Shannon and Roche take titles

ELAINE Shannon and Jamie Roche took the U-13 titles at the Clare Community Games cross country U-10 relays and U-13 1,200m cross country championships at the Lees Road Sports Complex.
Clarecastle/Ballyea captured the girls’ U-10 4x250m relay with Ennis St John’s second, followed by Killanena/Flagmount with Miltown Malbay in fourth spot.
The boys’ title went to Quin/Clooney from Cooraclare/Cree, with Ennis St John’s in third spot, followed by Killanena /Flagmount.
Elaine Shannon (Ennistymon/Liscannor) won the girls’ U-13 cross country event, with Ennistymon/Liscannor retaining their team title for the fourth year in-a-row.
Jamie Roche, Ennis St John’s, won the boys’ U-13 title and Ennistymon/Liscannor won the team title.
In the girls’ U-13 1,200m, there was a great turnout with over 30 competitors chasing the five places available to represent Clare at the national finals in Athlone in May. There was a mighty contest between six athletes, Cliodhna Blake (Doonbeg), Elaine Shannon and Sinéad Hogan (both Ennistymon/Liscannor), Sharon Egan (Kilmihil), Shauna Melican (Kilkee) and Caoimhe Harvey (Carrigaholt /Cross).
At the halfway point, all six were in contention for the title. In the final 300m, Shannon came to the front and produced a big finish to outsprint Caoimhe Harvey over the final 30m. Sharon Egan finished fast in third with Shauna Melican fourth and Sinéad Hogan fifth.
For the fourth year in-a-row, the team title went to Ennistymon/Liscannor with Elaine Shannon, Sinéad Hogan, Caoimhe Hogan and Aoibhín Fahy putting up a total of 38 points to win from Quin/Clooney on 57 points. Miltown Malbay were third on 64 points and Inch/Kilmaley/Connolly scored 70 points.
The boys’ U-13 1,200m cross country race attracted another big field with Jamie Roche, Ennis St John’s, setting a blistering pace for the first 200m, with Eoin Looney, Miltown Malbay, right on his shoulder. In close pursuit was Patrick O’Rourke (Ennistymon/Liscannor), Thomas Clancy (Carrigaholt/Cross), Cathal O’Brien (Ennis St John’s) and Killian McDermott (Clarecastle/Ballyea).
Roche increased the tempo for the final 400m to claim the title from Eoin Looney. Patrick O’Rourke finished very fast in third with Cathal O’Brien fourth and Killian McDermott fifth. Ennistymon/Liscannor won the team gold medals with Patrick O’Rourke, Sean Rouine, Conor Malone and Eanna McDonnacha for a total of 35 points. Second were Miltown Malbay on 40 points, followed by Cratloe on 74 points.
The co-ordinator was Margaret McCarthy, Corofin-Kilnaboy.

Results
Girls’ U-13 (1,200m): 1. Elaine Shannon (Ennistymon/Liscannor); 2. Caoimhe Harvey (Carrigaholt/Cross); 3. Sharon Egan (Kilmihil); 4. Shauna Melican (Kilkee).
Teams: 1. Ennistymon/Liscannor = 38 points; 2. Quin Clooney = 57 points; 3. Miltown Malbay = 64 points; 4. Inch/Kilmaley/Connolly = 70 points.
U-13 boys’ (1,200m): 1. Jamie Roche (Ennis St John’s); 2. Eoin Looney (Miltown Malbay); 3. Patrick O’Rourke (Ennistymon/Liscannor); 4. Cathal O’Brien (Ennis St John’s).
Teams: 1. Ennistymon/Liscannor = 35 points; 2. Miltown Malbay  = 40 points; 3. Cratloe = 74 points.
Girls’ U-10 relay 4x250m: 1. Clarecastle/Ballyea (Emma O’Brien, Kate Murphy, Rachel Hartigan, Aoibhin Donnelly); 2. Ennis St John’s (Laura Cooney, Gill Broderick, Albha Doherty, Amadit Karimu); 3. Killenana/Flagmount (Lorna McNamara, Claire McNamara, Louise Keehan, Katie Greene); 4. Miltown Malbay (Sarah Looney, Shona Fitzhenry, Meabh O’Malley, Ciara Malone).
Boys’ U-10 relay 4x250m: 1. Quin/Clooney (Christopher Notre, Shane Harrison, Adam Deegan, Donagh O’Sullivan); 2. Cooraclare/Cree (Gearóid Lillis, Michael Garry, Ronan Donnellan, Brian McNamara); 3. Ennis St John’s (Sean O’Brien, Hugh Connelly, Jack O’Connor, Shane Meehan); 4. Killenana/Flagmount (Tom Comerford, Gearóid Keane, Gerard McMahon, Ian McNamara).

