Chess golds for Shannon

St Flannan’s College was the venue for the Clare Community Games chess competitions for U-12 and U-16 age groups last Sunday. Competitions were co-ordinated by John Cassidy from Ennis.
Eleven teams took part in the U-12 competition while seven took part at U-16 level. The standard of competition was high but it was evident from the start that Shannon had extremely good teams. Shannon won the gold medals in both age groups and now go forward to represent Clare in the Munster finals in UL on March 31.
In the U-12 semi-finals, Shannon played Ennis St John’s B, beating them 5-0, while Quin/Clooney beat An Droichead 31/2 to 11/2. Shannon beat Quin/Clooney 4-1 in the final while Ennis St John’s B beat An Droichead by the same score in the third and fourth-place play-off.
In the U-16 semi-finals Shannon also met the Ennis B side and beat them 5-0, while Quin/Clooney beat the Ennis St John’s A side 3-2. In the final, Shannon accounted for Quin/Clooney 4-1 while the Ennis St John’s B team beat Ennis St John’s A 3-2.

The members of the teams are:
U-12: 1. Shannon A: Hazel Meaney, Joshua Cesar, Jessica Danaher, Thomas Power, Jake O’Malley, Ronan Singapurwala.
2. Quin/Clooney: Adam Deegan, Cian Wall, Jack Duggan, Oisín McCaffrey, David Barbotin, Killian Wall.
3. Ennis St John’s: Stephen Kennedy, James Costelloe, Manus Doherty, Darren O’Brien, Mark McInerney, Sean O’Brien.
4. An Droichead: Jordan Conlan, Conor Mulready, Paul Lyons, Darren Hawes, Aaron Conlan, Eimear Hannon.
U-16: 1. Shannon: Robbie Meaney, Kevin Singapurwala, David Hanly, Joseph Cesar, Samuel Lenihan, Ross O’Connor, Darragh Danaher.
2. Quin/Clooney: Stephen Frain, Alan Culligan, Donal O’Criodain, Kevin Reynolds, Tiarnan Boyce, Emma Deegan, Cathal Lennon.
3. Ennis B: Chris Terziyski, Colm Shanahan, Katie Shannon, Leon Moloney, Jack Connolly.
4. Ennis A: Brendan O’Connor, Niamh Hogan, Shona McDonald, Hernan Lopez, Aaron Lillis, Lisa Goldstein, Jack O’Connor.

Grandmaster visit
A grandmaster from England will give a lecture next Wednesday at 7.30pm in the Auburn Lodge Hotel. Nigel Short is one of the top grandmasters in the world and recently won the Gibraltar tournament, which is one of the biggest tournaments in the world. He played Gary Kasparov for the world title. Details can be had from John at 087 2495913.

Handwriting
The handwriting competition for U-10 boys and girls took place in St Joseph’s Secondary School, Tulla on Saturday. It was co-ordinated by Mary Moran, Ballynacally/Lissycasey.
The standard in this competition was extremely high and the judges said it was the best they had seen for this age group. The first in each category now go forward to represent Clare in the national finals in Athlone in May.
Boys
1. Cian Guerin: Ennistymon/Lahinch/Liscannor.
2. Daragh McMahon: Doora/Barefield.
3. Donagh O’Sullivan: Quin/Clooney.
4. Aidan Larkin: Newmarket-on-Fergus.
Girls
1. Kayla Sheridan: Ennistymon/Lahinch/Liscannor.
2. Naoise Lambe: Ennistymon/Lahinch/Liscannor.
3. Hannah Fitzgerald: Newmarket-on-Fergus.
4. Moya Sheehan: Clarecastle/Ballyea.

Art and model ­making
The art and model-making competition will take place on this Saturday at Ennis CBS, commencing at 10am. All competitors must bring all their own unprepared materials for these competitions.

Important dates
February 11: Art and model making, CBS, Ennis at 10am.
February 13: Handball competitions start.
February 18: Basketball U-13 girls and U-16 boys and girls.
February 25: Draughts, Tulla Secondary School.
February 24-26: National AGM, Strand Hotel, Limerick
February 25: Munster meeting, Strand Hotel, Limerick
March 31: Munster finals, UL.