Gradings confirmed for U-21 Hurling Championship

Eight teams will contest the upcoming Clare U-21A Hurling Championship.
Tuesday’s county board meeting confirmed the gradings for this year’s competition, which will see 12 teams in the B grade, with 10 contesting the C competition.
A number of Ennistymon club members were granted permission to assist Inagh-Kilnamona in this year’s U-21 championship after Ennistymon confirmed to the meeting that they will not be entering an U-21 team. They are Darren Mullins, Declan Sexton, Cathal Malone, Cathal McDonagh, Sean O’Driscoll, Brian Houlihan and Enda Ralph.
Scariff-Ogonnelloe were granted permission to compete in the C competition after informing the meeting in writing that they did not have the numbers to compete in the higher grades.
Meelick delegate Conor Dolan questioned if it was in order to allow amalgamations compete at C level, arguing it was policy that all amalgamations should play at a higher level.
He claimed Feakle-Killanena had “10 players on U-17 and minor county panels”, a figure disputed by Feakle chairman Michael Daly, who challenged his Meelick counterpart to “name them”.
The U-21 draws will be made at next week’s board meeting. The groupings are: A: Ballyea, Kilmaley, Clonlara, Newmarket, Cratloe, Sixmilebridge, Inagh-Kilnamona, Éire Óg.
B: Corofin, Crusheen, Smith O’Brien’s, St Joseph’s, Broadford, Tulla/Bodyke, Banner/Ruan, Clarecastle, Clooney-Quin, O’Callaghan’s Mills, Wolfe Tones, Parteen/Meelick.
C: Tulla, Newmarket, Sixmilebridge, Parteen, Whitegate, Éire Óg, Feakle/Killanena, Meelick, Tubber, Scariff/Ogonnelloe.

Minor hurling ­selectors ratified
The Clare minor hurling selection committee for 2012 was ratified at this week’s board meeting. Eamonn Fennessy (Sixmilebridge), is the manager with Leo Doyle (Bodyke), Kenny Morrissey (Clarecastle) and John O’Meara (Sixmilebridge).

Isolated players
Newmarket-on-Fergus senior hurler Shane O’Brien was granted permission to continue playing football with Doonbeg.
Eoin Curtin, who plays his club football with Miltown St Joseph’s, was granted permission to continue playing hurling with Ennistymon for 2012.

Transfers requests
A transfer request from David Kenneally to switch from St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield to Ennistymon was granted at this week’s ­meeting. In his application, Mr Kenneally told the meeting he now resides in Lahinch.
The meeting granted a transfer request from Damian Fox to move from Wolfe Tones to Clooney-Quin. The well-known referee resides in Clooney and, in his application, pointed out he is involved in coaching at juvenile level in the club, with whom his son plays.
A request from Colin Burke to transfer from Banner to Ruan was deferred after Banner secretary Owen Rynne asked for clarification with regard to where the applicant resides.
A request from Rory Murphy to switch from Clondegad to Kildysart was also deferred after Clondegad delegate Seamus O’Reilly asked for time to allow his club to talk to the applicant.
Kildysart delegate John Meade told the meeting his club had spoken with Clondegad chairman Fintan Meaney, who had told them there wouldn’t be a problem.

Teams regraded
Whitegate were successful with their request to have their junior A team regraded to junior B for league and championship for the coming season.
In their application, they explained 13 players will be unavailable to them due to emigration, retirements and injuries.
Wolfe Tones were also successful with a similar application in relation to their junior A hurling team, who will now play at junior B level

Reappointed
This week’s meeting ratified the appointment of Michael Curtin as chairman of the board’s audit committee for 2012.
The meeting also ratified the fixtures committee of Michael O’Neill (chairman), Pat Fitzgerald (secretary), Michael O’Regan (referees), Seamus Hayes (Lissycasey) and Michael Maher (Kilmaley).

2012 match pass
As part of Clare GAA’s 2012 fundraising draw, a special match pass for the season will be available for €150.
This will admit the holder admission to all games under the control of Clare GAA, including county finals, the opportunity to purchase two Munster and All-Ireland final tickets if a Clare team is involved as well as entry to the fundraising draw.
Tickets will be distributed to the clubs next week.

Championships to continue
The inter-county intermediate (hurling) and junior (football) championships are to continue for 2012. Replying to a query at this week’s board meeting, central council delegate Ger Hickey told the gathering, “There will be no motion to congress with regard to discontinuing these championships. The proposal has been referred to the CCC with instructions to consult with the counties,” he explained.
In a written report to this week’s meeting, Mr Hickey informed the clubs that Clare will be the venue for the hurling/shinty series on the weekend of October 26-28.
His report informed the delegates of a proposal to revamp congress, which will see a reduction in Munster’s representation from 55 to 30 and for all congresses to be held in Croke Park in February each year.

Tributes to ­Martin
On the proposition of O’Callaghan’s Mills delegate Noel O’Driscoll, this week’s board meeting paid tribute to Martin Flanagan, who recently retired from his role as caretaker at Cusack Park. The proposal was seconded by Miltown’s Noel Walsh, who said, “Martin will be a substantial loss.”
Adding to the acknowledgement, board chairman Michael O’Neill said, “Martin will be helping us on match days during the year”.