Sports

KILDARE man, Niall Browne is one of the three footballers to have linked up with Clare under the GAA’s parentage rule. Browne, who plays with Kildare junior club Two Mile House, started at wing-forward against Kerry in the McGrath Cup final. He ended up at midfield at the start of the second half, having also spent first-half minutes in the full-forward line. Browne, who works in recruitment in Kildare and Dublin, is eligible to play for Clare because his mother Nancy Hassett is from Cooraclare.Before he joined the Clare panel he had travelled in Australia with county captain, Gordon Kelly and Ennistymon’s Laurence Healy.“I went travelling with them in Australia for a good few months and I got to know them very well. We were all interested in football and spent a lot of time talking about it,” the 28-year-old former Kildare footballer told The Clare Champion.This was how Micheál McDermott became aware of Browne’s Clare connection. Once Central Council …

FROM the moment the draws for the play-off stages of this season’s Dr Harty Cup (Munster Colleges Senior A Hurling Championship) were made, the possibility of a meeting  between title holders, Ard Scoil Rís, Limerick and competition specialists, St Flannan’s sparked huge excitement.With both winning their quarter-finals last week, the stage is set for what could well prove to be one of the games of the season as they meet in the semi-final on Sunday.The Gaelic Grounds in Limerick will host both semi-finals, with the clash of Ard Scoil and Flannan’s opening proceedings at 2pm to be followed by the meeting of Our Lady’s Templemore and Charleville CBS at 3.30pm. Noel Cosgrove, Tipperary will referee the Flannan’s v Ard Scoil game, with Limerick’s Mike O’Connor in charge of the other semi-final.Leaders in the Harty Cup roll of honour with 21 titles to their credit, St Flannan’s haven’t won the title since 2005. Last year’s win by the Limerick school, who …

The effects emigration is having on GAA clubs in the county was highlighted again at this week’s county board meeting when a letter from Wolfe Tones was read.The Shannon club outlined that only 14 of last year’s senior panel of 25 will be available this year due to emigration and retirements. As a result, 11 members of their intermediate panel will be promoted to the senior squad, along with three from their junior B panel. “This will leave six or seven of our intermediate team from last year in limbo,” the letter said.They will not be in a position to field at intermediate level and instead of having three adult teams, they will now have two. They proposed that in addition to a senior team, they would field at junior A level. Addressing the delegates, Wolfe Tones delegate Joe Kelly said, “In the last 24 hours two more of our players have indicated that they plan to emigrate to Canada …

  The Clare ladies’ opening Division 3 football league fixture against Down in Cooraclare on Sunday wasn’t preoccupying David O’Brien on Monday. News that Fernando Torres had definitely left Liverpool for Chelsea and that Andy Carroll was swapping the Newcastle number nine for that of Liverpool, at a cost of £35m sterling, took the Clare manager’s mind off the weekend league fixture. Nearly as fanatical about how Liverpool are getting on as he is preparing the Clare senior ladies’ football, the Miltown publican didn’t appear to lament Torres’ departure too much. “Fernando who?” O’Brien retorted when asked if Liverpool would miss the Spanish World Cup winner. The manager’s memory was significantly sharper when discussing the 2011 Clare ladies’ football panel. David O’Brien revealed that the county panel will be short a few key players themselves. Some short term, some for longer.  “This weekend, we’re without Michelle Delaney, Lorraine Kelly, Áine Kelly and Rachel Lenihan. “They’ll be out for another few …

Tulla United B 1 Cratloe Forest 5 Alistair McMillan and Gearóid Ryan each scored two goals as Cratloe Forest became the first team to progress to second round of the Clare Junior Cup when they overcame Tulla United B at the Cragg on Sunday morning. Martin McMillan was the other goalscorer for the winners while Cathal Dinan replied for the home side.Cratloe will have home advantage against Shannon Olympic B in round two. Tulla United B: Trevor McInerney; Phil Browne, John Horne, Brian Murphy, Eamon Howley; Niall Leamy, Gerry Ryan, Cathal Dinan, Brian Canny; Owen Ryan, Damien Hanrahan.Subs: Martin Floyd for Hanrahan, Joe Joe Floyd for Canny.Cratloe Forest: Sean Murphy; Chris McGrath, Philip Counihan, Michael Hawes, Padraig Chaplin; Sean Chaplin, Kane O’Shea, David Quinn, Alistair MacMillan; Martin MacMillan, Gearóid Ryan. Cup action continues Nine first round games will dominate proceedings this Sunday when title-holders Avenue United will be away to West Clare United in Kilrush.Kilrush Rangers make the journey to …

Rineanna Rovers A 1Newmarket Celtic 3 Newmarket Celtic continued their winning ways in the premier league when they recorded a comfortable win over neighbouring rivals Rineanna Rovers on Sunday.The winners led 2-0 at half-time thanks to Mike O’Malley and an own goal. Early in the second half, Newmarket stretched their advantage when Davy Wall scored. Rineanna’s reply came from Pat Fahy shortly before the final whistle. Rineanna Rovers: Jason Casey; Neil Mills, Pat Fahy, Dean Richter, Enda Kelly; Ciaran Keane, Johnnie Okoru, John Earls, Gary O’Connell, Brian Kelly, Sean O’Connor.Subs: Danny Sweeney, Niall Murphy.Newmarket Celtic A: Marty Whelan; Mark O’Malley, Liam Murphy, Mark Donlon, Eoin O’Brien, Mike Devitt, Mike O’Malley, Michael Crosby, Seamus Lawlor, Eoin Hayes, Davy Wall.Subs: Paudie Hayes, Kieran Devitt, David O’Grady. Bridge United A 2Tulla United A 0 Bridge United A proved too strong for Tulla A in Sixmilebridge on Sunday.After a scoreless first half, the winners took the lead when substitute Trevor Maxwell scored 15 minutes …

Shannon Olympic A 1Bridge United B 1 Shannon Olympic continued their unbeaten run in the first division with an entertaining draw against near neighbours Bridge United B in Shannon on Sunday.Played on a cold but bright afternoon, the league leaders had to come from behind to secure a point that maintained their position at the top of the league against a spirited Sixmilebridge who, based on this performance, do not deserve to be bottom of the league.The away side started the game brightly with impressive front man Gavin Downes and pacy winger, Brendan Murphy causing the Olympic back four plenty of problems. At the back, veteran Albert Finnan organised the defence expertly, Barry Deasy also impressed in goal.The sides exchanged chances early on with Gavin and Barry Downes having chances for the Bridge, while for Olympic, Jimmy Houlihan, Ray Quigley and Karl Scott should have done better.In the 15th minute Gavin Downes controlled the ball in the Olympic box and …