Fight night to aid hurlers’ training fund

THE Queen’s Hotel will be the venue on Friday, January 27 for a fight night to raise funds for the Clare hurlers. The event is being organised by the members of the senior panel to raise finance to help with the preparation of the team.
Nine fights are planned and eight of these will see players in opposition, while the remaining fight will be a ladies bout. The fights will pit players from rival clubs against each other, which should add to the excitement.
The rivalry between neighbours Newmarket and Sixmilebridge should add to the interest in the bout between James McInerney and Caimin Morey. Supporters from neighbouring parishes Cratloe and Newmarket will, no doubt, take huge interest in the bout featuring Cathal McInerney and Colin Ryan, while Cratloe and Clonlara followers are sure to turn out in big numbers to see how the bout between Liam Markham and Nicky O’Connell will go.
Tickets for the event are being sold by the players and are also available from GAA headquarters at Clareabbey.
“The money raised will go to help with the team preparations and all of the players will be involved in some capacity on the night, in the corners, at the door and there to meet with the supporters,” one of the organisers, Clooney-Quin’s Fergal Lynch explained.
Manager Davy Fitzgerald, who organised a similar event in Waterford last year with much acclaim, hopes the fundraiser will harden his charges for the year ahead and enhance the coffers for his training fund.
“The co-operation from Ennis boxing has been tremendous and a great help,” he said. There is, of course a very close relationship between well-known Ennis boxing official, Colum Flynn and Clare hurling over many years.
It is planned to launch a Clare Hurling Supporters Club on the night, when proceedings will get underway at 7.30pm.
The confirmed pairings are: Nicky O’Connell v Liam Markham; Stephen O’Halloran v Seadna Morey; James McInerney v Caimin Morey; Andrew Fahy v Brian Glynn; Eoin Hayes v Patrick Kelly (Inagh-Kilnamona); Conor Cooney v Domhnaill O’Donovan; Cathal McInerney v Colin Ryan and Eamon Glynn v Pat Donnellan.
In preparation for the event, the hurlers have been in the Ennis Boxing Club gymnasium in Chapel Lane. The boxing is new and challenging for the Clare panelists but they have impressed the club coaches, who will leave no stone unturned to have the participants ready for action at the end of the month.
There will be musical entertainment on the night and it is also expected that there will be a special guest in attendance.