Sports

THE week leading up to last Saturday’s All-Ireland hurling was an extremely hard week for Galway coach Pat O’Connor. “To be against Clare and, more particularly with Patrick’s involvement, made it twice as hard,” said the Tubber man as he reflected on Saturday’s thrilling contest.

CRATLOE and Ennistymon’s rate of progression on the underage football field will be in evidence again this Thursday evening, when the clubs meet in the 2009 U-21A county final in Cusack Park. The clubs met in last year’s minor A final in Cooraclare, with Cratloe winning their first ever title, at that level, on a 0-11 to 1-6 scoreline. Twelve months before that, Ennistymon defeated the South-East Clare club by a point in the 2007 minor semi-final. They subsequently defeated Kilmurry Ibrickane in the minor A decider.

Liscannor 2-11 Shannon Gaels 4-1 LISCANNOR’S ability to kick points was the telling difference in last Saturday’s Intermediate Ladies’ Football final in Miltown.

COACHING structures within the county, the management of the various development squads, the participation of the various schools within the county in colleges’ competition and the link-up between adult and underage structures in the county, are just some of the areas to be examined by a special committee being set up to look at the state of Clare football. This was the outcome of a special county board meeting held on Tuesday night at the West County Hotel, Ennis.

Ennis man, Adam Leyden, fought his way to into the history books on Sunday, becoming the only fighter in the Irish Kickboxing Federation to hold titles in two different weight classes. He added the All-Ireland light welterweight title to the national lightweight belt he won in March 2007.

FRANK Doherty’s frustration with the attitudes which have helped to drive Clare football into the bottom half of division 4, is increasing weekly.