Sports

As part of their recently held annual meeting, the Irish Ladies Golfing Union presented various awards for the outstanding achievements of last year. Included among the recipients was Spanish Point girl Sinéad Sexton, who won the ILGU Order of Merit title as best girl golfer in the country for 2010.At just 17 years of age, Sinéad’s progress since taking up golf has been extraordinary, so much so that in the three years she has been competing, her handicap has improved from 36 to her current playing handicap of three. She has been a member of the Munster girls’ inter-provincial team for the past two years and last year was undefeated in her six matches against the top girls from the three other provinces. Her matchplay expertise is such that as a member of the Lahinch Munster Championship-winning ladies’ senior cup team, she played at number one, winning three of her four matches, and was undefeated in her matches as the …

Rock Rovers  2 Newmarket Celtic  3 NEWMARKET Celtic strengthened their grip on the premier league with this hard-fought victory over another of the title contenders, Rock Rovers, at Lees Road on Sunday.The winners were two goals ahead after half an hour, the first coming from Conor Ryan after 15 minutes and the second from Mark Donlon on the half hour. These scores separated the teams at half-time.Fifteen minutes into the second half, Rock pulled one back when Daryl Eade converted a penalty. Shortly afterwards, Newmarket restored their two-goal advantage when Mike O’Malley scored. Rock piled on the pressure and a Shane Daniels header closed the gap.Twenty minutes from the end, Rock were reduced to 10 men when Graham Glynn was sent off. They finished the game with nine men after Jason White had to retire due to injury at a time when they had used their complement of substitutes. Rock Rovers: Stephen Loftus; Ciarán Russell, Ronan Judge, Shane Daniels, Eoin …

Moher Celtic  3 Inch Crusaders  2 MOHER Celtic captured the points when they accounted for Inch Crusaders in this second-division tie on Sunday.They took the lead through Barry McGovern but Inch, who lost Conor Neylon to injury after just five minutes, hit back and levelled through Gavin Cording who was making his debut for the club, who got on the end of a Pádraig Talty cross.Inch then lost John Clohessy to injury and while they were on top for the next 10 minutes, they failed to turn this into scores.Two goals from Paul Cagney gave the North Clare side control and while Inch pulled one back through Pádraig Talty after good work by his twin brother, Seán, and Michael Pyne. The visitors missed a great chance to level just before the break. Moher Celtic: Alan McDonagh; Davy Commane, James Murphy, Declan Fawl, David McDonagh; Willie Murphy Robert Lucas, Damian Finnucane, Barry McGovern Cohen Phillipson, Paul Cagney.Subs: Jack Queally, Brendan McMahon.Inch …

In a relatively short time on the coursing scene, members of the ATM syndicate from Clarecastle have achieved a lot. To say that they have been prolific winners is putting it mildly as between 2002 and the present season they have won the Derby, Corn na Feile and several trial stakes with a haul of 17 cups. Quite a coursing feat, especially as they have not put too many dogs through their hands during that time.When they make the trip to Clonmel next Monday will be a return visit in every sense of the word as Murty’s Return is the name of the dog they hope will bring them further Derby honours.The South Clare qualifier will be representing the now well established ATM Syndicate of Anthony Daly, Tommy Howard and Michael Daly from Clarecastle and trainer, Gerry Holian, who are no strangers to the winner’s arena on final day in Powerstown Park.The history of the ATM-Holian association goes back to …

With the exception of the all-age stakes, the draw for the national coursing meeting in Clonmel next week has not been too unkind to Clare owners.Windfarm Eiscir, trained by Pat Curtin of Ballygodoon Stud for Ennis owner, Clare Eustace was unlucky in the draw for the Classic Club Champion Stakes as he came out of the hat with the well-fancied Kyle Basil, representing the Field family from Patrickswell. Kyle Basil was the top qualifier for the Champion Stakes with a total prize money of €9,500. Although Windfarm Eiscir came in at the bottom of the list, anything is possible as far as the East Donegal and South Clare cup winner is concerned and a first round upset cannot be ruled out.In the Grace Bruton Memorial Champion Bitch Stakes (8) the Paddy Marrinan (Miltown Malbay) owned and trained Atlantic Ashmore has a first round date with Class Attraction who won cups in Carlow and Ennis-Clarecastle and ran up for the final …

Year after year familiar names appear on the Clonmel coursing card. However, Michael Nestor from Miltown Malbay will be a new name for 2011 and he qualified for the national meeting after realising a life long ambition at the Galway-Oranmore meeting last November.Masonbrook Meadows was the venue for his dream come true when Knockbrack Eoin won the final of the Derby trial stake. The attendance was understandably small after the venue was rain-lashed the previous day so that there were no wild scenes of excitement when the son of Bexhill Eoin-Denham Blonde survived a good final. Nonetheless there were the few usual hardy souls from Clare there to cheer and congratulate Michael. His years of disappointment were a thing of the past when Knockbrack Eoin ended the long wait.Michael was a cup winner in the past, won several duffer stakes and also tasted success at the track. However, the trial stake win at Loughrea was “unreal,” he said.It was looking …

The Clare Sports Partnership and Clare Athletics Association 5k Frostbite Road Race Series continued in Scariff last week and, once again, proved a huge success with a fine turnout from Clare, Kerry, Limerick, Cork, Loughrea and a big representation from Scariff Meet and Train group.Taking an early lead was Irish international Liam Reale (Limerick A), who went through the 1k in 3.10, with Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy) and Adrian Lenihan (Duhallow) chasing the leader followed by Willie Devitt (Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare), Paul Daly (St John’s), and Ambrose Heagney (Kilnaboy). Reale went through the 3k mark in 9.34 and he crossed the finish line in Scariff with a time of 16.03. Michael Shannon worked hard over the next 2k to take second spot in 16.58 with Adrian Linehan third in 18.23. The ladies race was dominated by Ennis Track Club athletes and Veronica Colleran, winner of the 5k series in Mullagh, set the pace from the start and was always in control …

  Scariff  8  Abbeyfeale  3 Scariff strengthened their chances of promotion from the third division with a hard-earned but merited win over Abbeyfeale at the East Clare club’s venue on Sunday.This was Scariff’s first competitive match in seven weeks and it showed, with handling errors and overall rustiness in set plays. Abbeyfeale went 3-0 ahead early on with a penalty but Scariff responded well with prolonged pressure in the Abbeyfeale 22, which was rewarded with a try from second-row Rory Slattery. The conversion was missed but James Kelly added a penalty before the break to leave it 8-3. In a scoreless second half, Trevor Kelly came closest for the home side. Scariff spent the last 10 minutes defending their line as Abbeyfeale piled on pressure in an attempt to get the levelling score. This Sunday, Coirce Duibhne (Dingle) visit Cravens Field in the junior cup and the following Sunday it is a top-of-the-table league clash with Presentation in Ruthard.Scariff: Joe …