Sports

NEIGHBOURS and arch rivals, Sixmilebridge and Cratloe, will contest the final of the U-21A hurling championship following their hard-earned semi-final victories over Inagh-Kilnamona and Newmarket respectively last Saturday. Both losing semi-finalists will rue missed chances and this is particularly true of Newmarket who had a total of 13 wides on the day. Sixmilebridge 1-17 Inagh-Kilnamona 2-12 SIXMILEBRIDGE were the better-balanced side in this semi-final played at Clarecastle but they had to work hard to shake off a determined Inagh-Kilnamona outfit.All six of the Sixmilebridge forwards got on the scoresheet and this proved decisive as just two of the Inagh-Kilnamona attack managed to score on a day when they depended hugely on Niall Arthur for scores. He didn’t disappoint and finished with a tally of 1-10 but the ’Bridge were deserving winners.Points were exchanged twice in the early minutes before the winners opened a two-point gap. A Niall Arthur goal gave his side a one-point advantage but Sixmilebridge captain Shane Golden …

Clare 0-20 Wicklow 1-17 The footballers’ Division 4 campaign wound up in Aughrim last Sunday with a draw against the home county. A very late Leighton Glynn goal rescued a point for Wicklow, who drew four league games in total and only lost one. Prior to the equalising goal, Joe Hayes made a number of top-class saves to keep Clare ahead until Glynn eventually found a way beyond the Lissycasey goalkeeper. After eight games, Clare finished up on seven points, ahead of Kilkenny, London and Leitrim, who still have to play London. If they win that game, they will overtake Clare, leaving Micheál McDermott’s team third from the bottom of Division 4. Clare played some excellent attacking football in Aughrim with David Tubridy firing five points, four from play, while Gary Brennan continued his excellent scoring form, kicking four points from midfield. Clare led by four points, 0-11 to 0-7, at half-time and held that lead for all but a …

BALLYEA and O’Callaghan’s Mills were the winners when the U-21B hurling semi-finals were played on Saturday but the main talking point concerned incidents after the game in which Ballyea beat St Joseph’s at Éire Óg.Referee Kevin Walsh, who had sent off St Joseph’s defender Niall Hassett before the end of the third quarter, issued a red card to St Joseph’s forward Shane O’Connor after the final whistle. It is also understood that he reported at least one St Joseph’s supporter following incidents after the game in which seven cards were shown to St Joseph’s players.The referee’s report is expected to come before the CCC of Clare GAA this week. Ballyea 0-14 St Joseph’s 1-8 BALLYEA qualified for their second final in three years by overcoming a strong challenge from St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield at the Éire Óg grounds last Saturday. Doora-Barefield got off to a good start and were first on the scoreboard with a point from play from Jarlath Colleran …

Feakle/Killanena 5-12 Sixmilebridge 3-9 FEAKLE/Killanena qualified for the U-21C final after a hard-fought 5-12 to 3-9 victory over Sixmilebridge at Gurteen on Saturday evening.Two goals shortly before half-time proved vital and helped them to a nine-point lead at the break. Shortly after the break, a Gary Guilfoyle goal sent them further ahead and from here on, there was no way back for the ’Bridge. The eventual victors had a number of positional changes from the side that defeated Ennistymon in the quarter-final, while Sixmilebridge had one change to their line-up with David Murphy coming in for Brian Carey, who earlier in the day lined out with the U-21A side.The East Clare amalgamation got off the mark first with scores from Gary Guilfoyle (free) and Ronan McGuinness before Sean Lynch opened Sixmilebridge’s account.The ’Bridge took the lead when Michael Reddan raced through the East Clare side’s defence to give Eibhear Quilligan no chance. However, this lead was short lived with McGuinness …

ST Joseph’s, Tulla won their first U-15C Corn Solo title in Charleville on Tuesday with victory over Rochestown College, Cork City.

The president’s (Michael Bermingham) prize was played for at Doonbeg Links on Sunday and was won by Kieran Golden with 39 points. He had one to spare from Pat O’Malley with John McGuire in third spot, also with 39 points while James Griffin was next with 35 points. The nines were won by Kevin Hayes and Vivian Killeen while Timmy Killeen won the gross.  Other prizewinners were Stephen O’Mahony (longest drive), Declan Conway (nearest the pin) and Noel Ferry from Ballybofey and Stranorlar Golf Club in Donegal, who won the guest’s prize. The presentation was held in Darby’s Bar and was followed by entertainment provided by Liam Breen and his band.KilrushConor Egan (13) was the winner of the Paddy Ryan open singles at Kilrush on Sunday with an impressive 41 points. He had two to spare over David Egan (13) with Paddy O’Shea (22) a point further back in third spot.In last week’s ladies’ competition, Kathleen O’Brien was the winner …

TEN Clare boxers travelled to Mitchelstown last Saturday and Sunday with hopes of annexing at least four titles from the Munster juvenile championships, which were held over the two days, and were delighted with a 50% success rate.Ennis mentors, Tommy Lyons, Sean Carrig and Danny Fitzpatrick and Kilfenora stalwart, Pat McCormack were pleased with the individual and collective performances of the champions, Keelan Sexton, Conor Doyle, Brian McDonagh and Tara Dowling from the Ennis club and Shannon Murrihy from Kilfenora. There was success also for Paddy Donovan, who boxes out of the OLOL club in Limerick but does his sparring in the Ennis club.There was disappointment for hot favourite, Mike McDonagh from Ennis, whose star shone brighter through last year when he remained unbeaten in 12 contests. Kilfenora brothers, Gary and Darren Ruane also produced the performances of their lives to reach the semi-finals and final respectively and Darren, in particular, embellished his reputation with a quarter-final victory, before being …

TWO weeks ago, Raju Singh and all of India went berserk as the country won their second ever cricket World Cup. This week, the New Delhi man, who lives in Shannon and works in Limerick, has a more basic cricketing issue to deal with. A member of the County Clare Cricket Club, who share a playing pitch with Shannon Hibernian FC, at the back of the Ballycasey Craft Centre, Raju and his clubmates are looking for a new home. Rental costs have escalated and the club, which won a Munster Division 2 league title in 2009, is finding it hard to nail down specific times for training or playing. “We’re looking for another ground. It would be nice to have our own field,” Raju told The Clare Champion this week. Ideally, the new ground would be in Shannon or Ennis but they are not fussy.  “We don’t mind driving,” he said. “There’s a lot of interest in Clare. We have …