Basketball pairings

THE Clare basketball finals will take place this Saturday and Sunday at St Flannan’s College, commencing at 10am each morning. The draws are as follows:
U-16 girls’ semi-finals
Sixmilebridge/Kilmurry v Clarecastle/Ballyea
Cooraclare/Cree v Ennistymon/Lahinch/Liscannor.
U-16 boys’ final
Cooraclare/Cree v Ennistymon/Lahinch/Liscannor.
U-13 girls’ quarter-finals
A: Sixmilebridge v Doora/Barefield B
B: Quin/Clooney v Clarecastle/Ballyea
C: An Droichead v Cooraclare/Cree
D: Doora/Barefield A v Ennistymon/Lahinch/Liscannor.
Semi-finals: A v B; C v D.
U-13 boys’ quarter-finals
Clooney/Quin: bye
Doora/Barefield A: bye
A: Sixmilebridge v Doora-Barefield   B
B: Cooraclare/Cree v Ennistymon/Liscannor/Lahinch.
Semi-finals: Clooney/Quin v Doora-Barefield A; A v B.

Draws made for Munster finals

WITH just over a week to go to the Munster Community Games finals, which will take place in Limerick on March 26, the draws for the various competitions have been made.
The majority of the competitions will take place at the University of Limerick and will get underway at 11am, with the exception of the indoor soccer, which commences at 10am.
The choir competition will take place in Rathkeale at 3pm and the winners will go forward to the national finals.
The provincial draws are as follows:
Badminton: Clare v Limerick; winner plays Cork; Kerry v Tipperary.
Chess U-12: Cork v Limerick; winner plays Tipperary; Kerry v Clare.
Chess U-16: Kerry v Limerick; winner plays Tipperary; Clare v Cork.
Choir running order: U-13, Limerick, Tipperary, Clare, Kerry; U-16, Tipperary, Limerick, Kerry, Clare.
Draughts U-10 mixed: Clare v Kerry; winner plays Tipperary; Cork v Limerick.
Draughts U-12 mixed: Cork v Clare; winner plays Tipperary; Limerick v Kerry.
Draughts: Clare v Cork; winner plays Kerry; Tipperary v Limerick.
Handball
U-13 boys: Limerick v Tipperary; Clare v Cork.
U-13 girls: Tipperary v Limerick; winner plays Clare.
U-15 boys: Cork v Limerick; Tipperary v Clare.
U-15 girls: Tipperary v Clare; winner plays Limerick.
Indoor soccer
U-13 boys: Tipperary v Limerick; winner plays Waterford; Clare v Kerry; winner plays Cork.
U-13 girls: Kerry v Limerick; winner plays Clare; Tipperary v Cork.
U-15 boys: Kerry v Tipperary; winner plays Clare; Waterford v Limerick; winner plays Cork.
U-15 girls: Tipperary v Limerick; winner plays Clare; Kerry v Cork.
Table tennis
Boys’ U-13: Cork v Limerick; winner plays Clare; Tipperary v Kerry.
U-13 girls: Kerry v Clare; Cork v Limerick.
U-16 boys: Kerry v Cork; Clare v Limerick.
U-16 girls: Limerick v Kerry; winner plays Cork.