Shield win for U-16 footballers

IT was a busy weekend for the Clare underage football development squads with the U-14s, U-15s and U-16s in action in provincial competitions.

The U-16s captured the provincial shield title, while the U-15s and U-14s put in some impressive performances.

Shield winners

Clare 2-11   Cork 1-10

CLARE captured the Munster U-16 football shield title on Saturday last with a four-point win over Cork in the final.
Having lost out to Kerry South in the cup quarter-final on a 1-6 to 2-9 scoreline, Clare met Limerick in the shield semi-final and had a comprehensive 4-14 to 0-5 win to earn a date with Cork in the final.
The team, managed by Tony Byrne, Aidan O’Keeffe and Joe Considine, turned in an impressive performance to capture the title.
The winning panel comprised Darren Nagle (Liscannor); Macken Byrne, Aidan Davidson, Liam Tierney and Keelan McMahon (St Breckan’s); Liam Madigan and Colin Crowley (Kilrush); Conor Finnucane, Brian Cahill (Lissycasey), Eimhín Courtney, Connall O hAinifein and Dara Walsh (Éire Óg); Jack Fitzgerald and Cathal Frawley (Ennistymon); Michael Duffy and Cian O’Dea (Kilfenora); Eoin O’Kelly (Cratloe); Eoin Clancy (Corofin); Eoin Hanrahan (Doora-Barefield); Keelan Cunningham (Killimer), Eoin Callinan (Kilmihil) and Gary Meaney (Coolmeen).

U-15 tournament
COISTE na nÓg Kerry hosted the U-15 tournament where Clare suffered a one-point loss in the cup semi-final, going down on a 0-9 to 1-7 scoreline to Rebel Óg Chorcai. In the quarter-final they put in a good performance to beat Kerry North on a 2-4 to 0-8 scoreline.
The members of this panel were Sean Malone, Colin Hehir and Sean Hanrahan (Miltown); Cathal Downes and Nigel Murray (O’Curry’s); Colm Pyne, Cian Culligan and David Foran (Killimer); Cian Slattery and Michael Corry (Clooney-Quin); Alan Sweeney (St Breckan’s); Gary Stephens, Niall McCarthy and Padraig McNamara (Lissycasey); Pierce Lillis and Shane O’Donoghue (Cooraclare); Conor Magner (Naomh Eoin); Cian Murphy (Coolmeen); Shane O’Connor and David Kelly (Kilmihil); James Howard (Ballyvaughan); Malachy Lynch and Cillian Brennan (Clondegad) and Keelan Sexton (Kilmurry-Ibrickane).
The team is managed by David O’Connell, Michael Neylon and Eoin Murray.

U-14
THE U-14s competed in the Jim Power Tournament last weekend, which was hosted by Bord na nÓg, Waterford.
Managed by John Enright, Colm Mullan and Gearóid Lynch, they played games against Kerry South, who won this year’s tournament; Limerick, who beat Cork to finish second and qualify for the shield final and Cork.
Overall, the physical dominance by both Kerry and Cork proved too much for the Clare team and they were unable to advance.
The members of the panel were Jack Morrissey and Niall Kelly (Cooraclare); Rory Sexton (Miltown, St Joseph’s); Cian Barron, Eoin Campbell and Peter Collins (Doora-Barefield); Brian Considine (Liscannor); Cian Burke and Evan Barrett (St Breckan’s); Cian Coughlan and Darren Torpey (Ennistymon); Conor O’Leary (Lissycasey); James Tierney (Corofin); Mark Fennell (Kilrush); Darragh Bohannon and Eoin Keane (Shannon Gaels); Mark Meaney (Coolmeen); Barry Crehan (Kildysart); Brian Conway, Dean Devanney, Eoin McAllister, Brian O’Connor and Shane Russell (Wolfe Tones); Tadhg Connellan and Colm Walsh-O’Loughlin (Éire Óg).