Clonlara and Feakle make history

The Clare Cumann na mBunscol indoor hurling and camogie competitions concluded last week, when the finals were played at Cratloe.

The number of schools participating in these competitions increased from last year with 36 in camogie and 38 in hurling.
This resulted in three teams making it to the finals in each competition. Flagmount/Dromin-
doora, Clonlara and Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Cíosóg contested the camogie, while Ruan, Clarecastle and Feakle made it to the hurling decider.

Camogie
The first contest in camogie (for girls up to fifth class) was between Clonlara and Flagmount/Dromindoora. Clonlara raced into an early lead and led by two goals to one at half time. Some resolute defending kept Flagmount/Dromindoora in the game and they finished strongly to draw the game at three goals apiece.
Rebecca Foley (2) and Leah Hawes (1) were the goalscorers for Clonlara while Flagmount/Dromindoora’s replies came from Jennifer O’Meara, Rachael McNamara and Róisín McMahon.
The second game saw Flagmount/Dromindoora and Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Cíosóg going head to head and this contest went down to the wire. Two Sionna Ní Dhonnabháin goals had the Gaelscoil in front early but a Jennifer O’Meara goal gave hope to the east Clare side. Again they fought back and went ahead, only to be denied by a late Gaelscoil equaliser.
Flagmount/Dromindoora’s goalscorers were Jennifer O’Meara (2) and Róisín McMahon. Sionna Ní Dhonnabháin scored all three for Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Cíosóg.
The final group game pitched Clonlara against the Gaelscoil. The Clonlara girls were a goal to the good by half-time and looked to be on their way to claiming the cup when leading by three goals to one with time almost up. However, the town team showed fierce determination to draw level and force a play-off involving all three teams.
Clonlara’s goalscorers were Rebecca Foley (2) and Róisín Powell, while the Gaelscoil’s replies came from Sionna Ní Dhonnabháin (2) and Niamh Ní Cheannabháin.
In the play-off, Clonlara beat Flagmount/Dromindoora by a Rebecca Foley goal and progressed to the deciding game. Thanks to a Róisín Powell strike, Clonlara got the better of the Gaelscoil to claim the title for the first time and thus become the eighth different school to do so in 13 years of competition.
The members of the winning team are Sarah Fahy, Chloe Ryan, Hannah Horgan, Rebecca Foley, Róisín Powell, Leah Hawes, Áine Gully, Jane Begley, Sinéad Ryan and Kate O’Shanahan.
The Flagmount/Dromindoora team team members were Shauna Canny, Louise O’Callaghan, Ella McNamara, Róisín McMahon, Rachael McNamara, Alannah Moloney, Jennifer O’Meara, Linda O’Brien, Therese O’Donnell, Katie Greene and Courtney McNamara.
The Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Cíosóg team members were Ciara Ní­ Dhugáin, Elena Sanz, Sarah Ní Cheallaigh, Clodagh Nic Domhnaill, Muirne Ní Chonaill, Phoebe Boateng, Mia Ní Dhaibheid, Naoise Ní Shlatara, Siofra Ní Chonaill, Kayleigh Ní Luachra, Niamh Ní Cheannabhain and Sionna Ní Dhonnabhain.

Hurling
Ruan and Clarecastle were first to play in the hurling finals (for boys up to fourth class). Ruan raced into an early lead thanks to a Shane Punch goal but Clarecastle levelled the game before half-time. The magpies got a tight grip on the game in the second half and ran out winners by four goals at full-time.
Patrick Maxwell (4) and Josh Brack scored for the winners.
It was the turn of Feakle and Clarecastle to square up in the second game. This time Clarecastle were behind by two goals to one at the interval and found the Feakle defence difficult to penetrate. The East Clare outfit tacked on a few more goals and were worthy winners by five goals to two.
Liam Moloney (2), Liam Hogan, Conor Whelan and Oisín Clune scored for the winners, while Clarecastle’s replies came from Patrick Maxwell and John Cullinan.
The last game in the round robin series saw Feakle taking on Ruan. Feakle held a slender one-goal lead at half-time. Ruan fought bravely and levelled early in the second half. Both teams had chances to win the game but the game ended in a draw, ensuring that Feakle became the 10th team to win the title for the first time.
Conor Whelan and Liam Moloney were the East Clare side’s goalscorers, while Ruan’s replies came from Ashley Brohan-Kavanagh and Shane Punch.
The members of the winning Feakle team are Liam Hogan, Liam Moloney, Adrian Brzozowski, Conor Whelan, Enda Madden, Liam O’Connor, Oisín Clune, Michael Farrell, Adam Hogan and Ronan O’Connor.
Ruan’s team included Jack Lyons, Daniel O’Sullivan, Ashley Brohan-Kavanagh, Patrick O’Halloran, Cian O’Donoghue, Shane Punch, Patrick Mulqueen and Niall Foley.
The members of the Clarecastle team are Josh Brack, Cian Broderick, Dylan Brown, Cillian Casey, Alec Cassley, John Cullinan, Eoin Dinan, Robyn Doyle, Gareth Guinnane, Conor Halpin, Brandon Healy, Patrick Maxwell, Aidan Ryan, John Sweeney, David Tuohy and Harry Ward.