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Bridge Complex to benefit from 10km run

THEY’LL be pounding the pavements and running the roads around Sixmilebridge next month, flexing their muscles and raising funds for the local community facility, the Bridge Complex.As part of the Sixmilebridge Summer Festival, a 10km and a 5km run/walk will be held on Friday, June 3. The charity road run has been organised by The Bridge Milers, a fledgling running group set up last year, which enjoys strong support.The club was established by Charleville native and Sixmilebridge resident, Tom Enright, an experienced running coach and a man who has more than 30 marathons under his belt.Within the club, which at this stage has more female than male members, the emphasis has been on encouraging people to get fit and back running, rather than training to race competitively.Tom, who is chairman of The Bridge Milers, explains there has been a great interest in leisure running, especially from people in their 30s, who want to get into shape and get fit again. …

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Reigning gold for Ennis boxers

In a historical 50th year for the Ennis Boxing Club, five youngsters endorsed the club’s milestone with three gold and two silver medals at the Irish Juvenile Championships in the National Stadium in Dublin  last week.Two more, one from Kilfenora and another Ennis-domiciled native who boxes out of the Limerick club, OLOL, also captured gold and glory for Clare.Conor Doyle (44kg), Brian McDonagh (54kg) and Keelan Sexton (70kg) were the Ennis winners, while Shannon Murrihy (Kilfenora) and Paddy Donovan (OLOL) won the 50kg Girl 3 and 36kg Boy 1 titles respectively. Lee Sherlock and Tara Dowling in the 57kg and 60kg were the silver medal winners.They are the finest results Clare boxers have achieved in the National Championships and a solid endorsement of the progress and attainment of the Ennis club in its anniversary year.Conor Doyle was making his debut in championship boxing this year and laid down a marker in the Munster tests in February with a couple of …

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Another year in Division 2

ERRORS at crucial stages cost dearly at Cusack Park on Saturday evening. As a result, Clare will compete in the lower division for a third year in 2012.Four points in front with 17 minutes remaining, the home side was in a strong position to pull off a surprise result against the competition favourites but they failed to maintain the form shown in the third quarter.Fighting back from being four points in arrear at the interval to lead by the same margin inside the final quarter, Clare failed to close out the game.The experience of manager Donal O’Grady played a huge role in Limerick’s resurgence as they outscored the home side 2-4 to 0-1 in the closing stages. John Conlon had caused huge  problems for the winners in the third quarter when he contributed four excellent points but the switch of Limerick captain Gavin O’Mahoney from full-back to the wing helped curb the Clare man. It also cut the supply of …

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Making a stand

The new 1,200-seater stand at Hennessy Memorial Park, which has been home to St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay GAA club since 1924, will be officially opened on Sunday by GAA President Christy Cooney. Since 1998, when tonnes of sand were transported from Doonbeg and poured into the redeveloped playing pitch, the playing surface in Miltown has been one of the best in the county. The only problem was when it rained. Players could move about on the pristine surface but the supporters had to huddle underneath available umbrellas. “I used to cringe when I’d come down here and see fellas under umbrellas,” John Reidy, the chairman of the stand development committee in Miltown, told The Clare Champion.  “We decided we’d build a stand. Mind you, there was some opposition to it too within the club because they felt that the field would be used more by county teams,” he added. Paddy Egan, club vice-chairman and director of Spanish Point Homes, who …

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Pressure off as ladies seek league title

HAVING run eventual All-Ireland champions Dublin very close in last year’s All-Ireland senior quarter-final in Tullamore, it was a bit of a comedown for the Clare ladies seniors to have to play their league football in Division 3. However, their relegation from Division 2 was of their own making and even before this Saturday’s Division 3 league final, they have improved their league status.Whatever the result in Parnell Park this weekend, Clare and Fermanagh will play Division 2 league football in 2012. Saturday’s final is a repeat of the 2009 All-Ireland Intermediate final, won by Clare in Croke Park. Clare’s progress to this year’s league final has been seamless. They won every game, bar drawing with Fermanagh in Clarecastle. That game finished Clare 1-18, Fermanagh 4-9. The scoreline indicates both Clare’s primary strength and their main weakness throughout the league. In seven games, Clare scored 20-98, while they conceded 13-66. Their priority this weekend, and especially when they play Cork …

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Ref ‘feared for his safety’ in U-21B semi-final incident

A leading Clare GAA referee “feared for his safety” at the end of the recent County U-21 B Hurling Championship semi-final in which Ballyea defeated St Joseph’s.In a detailed report, Kevin Walsh, one of the game’s longest-serving officials and a member of provincial and national referee’s committees, said in all his years as a referee, it was the first time he had worried for his safety.Arising from the report, suspensions of up to three months were proposed for a number of St Joseph’s members.During the tie, St Joseph’s defender Niall Hassett was dismissed and, after the final whistle, Shane O’Connor, another of the Doora-Barefield players, was red carded.One month suspensions were handed down to both players.Walsh also reported four St Joseph’s supporters and one team mentor following incidents after the game.Suspensions of two and three months were proposed for four St Joseph’s supporters. Ciaran O’Neill, Michael O’Connor and Donal Hassett each had three month suspensions proposed while a two month …

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Hickey makes national returns

Rory Hickey is back on the national referee’s senior championship panel. Omitted last year, Hickey and Laois man Eddie Kinsella, another who was left out last year, are included in this year’s list from which the referees for senior championship games will be appointed.The Éire Óg man has already refereed a number of high profile league games this season including the Division 3 final.

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Hurling ambassador role for Fitzgerald

DAVY Fitzgerald, the manager of the Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) senior hurling team, has been named as the first ambassador of hurling for LIT as part of the college’s promotion efforts.President of LIT, Dr Maria Hinfelaar made the announcement recently as a collection of hurling trophies were on display at the college. LIT has a unique link to the premier hurling competitions in 2010 and 2011, as a number of members of the winning teams attend the college.Inter-county players Eoin Kelly, Dennis Maher (Tipperary), Joe Canning (Galway), Gavin O’Mahony, Paul Browne (Limerick), Conor Cooney, Ronan Taaffe (Clare) and Jackie Tyrrell (Kilkenny) were all in attendance as the All-Ireland senior, All-Ireland and Munster U-21, Munster minor and 2011 league Division 2 trophies were displayed. LIT captured the Fitzgibbon Cup in their first appearance in the final in 2005. They were again successful in 2007 and were beaten finalists in 2009 and 2011. Among the other inter-county players who have represented …

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