Sports

There was a big turnout in Clooney on Sunday evening when the local GAA club honoured four former members when they opened new facilities.The new pitch, the club’s second playing field, was dedicated to the memory of Mick Hennessy who served the association at club, county, provincial and national levels and who also did huge work for the promotion of camogie at club and county levels.The stand serving the new pitch is dedicated to the memory of Brendan Vaughan who also served the association at all levels and was a lifelong member of the club. He served as Clare and Munster chairman.The spectator stand in the club’s second pitch is dedicated tot he memory of Seamus Reddan in recognition of his many years of service to the GAA in the parish.A plaque was also unveiled to the memory of Amby Power from Quin who captained Clare’s All-Ireland winning senior hurling team in 1914.Munster GAA council vice-chairman Robert Frost performed the …

Cratloe trainer Declan McNamara has a classy chasing recruit on his hands in the shape of Mossey Joe, who impressed when landing his beginner’s chase at Killarney on Tuesday of last week. Having only his second run for McNamara – he was formerly trained in Tipperary by Willie Austin – Mossey Joe went to post a well-backed 4/5 favourite to account for his nine rivals and the Barry Geraghty-ridden eight-year-old achieved that with the minimum of fuss. Keen early on, Mossey Joe was always on the front edge with Geraghty allowing his mount, who made a bad mistake three out, hit the front on the approach to the penultimate fence and the son of Moscow Society, who races in the silks of his Ballina, Tipperary owner/breeder Willie Clifford, quickly had the race in the bag as he powered clear to beat runner-up Alnama by 14 lengths. This was a first-class effort by the winner, who had won a point-to-point, hunter’s …

Clare trainer Donie Duggan and owner Siofra McInerney from Manus, Clarecastle, were the headline makers in the Galway Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night when their Manus Snowdrop won the big race of the night, the Fonez-Sim Free Phones A6 final over 525 yards and worth €1,800 to the winner.Manus Snowdrop in trap three and Nodandawink in the outside trap were best away and as they rounded the opening bend they went on by a few lengths from Windfield Lass in trap five. Passing the halfway mark, Manus Snowdrop began to take control and the daughter of Crash-Baby Jean gradually pulled away to score a five and three parts of a length win from Longstone Hawk. Nodandawink was back three parts of a length for third place. The time for the race was 29.42. There was also a Clare winner in the chief supporting race, the Fonez-Sim Frerer Phones over 525 yards. Noel Hehir’s Cool Ivy Hill went off the even-money …

  Cork’s Seán Kiely won the throw-in and popped it off to wing-forward Mark Sugrue, who escaped Jarlath Colleran, cut through the Clare defence and hammered high into the net. The sizeable Clare crowd were stunned but not half as stunned as the Clare team, who didn’t kick a score of any sort until the 21st minute. By then Cork, who played against a strong wind in the first half, led 1-2 to 0-0.This Clare team wasn’t the same outfit who played some superb football against Cork in Pairc Uí Rinn on April 13. Despite losing by five points that evening, Clare suggested that with a bit of added confidence, they would be a match for anyone in Munster. Wins over Waterford and Limerick, both away, brought them to Cusack Park and a second tilt at Cork. That hope didn’t manifest itself into a performance of substance though.Dazed by Cork’s lightening start, the colour went from Clare, as did their …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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. …