There are no shortage of talking points following the draw for the 2015 Clare senior and intermediate hurling and football championships, which took place on Monday evening at Treacy’s West County Hotel. Senior champions, Cratloe will open their hurling title defence against Ballyea, while their opponents in the first round of the football championship will be Kilmurry-Ibrickane. The hurling championship (senior and intermediate) has a new format this year and will be run similar to the senior football competition. Sixteen teams will play eight first round games, after which the eight winners will be drawn against each other with the eight losers drawn against each other. At the end of last season, five senior clubs lost their status and were relegated to intermediate. Two of these, St Joseph’s and Wolfe Tones, will face each other in the first round of this season’s intermediate race The senior hurling champions from 2013, Sixmilebridge face Éire Óg in the opening round, as they seek to …

Galway 2-15 Clare 1-17 A Jason Flynn point from a 60m free near the sideline, in the second minute of ‘injury time’, gave Galway a one point win over Clare in the opening round of the Allianz hurling league at Pearse stadium on Sunday. Flynn held his nerve to score his ninth point of the afternoon from the controversially awarded free. It was a harsh call against Jack Browne who was penalised for picking the ball off the ground but more annoying for Banner county followers was the failure of the match official to take any action when Galway officials changed the match ball ahead of the free. That said, however, great credit must go to the Galway full forward whose strike sealed the home win. Clare did have a chance to tie up the game when they were awarded a free overt 100m from goal. Goalkeeper Patrick Kelly saw his effort drift wide of the target and with it …

By Seamus Hayes The centre forward position on the Clare team, named on Saturday evening, to play Galway in the opening round of the Allianz hurling league (division 1 A) at Pearse Stadium this Sunday afternoon has been left vacant. It was widely anticipated that Ballyea’s Tony Kelly would be selected to lead the attack but the U. L. student is one of eight panelists named as being unavailable for this game due to injury. Also ruled out are David McInerney, Peter Duggan, Darach Honan, Nicky O’Connell, Jamie Shanahan, Davy O’Halloran and Eoin Enright. Clarecastle’s Bobby Duggan is believed to be in the running to fill the vacancy while Conor McGrath, a surprising omission from the starting line up, is also believed to be in contention. The team named is Patrick Kelly; Domhnaill O’Donovan, Cian Dillon, Jack Browne; Conor Cleary, Conor Ryan, Pat O’Connor; Brendan Bugler, Colin Ryan; Pat Donnellan, A.N.\ Other, Colm Galvin; John Conlon, Shane O’Donnell, David Reidy.

EVERY county has massive ambitions heading into the 2015 National Hurling League, according to Galway boss, Anthony Cunningham. He pointed out that Kilkenny are league and All-Ireland champions; Clare will want to come back and repeat what they did in 2013; Tipperary want to pick up from where they left off in September; Cork are the Munster champions; Limerick were very unfortunate not to beat Kilkenny last year, while Galway were very close to Tipperary and Kilkenny. “There will be no easy games in what will be a very competitive league,” he pointed out as he looked ahead to this Sunday’s opening league tie when the Tribesmen will entertain Clare at Pearse Stadium. “We will probably be stronger in the second half of the league. At present, we have a good few injuries and we are unlikely to see players such as Davy and Niall Burke, Conor Cooney and Joe Canning before March. Five or six of our players have …

(Peter O’Connell) Louth 1-16 Clare 0-13 NOT scoring in the last 27 minutes of their six point division 3 NFL loss to Louth in Drogheda was one of the primary reasons behind Clare’s defeat to their Leinster opponents. When David Tubridy pointed his sixth score, eight minutes into the second half, Clare led 0-13 to 1-7 and they looked set for their second win within a week. However the loss of Cathal O’Connor to injury and the black card shown to Ciaran Russell, in the fourth minute of the second half, derailed Clare who lost their composure in the second half. They weren’t helped by a poor refereeing decision, 13 minutes into the second half, when Gary Brennan was clearly fouled by Adrian Reid. Seconds earlier the Clare midfielder had his jersey pulled back as he cut through. However neither a penalty or a free was awarded. That said once Louth got a grip in the second half, Clare were …

