Full draws and formats for Clare county championships

IT may have taken two bites of the cherry to complete the county senior football draw but the way is now finally clear for the 2022 adult club championships to commence in early July (weekend of July 9/10).

On Monday evening in Clareabbey, six adult draws took place but the county senior football version was conducted contrary to agreed regulations as the seeded semi-finalists from 2021 were distributed into the wrong groups.

With three teams to emerge from the only group of five, there was supposed to be two seeds in that group but instead, Éire Óg and St Breckan’s were placed in Group 3 alongside newcomers Corofin and Cratloe.

The redraw in O’Garney Park in Sixmilebridge 24 hours later failed to separate these rivals either as St Breckan’s, Éire Óg and Corofin were all pooled together once more this time alongside 2018 and ’19 champions St Joseph’s Miltown as well as the new amalgamation of Naomh Eoin/O’Curry’s and Kilkee.

In the hurling equivalent, the group of death is undoubtedly Group 1 for a second successive season.
Champions of 2019 and 2020 Sixmilebridge face back-to-back Senior B winners Clonlara, Clare Cup holders Feakle, last year’s semi-finalists Newmarket-on-Fergus and Whitegate.

The pool starts with a juicy derby between the Bridge and the Blues.

HURLING

2022 County Senior Hurling Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of July 9/10)

Eighteen teams have been divided into four groups, with two groups of four teams and two groups of five teams.

As semi-finalists from 2021, Ballyea, Éire Óg, Inagh-Kilnamona and Newmarket-on-Fergus will be seeded in separate groups.

The top two teams from each group advance to the quarter-finals (Group winner v Group runner-up).

The bottom team in each group will enter the relegation play-offs, with a draw to determine two matches in which the loser of both is demoted to intermediate for 2023.

A Senior B Championship will also take place for the four third placed teams in each group along with the two fourth placed teams in the groups of five, with two preliminary round ties leading to semi-finals.

Group 1 – Newmarket-on-Fergus, Feakle, Whitegate, Clonlara, Sixmilebridge
Group 2 – Ballyea, Clarecastle, Broadford, Cratloe, O’Callaghan’s Mills
Group 3 – Éire Óg, Kilmaley, Scariff, Clooney-Quin
Group 4 – Inagh-Kilnamona, Crusheen, Smith O’Brien’s, Wolfe Tones

2022 County intermediate Hurling Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of July 9/10)

Fourteen teams divided into three groups, with two groups of five and one group of four teams.

As semi-finalists from 2021, Ruan, St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield and Tulla will be seeded in separate groups, with the top three teams from the groups of five and the top two from the group of four advancing to the quarter-finals.

The bottom team in each group will enter a three-way relegation play-off. The first team drawn will receive a bye. The other two teams will play off, with the losing team relegated. The winning team will play the team which received the bye and the losing team from this tie will also be relegated.

Group 1 – St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield, Tubber, Killanena, Newmarket-on-Fergus, O’Callaghan’s Mills
Group 2 – Ruan, Sixmilebridge, Parteen, Clonlara, Corofin
Group 3 – Tulla, Ogonnelloe, Inagh-Kilnamona, Bodyke

2022 County Junior A Hurling Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of July 16/17)

Twelve teams divided into three groups of four teams, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals along with the two best third placed teams based on points and then scoring difference.

As semi-finalists from 2021, Ballyea, Clooney-Quin and Crusheen will be seeded in separate groups, with no repeat pairings permitted for the quarter-finals.

The bottom team in each group will enter a three-way relegation play-off. The first team drawn will receive a bye.

The other two teams will play off with the winning team consolidating their status while the losers subsequently plays the team which received the bye and the losing team from this tie will be relegated to Junior B for 2023.

Group 1 – Clooney-Quin, Banner, Cratloe, Kilmaley
Group 2 – St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield, Ennistymon, Broadford, Scariff
Group 3 – Crusheen, Éire Óg, Ballyea, Clarecastle

FOOTBALL

2022 County Senior Football Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of July 9/10, with the possibility of July 2/3 depending on dual clashes in the Group of 5 with hurling)

Thirteen teams divided into three groups, with two group of four teams and one group of five teams.

The top two teams from each group advance to the quarter-finals along with the third placed team in the group of five. The winner of a play-off between the two third placed teams in the group of four will also advance.

As semi-finalists from 2021, Éire Óg, Kilmurry Ibrickane, Lissycasey and St Breckan’s will be seeded in separate groups, with one seed in the groups of four and two seeds in the group of five, with no repeat pairings permitted for the quarter-finals.

The bottom team in each group will enter a three-way relegation play-off. The first team drawn will receive a bye.

The other two teams will play off with the winning team consolidating their status while the losers subsequently plays the team which received the bye and the losing team from this tie will be relegated to intermediate for 2023.

Group 1 – St Breckan’s, Éire Óg, Corofin, St Joseph’s Miltown, Western Gaels
Group 2 – Lissycasey, Kilmihil, St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield, Cratloe
Group 3 – Kilmurry Ibrickane, Doonbeg, Ennistymon, Clondegad

2022 County Intermediate Football Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of July 23/24)

Twelve teams divided into three groups of four teams, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals along with the two best third placed teams based on points and then scoring difference.

As semi-finalists from 2021, Kildysart, Kilfenora and O’Curry’s will be seeded in separate groups, with no repeat pairings permitted for the quarter-finals.

The bottom team in each group will enter a three-way relegation play-off. The first team drawn will receive a bye.

The other two teams will play off with the winning team consolidating their status while the losers subsequently plays the team which received the bye and the losing team from this tie will be relegated to Junior A for 2023.

Group 1 – Kildysart, Coolmeen, Naomh Eoin, Kilrush Shamrocks
Group 2 – Kilfenora, Ennistymon, Banner, Cooraclare
Group 3 – O’Curry’s, Michael Cusack’s, Wolfe Tones, Shannon Gaels

2022 County Junior A Football Championship (Proposed Start Date – Weekend of July 23/24)

Fifteen teams (TBC) divided into four groups, with three groups of four teams and one group of three teams.

The top two teams from each group advance to the quarter-finals (Group winner v Group runner-up). As semi-finalists from 2021, Ballyvaughan, Clooney-Quin and Kilmurry Ibrickane will be seeded into separate four team groups.

The bottom team in each group will enter the relegation play-offs, with a draw to determine two matches in which the losers face-off in a final to see which side is demoted to Junior B for 2023.

Group 1 – Cratloe, St Joseph’s Miltown, Lissycasey, Clondegad
Group 2 – Ballyvaughan, Killimer, St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield, Liscannor
Group 3 – Kilmurry Ibrickane, Parteen, Doonbeg, Éire Óg
Group 4 – Clooney-Quin, St Breckan’s, St Senan’s Kilkee