Senior Hurling Final

Clare have played eight Munster finals in Limerick, but have yet to taste success with the 1955 final meeting in the Gaelic Grounds being among the most famous, or infamous, deciders of them all writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh. “THOSE AMAZING Clare hurlers have done it again,” gushed one of the great GAA reporters of the time, Pádraig Puirséal, as the Banner boys cut a dash in the Gaelic Grounds and at once looked on the cusp of greatness. Munster and All-Ireland titles were being talked about. And why not? “We had the All-Ireland sewn up,” recalled Jimmy Carney from Bealaha, who played left-half-forward for Clare. “I was 19 years of age and all I had on my mind was an All-Ireland medal,” he added. It was Carney’s goal against Tipperary that lit up the Gaelic Grounds before they edged home to one-point victory thanks to a late white flag from Jimmy Smyth. All that after they’d edged past Cork by …

Árdscoil Rís in Limerick has made a huge contribution to the development of Clare and Limerick hurling over the past decade and more and the imprint of the school will be all over this Sunday’s Munster final, writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh, who spoke to Ennistymon man Niall Crowe about a success story that keeps on running. When Paul Flanagan joined the staff of Árdscoil Rís a number of years ago it wasn’t long before he came across a picture montage outside the school gym that brought back a few memories. They were shots in celebration of Árdscoil’s first coming as a force in Munster Colleges hurling, even if it was at Paul Flanagan’s expense, and his Ballyea club mate’s Tony Kelly too. “We were looking at them one day,” recalls fellow teacher and Clareman Niall Crowe and Paul just pointed at one picture and said, ‘that’s me there’. Straight away you could make him out because of the distinctive red …

Mike O’Neill from Kilkee may have been involved with Na Piarsaigh in Limerick for many years but he’s a Clare hurling man to his very core – he told Joe Ó Muircheartaigh that the Banner boys will feel at home in the Gaelic Grounds because the dividing line between the two counties is the River Shannon. “Ye’re getting cocky, coming to Limerick.” “We’re the only crowd that beat ye and we beat ye in the Gaelic Grounds.” It was Wednesday of last week and this was the main business of the telephone conversation between Shane O’Neill and Mike O’Neill – a hurling son and his hurling father. And, hurling soulmates for sure – they’re even club mates as well, with both fiercely loyal to the sky blue of Na Piarsaigh in Caherdavin. But that’s where the hurling kinship ends. After that battle lines are drawn and they keep either side of the county boundaries between Clare and Limerick. Shane is …

John Kelly was in Cusack Park as Ballyea defeated Éire Óg by 2-14 to 1-16 in the Clare senior hurling championship final

Eoin Brennan reports from Cusack Park as Ballyea found an extra gear to retain their title against Éire Óg on a score of 2-14 to 1-16 Ballyea’s title-winning know-how proved essential once more when firing the last four points to pip neighbours Éire Óg to the Clare Senior Hurling Championship post in Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon. Having successfully come from behind in their previous three Canon Hamilton triumphs since 2016, one shouldn’t have doubted the champions. However, having hit three successive wides in the final ten minutes, Ballyea still trailed by three by the 58th minute but still refused to yield. Points from substitute Martin O’Leary and a Tony Kelly ’65 were supassed by the decisive moment of the contest in injury-time when Kelly’s excellent hook stopped Shane O’Donnell from firing Éire Óg two clear, only for Paul Flanagan to pick up the break and unleash Cathal O’Connor to equalise from halfway. With that, Niall Deasy earned and converted …

Eoin Brennan believes Ballyea’s guile and experience may just see them over the line against Éire Óg in the Clare Senior Hurling Championship Final Much has been made of the rarity of Ballyea and Éire Óg’s clashes but while the concentration has been on the Townies’ early spanner in the works of Ballyea’s momentous 2016 season, what hasn’t really been dwelled on was that Ballyea actually relegated their neighbours in 2008. Five points down with only minutes remaining in their understandably anxious relegation decider in Clarecastle, Ballyea somehow pulled it out of the fire to devastate Éire Óg and leave them in the tricky waters of intermediate for three seasons. The question is how would Ballyea’s narrative have altered had they been the ones to go down as with a rich crop of talent coming through, it was essential for Tony Griffin and Co. to hang onto their senior status by whatever means neccessary. Fast forward 14 years and the …

The newest member of Ballyea’s well-oiled backroom machine also shares the bulk of the coaching responsibilities. Adrian O’Brien’s initial Strength & Conditioning role for 2021 has been fleshed out to include hurling coaching in what has been another storming season thus far for the holders. Being the first time that Ballyea have reached back-to-back finals, their latest historic leap is one that Limerick native O’Brien modestly isn’t willing to take credit for. “To be honest, I’d never get too excited about the good days or too low about the bad ones because in reality we are just there to support the players. “Once these lads get to senior level, the majority of work is done so it’s the lads who coached and mentored them from Under 6 all the way up to minor and Under 21 that should take most of the credit. “From a strength and conditioning standpoint, a big part of the remit here is just managing training …

This is uncharted territory for Éire Óg’s current crop of hurlers. In a first Senior County hurling final since 2000 and trying to end a 32 year wait since last lifting the Canon Hamilton, Éire Óg manager Matt Shannon believes the Townies’ win over Sixmilebridge was an example of how perseverance pays off as the club prepare for an historic occasion on Sunday. “You need to get the breaks along the way and maybe we got one or two there at the end, but I firmly believe if you keep knocking on the door that you will be hoping eventually that the door will open. That was our third semi final so maybe we had served our time to get over the line.” Éire Óg have unlocked one door but another one remains to be broken through as they try and dethrone the reigning senior hurling champions Ballyea. Madden is relishing the challenge of trying to down the champions as …