ten minutes. Instead Inagh-Kilnamona reasserted their authority and put over five successive points as Whitegate wilted. In what was a fairly tepid hours of hurling in Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon, nine Inagh-Kilnamona men managed to split the posts. Just four Whitegate men did the same, with George Waterstone hitting six, five from frees. Three of his team-mates put over a point apiece and therein lay the primary difference between the sides. Although the winners didn’t hurl particularly fluently, they had several players who were capable of putting over a score from frees or play. Whitegate couldn’t match that scoring spread.   Having played with a reasonably strong wind, Whitegate didn’t avail of it sufficiently in the opening half. The teams were tied at 0-6 each at half time. …

Read More »

Reigning champs finish all square with Kilmaley

Crusheen  1-13 Kilmaley  1-13 While both Crusheen and Kilmaley can point to missed chances at Cusack Park on Saturday evening. a draw was a fair outcome on a day when the sides were level on six occasions. Champions Crusheen had to rely on an injury time point from a Pat Vaughan free to earn a share of the spoils. Crusheen looked to be in a strong position when they went to the break leading by four points after playing against the wind. Kilmaley, helped by some changes, stepped up a gear in the second half and as the game ticked into added time they looked the likely winners. Crusheen captain Gerry O’Grady showed his experience however when winning the free which Vaughan converted to level the game seconds before the final whistle.The champions went into the game without the injured Cronan Dillon. This led to the switch of his brother Cian to full-back, the move of Pat Vaughan from midfield …

Read More »

Lyons impresses as Ruan make winning start in Intermediate

Ruan             1-9  Bodyke          1-6 A strong finish saw Ruan, last year’s beaten finalists, get their intermediate championship campaign off to a good start when they overcame the challenge of Bodyke at Clooney on Saturday evening. The sides were level with ten minutes remaining but Ruan proved the stronger side in the closing stages.Helped by a goal from Ian Molloy, the East Clare side enjoyed a slight upperhand in the first half on a day when both sides were guilty of bad misses, especially from placed balls.  It was 1-3 to 0-3 in Bodyke’s favour at half time.Brendan Lyons was the winner’s top scorer, contributing 1-2 from play. His pace caused huge problems for Bodyke. With the teams on level terms inside the final quarter, a share of the spoils looked a possibility but Ruan put in a strong finish and fired over three points for victory.Ruan: Pakie Roughan; Gary Bell, Niall O’Connor, Leon Quirke; Padraig …

Read More »

Sixmilebridge unimpressive in victory

Sixmilebridge  0-15 Clarecastle  1-11 Sixmilebridge may have appeared to justify their favourites’ tag at Cusack Park on Saturday evening but when they sit down to review the match, they will quickly realise that they were fortunate to take full points from the contest. Clarecastle had the better of the exchanges for most of this tie but they failed to avail of a number of chances and this proved costly.Indeed, for a long time, a share of the spoils looked the likely outcome as the teams were level on nine occasions.Rocked by an injury to Conor Plunkett in a league tie a week earlier, arguably their most experienced player, there was much speculation as to who would play at full-back in his place. The choice of last year’s county minor star Stephen O’Halloran for this role surprised many but he more that justified the selectors decision with a powerful performance. He got the better of a number of opponents, including Niall …

Read More »

Soft goal swings game for Tulla

From Tulla’s viewpoint they won’t worry about the fact that they didn’t hurl with real verve or quality. In a first round game, achieving a result is paramount and they were well worth their win, even if the game itself wasn’t up to much. The defining score was struck in first half injury time. Conor O’Halloran directed a shot from around half way towards the O’Callaghan’s Mills goalmouth. Unfortunately Mills goalkeeper John Cooney allowed the ball to slip from his grasp and over the line. There wasn’t even time for the puck-out. Tulla had the wind in the opening half and now led 1-7 to 0-3. If that lead had just been a four-point one, the Mills would have been convinced that they could have taken Tulla with the wind behind them. It’s instructive to note that both halves featured two wides apiece before either side scored. The first half frees from which Andrew Quinn hit three points were all …

Read More »