Sports

A WEEK after hosting Féile na nGael, the national festival of U-14 hurling, camogie and handball, Clare can review the hosting of a very successful event.While there will be disappointment throughout the county that Clare didn’t win any honours in the top division in hurling or camogie, the hosts did have quite a bit of success over the weekend.Tulla won the Division 1 handball title, repeating the success achieved by their neighbours O’Callaghan’s Mills a year earlier.In the camogie, Éire Óg upset the odds when deservingly winning the Division 2 crown while both Wolfe Tones (Division 3) and Killanena (Division 4) were runners-up in their divisions.St Breckan’s won the Division 4 hurling title while Ogonnelloe were runners-up in Division 5.In conjunction with the Féile, Cumin na mBunscoil an Chlair officials Barbara Guilfoyle, Sheelagh Daffy and Sean O’Neill  organised a number of competitions and the results are listed below. Colouring competition1. Fionn Carmody, Clarecastle NS, senior infants; 2. Lara Begg, Quin …

SO Clooney-Quin took the two points in Round 2 of the Senior Hurling Championship but their second-half fade-out will give manager Pat O’Rourke something to think about over the next few weeks.At half-time, it looked like being a complete rout, Clooney-Quin leading by 0-13 to 1-2, with the score flattering the East Clare men more than the winners. However, with nine minutes to go, the deficit had been cut to just two points and the annihilation that had looked very possible hadn’t come to pass.From the off, the Scariff full-back line looked in trouble, Martin Duggan drawing a fine save from Brendan McNamara with just one minute gone, after he should have been headed off by defenders.Veteran Cathal Egan opened Clooney-Quin’s account in the second minute, after a lay    -off from Fergal Lynch, while two points from Derek Ryan and one from Martin Duggan gave them a 0-4 to 0-0 lead with less than five minutes gone.The tone was set …

THE race for the Clare U-21 A football championship title got underway last Sunday when title holders and favourites Cratloe made a winning start by accounting for St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield.When the final whistle sounded, the champions were 10 points clear after a disappointing contest in which goals from Joseph O’Connor (2), Dean De Loughrey and Conor McGrath helped them to a 4-5 to 1-4 victory. Cathal Nolan scored the Doora-Barefield goal.They will play their quarter-final tie this Friday, when their opponents will be Kildysart-Coolmeen. The mid-Clare amalgamation go into this tie without the benefit of a first-round game as their proposed clash with the amalgamation of Michael Cusacks-Tubber, Kilfenora and Liscannor did not materialise as the North Clare side failed to field.Ennistymon, another of the teams fancied to be in the shake-up for the title, got their campaign off to a winning start when they proved too strong for Éire Óg at Corofin.A Danny Rouine penalty early in the game …

THE Golden Vale Clare Community Games athletics finals were held on Sunday at a sunny Lees Road. After a short parade, the opening ceremony was addressed by County Chairman Fiach McHugh and by the Mayor of Clare, Councillor Tony Mulcahy. The Clare chairman congratulated all the children who participated in the area competitions while Councillor Mulcahy paid tribute to the volunteers for their efforts in promoting the games and for helping to give the children ‘a valuable outlet’.The Community Games pledge was read in Irish by Rianat Sobayo and in English by Aaron Bradley. Jamie Roche of Ennis lit the Flame of Light, a task performed by his mother Marie (Gormley) some years ago. Jamie went on to win his event, again repeating history, as Marie won the same event for girls the year she lit the flame. Doora-Barefield won the shield for the best mascot while the O’Sullivan family shield for the best turned out small area in the …

NICKY Duggan won the captain’s (Con Ryan) prize at Dromoland on Sunday. There was a huge turnout for the event and after 27 holes Duggan with 104.5 had a shot and a half to spare over Flan Downes. In third spot was Brian Hickey on 107.5 followed by John O’Connor on a similar score, Gay O’Gara on 108.5, and Leonard Shanahan on 109. Mark Reynolds won the gross with 74.Other prizewinners were Donnie Hassett 109 (over-18 handicaps), Brian Kelly 113 (past captains), John O’Donnell 32 nett (front nine), Declan O’Leary 30 nett (back nine, Jason Ryan 46 points (captain’s prize to the boys).Suzanne McConway was the winner of the captain’s (Corn Ryan) prize to the ladies at Dromoland. In this 18-hole stroke competition, Siobhan Dyar was second followed by Ann Nix and Julie Newman Joan Ryan won the gross.This week the North Munster mixed foursomes final is taking place in Lahinch and Dromoland will fly the Clare flag. Their opponents …

ENNIS Town Football Club’s Academy season has just ended and it was another great success.Club officers this week thanked all players and parents for their commitment to the academy during the year, when more than 180 players registered and more than 10 coaches were involved. Officials this week expressed delight at the fact that three of their U-17 players (former academy members) have completed their Kick-Start 1 coaching accreditation.The 2010/2011 season will start on Sunday, September 12, accepting players from U-4 to U-8. Further details can be had from the website www.ennistownfc.com. Important season to come for league Newly elected chairman of Clare soccer Paul Tuohy believes that the coming season will be a particularly important and busy one for the League“It’s a big year for the league given that we will be hosting the annual general meeting of the FAI next summer. That will involve a week long programme of events and the arrangements will be co-ordinated at this …

THE National Juvenile 2 x 2 Team Track and Field championships were held in Templemore on Saturday last with Kilmurry-Ibrickane/North Clare and Ennis Track Club well represented.Kilmurry-Ibrickane/North Clare took part in the 2 x 2 team boys’ U-11 600m. Caoilfhion O’Dea ran a great time of 1.56:85 to finish third and his running partner Cian Shannon produced another big race with a time of 2.02:09.  Their total time was 3.59:04, which earned them the bronze medals. The Kilmurry-Ibrickane/North Clare U-9 60m 2 x 2 team of Ben Whelehan and Michael Montgomery finished eighth Ennis Track Club competed in the boys’ U-10 4 x 100m and their team made up of Chibkem Okeye, Lateef Akinwale, Gabreil Kehinde and James McGuire produced a mighty performance to take a silver medal. ResultsBoysU-10 2 x 2 team4 x 100m relay2. Ennis Track (Chibkem Okeye, Lateef Akinwale, Gabreil Kehinde, James McGuire).U-11 2 x 2 team600m3. Kilmurry-Ibrickane/North Clare (Caoilfhionn O’Dea (1.56:95); Cian Shannon (2.02:09) = (3.59:04). …

DALCASH Dvinsky was again at her brilliant best when capturing the Sporting Press Irish Oaks title for 2010 in Shelbourne Park last Saturday night. It was a performance worthy of the big occasion and after her unbeaten run in the event coupled with a similar display when winning the the Olympic Bee Puppy Oaks some weeks ago, Fr Jack Meade’s black daughter of Ace Hi Rumble-Dalcash Diva surely deserved to be crowned queen of the track.Owned, bred and trained by Fr Jack from the Miltown Malbay parsh, Dalvash Dvinsky won it the hard way. She was in hot company in all her heats but came through with flying colours and winning performances.Again, the September 2008 black faced a severe test in the final last Saturday night when a good case could be made for all six finalists. Drawn in trap four, she had a lively start and in the run to the opening bend, was joined by Clearview Kelly in …