The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
By Seamus Hayes
An estimated 30,000 Clare hurling followers assembled in Ennis on Sunday evening to give a heroes welcome home to the newly crowned All-Ireland senior hurling champions.
The welcome was also extended to the Clare team which retained the All-Ireland under 21 title two weeks ago and who were also on stage at Active Ennis Tim Smythe Park (formerly known as the Fairgreen).
Earlier the team’s first stop on the journey to Ennis was at Cratloe, home to six members of the panel, Paudge and Sean Collins, Conor Ryan, Liam Markham, Cathal McInerney and Conor McGrath as well as team selector Mike Deegan.
From there they travelled to Sixmilebridge where local man and team manager Davy Fitzgerald received a rousing welcome. Seadna Morey, Jamie Shanahan and Derek Fahy from the ‘Bridge club are part of the Clare panel.
In Newmarket the championship’s top scorer Colin Ryan was given a tumultous reception and it was similar in Clarecastle, home to Jonathon Clancy, Stephen O’Halloran and Patrick Kelly.
On stage in Ennis, the members of each panel were introduced to the attendance by Marty Morrissey and Syl O’Connor. Team boss Davy Fitzgerald stressed that teh success was due to a team effort before paying special tribute to the supporters.
At the outset Mary Coote Ryan, Mayor of Ennis congratulated both teams while the evening concluded with Mayor of Clare Joe Arkins doing likewise and reminding senior manager Fitzgerald that 2014 wil mark the centenary of Clare’s first All-Ireland win in 1914 and urging the team to do all in their power to retain the title to mark that centenary
