Sports

Clare Post Primary Schools U-15 Hurling Cup Final Ardscoil Rís 6-12 St Flannan’s College, Ennis 1-4 A salvo of goals at the start of each half sealed an ultimately easy win in the Clare Post Primary schools U-15 Division 1 Cup over St Flannan’s in Gurteen on Thursday night, reports Michael O’Connor. Ground conditions were very much playable but the northern cold wind and the spitting rain at time gave no comfort to spectators and players alike. Six of the starting Na Piarsaigh players were from Sixmilebridge and Cratloe and were to the fore in this win contributing 4-7 of the winner’s tally. Ardscoil Rís played aided by the strong wind in the first-half as St Flannan’s defended in depth yet there was absolutely nothing within the powers of the St Flannan’s players that could contain the hard running attack of Ardscoil led by Cratloe’s Marc O’Brien. The first score came after two minutes with a goal by Cillian Murphy …

West Clare Taekwon-do club is celebrating as Luke Moriarty, Danny Gallagher and Odin McNulty all claimed medals at the European Taekwon-do ITF Championships in Spain, writes Ivan Smyth. With a strong Clare presence in La Nucia, Spain, West Clare Taekwon-do Club managed to secure their first ever European medals. Danny Gallagher secured gold in the junior male -50kg sparring as he produced a series of impressive performances to be crowned the best in Europe. Meanwhile, Luke Moriarty, who is an instructor with the club, managed to secure gold in the senior male team sparring. There was strong representation on the team with Shane Tuite (Quin Taekwon-do), Jamie Williams (Shannon Taekwon-do) and Leard Xheladini, Bartosz Bien and Kamil Falowski (all Newlands Taekwon-do). Odin McNulty became the first member of the club to ever secure a European medal when he scooped silver in the junior male patterns. He backed this up by being part of the Irish team that secured bronze in …

TONY Kelly is one of only three hurlers from outside of Limerick to be named on the 2021 All Star team. The Ballyea man was named at corner forward and it is third All Star, with the others having come in 2013 and 2020. Kelly was in outstanding form during the 2021 season and his selection had been widely expected. Limerick won the 2021 All Ireland with some ease, and that has been reflected with an incredible 12 of their team being named All Stars. Other than Kelly, the only other non Limerick inclusions are Kilenny’s Eoin Murphy and Conor Prunty of Waterford. In an interview with the Champion this week, Kelly said he feels Clare can enjoy a good 2022. “We are confident we are moving in the right direction. Clare were a puck of a ball away from beating Cork who got to the All-Ireland final. I know Cork got a trimming in the All-Ireland final but that …

Munster Senior D Post-Primary Schools Football Championship Round 2 St Joseph’s Spanish Point 2-7 St Anne’s Killaloe 1-7 A superb 24 hours for St Joseph’s Spanish Point was initiated on Wednesday afternoon when demonstrating their resolve to hold off a stubborn St Anne’s Killaloe in Ballina, reports Eoin Brennan. A gritty victory, cemented with a late brace of points qualified the West Clare college to the last eight of the Munster Senior D Championship against Salesian College, Pallaskenry. That buoyancy would be copperfastened when their Under 15 side shaded an inch-tight contest with Scoil Mhuire agus Ide, Newcastlewest yesterday (Thursday) to advance to the provincial Under 15D decider against Cork’s St Brogan’s College. All seemed to be going according to plan for their senior side when belying the strong conditions and their 90 minute trip to lead their hosts by 1-3 to 0-4 by half-time. Benefitting from a slice of fortune just before the water break when Joe Campbell’s effort …

WITH Crusheen having successfully appealed the structure of the senior hurling relegation competition, Clarecastle chairman Niall Tuohy said his club are writing to the county board to express the view that the competition was not legitimate and must be deemed void for all four clubs that were involved. Clarecastle lost all their three games in the relegation competition, leaving them bottom of the four team group, behind Crusheen, O’Callaghan’s Mills and Clooney/Quin each of which finished on four points. While Crusheen were also to be relegated on scoring difference, they took an appeal to the Munster Council, as at the competition’s outset it was understood that scoring difference would not be used as a means of separating sides who were level on points. That appeal was successful and the matter has to go back to Clare county board for a resolution. “We were entered into a competition that has been deemed to have been improper and every one of the …

AN objection brought by Crusheen GAA club following its relegation from the senior hurling championship has been upheld at Munster Council level. The Crusheen appeal centred on the structure of the relegation competition, focusing on the use of scoring difference as a means of separating teams, something that had been ruled out at the competition’s beginning. With the Munster Council having upheld the appeal, the matter will now be referred back to Clare County Board for a solution. Crusheen were relegated after finishing the relegation competition on four points from a possible six. While they were level on points with both Clooney/Quin and O’Callaghan’s Mills, Crusheen were relegated as they had the weakest scoring difference of the three . However, at the outset of the relegation competition it was understood that scoring difference would not be used as a means of separating teams, and Crusheen had actually played two of their three games before there was a move to change …

A winners-takes-all showdown for a place in the inaugural Clare U-15A Post-Primary Schools Championship Final between Gort Community School and St Flannan’s Blue commences a much-anticipated final round of group matches this evening (Tuesday) in Caherlohan at 7pm, reports Eoin Brennan. With Ardscoil Rís awaiting the victors in the Cup decider on Thursday week (December 9), it promises to be a thrilling conclusion to this new developmental initiative that has provided 30 preparatory matches for over 300 boys ahead of their provincial championships in the New Year. Limerick side Ardscoil, Rís, backed by an eleven strong Clare contingent, are the only unbeaten team remaining in the competition ahead of their final round against St Flannan’s White in Shannon on Thursday evening at 7pm. Indeed, Gort and St Flannan’s Blue’s only defeat was at the hands of the tabletoppers, with a win or draw enough for Gort to advance to the flagship final whereas the loser will contest the Shield decider. …

ST JOSEPH’S Tulla’s breakthrough to a Dr Harty Cup Quarter-Final in dramatic circumstances on Wednesday afternoon was the apex of an encouraging afternoon for East Clare, reports Eoin Brennan. Scariff Community College eased into the last eight of the Senior C Hurling Championship after overcoming neighbours St Anne’s Killaloe by 3-22 to 1-14 and are still on track for a Senior and Junior C double Also through to the quarter-finals as CBS Ennistymon (Senior C) and Ennistymon Vocational School (Senior E) while St Caimin’s Shannon can join them this afternoon (Thursday) when traveling to Tipperary Town to take on Abbey CBS in the Senior B Championship. Rice College will contest next Wednesday’s Junior B Hurling Semi-Final against Cork’s Charleville CBS but St John Bosco, Kildysart went one significant step further by brushing off the challenge of Mungret Community College to advance to the Under 15E Football Final against Gaelcholáiste Mhuire an Mhainistír Thuaigh (Cork) in a fortnight’s time. Munster Post-Primary …