By Seamus Hayes Ennis Town A 1  Newmarket Celtic A  1 Champions Ennis Town A and current leaders Newmarket Celtic A shared the spoils when they clashed in the premier league at a cold and foggy Lees Road on Sunday morning. The rivalry between the sides was evident in a well contested tie. It was their second meeting inside a week as they had clashed on Wednesday night under lights at the county grounds in the opening round of the Hugh Kelly memorial league cup. A penalty shoot out was needed to decided that one after they had shared four goals and the Ennis side came out winners on a 4-2 score when it came to the  penalties. Newmarket have led the in the league from the outset and they took the lead in this latest outing when Colin Smith scored twenty five minutes into the game Inside the opening five minutes of the second half, the home side got …

By Seamus Hayes St. Josephs, Tulla 0-12 Colaiste Chriost Ri, Cork 0-10 St. Josephs Tulla edged a step closer to the Munster colleges senior B hurling title when they accounted for Colaiste Chriost Ri, Cork in this semi-final replay at Ballyagran on Saturday afternoon. In much improved weather conditions from the previous week, the Clare side deserved their narrow win but the result was in doubt right to the final whistle. While Chriost Ri were first to score, Tulla enjoyed the better of the early exchanges and deservingly led by four points, 0-5 to 0-1, after twenty minutes. They failed to build on this, however and when the half time whistle sounded the margin was down to the minimum with Tulla 0-5 to 0-4 in front. Chriost Ri continued to pile on the pressure on the resumption and pointed twice inside five minutes to move one clear. At this stage, Tulla introduced Stephen Conway who returned to action following a …

By Seamus Hayes Clare senior football manager Colm Collins has named an unchanged team from that which defeated Wexford last week for Sunday’s clash with Louth at Drogheda in round two of the Allianz football league. Stephen Collins, a late replacement for Kevin Hartnett last week retains his place in the full back line. Hartnett from Meelick, who was due to play at full back, suffered an ankle injury in the warm up in Miltown. Collins came into the side at corner back with Dean Ryan switching to the full back position. Otherwise the team is unchanged and the expectation is that Podge Collins will be available this week. He missed last week’s game due to a hamstring strain suffered in a recent challenge game against Kerry. However, his Cratloe clubmate Cathal McInerney, will be out for a number of weeks due to a hamstring injury. Hopes that he could return to action this week were dashed following further treatment …

(Peter O’Connell) Clare 1-16 Wexford 0-5 CLARE made a superb start to their NFL division 3 league campaign, beating Wexford by 14 points in Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown on Sunday afternoon. Led by Gary Brennan, who dominated midfield and David Tubridy, who kicked 0-10 from play and frees, Clare were much sharper than Wexford who had Ciaran Lyng red carded three minutes into the second half. The David Power managed Wexford men also had midfielder Paddy Byrne and substitute Simon Donohue black carded. Clare led 0-8 to 0-3 at half largely thanks to five David Tubridy points, four of which the Doonbeg man kicked from frees won by Shane Hickey (two), Pat Burke and Tubridy himself. In addition Jamie Malone, Shane Brennan and Shane Hickey kicked a point each from play in that opening half. However two pivotal first half incidents in that opening period, both involved Clare goalkeeper Joe Hayes. The Lissycasey man saved twice inside two minutes. First …

By Seamus Hayes St.Josephs Tulla 0-15 Colaiste Chriost Ri 2-9 St. Josephs Tulla and Colaiste Chriost Ri, Cork will have to do it all again after they ended level in the Munster colleges senior B hurling championship semi-final at Ballyagran on Saturday afternoon. On a day when there was some excellent hurling, extra time failed to separate the teams While both sides can point to missed opportunities, a draw was a fair outcome to a contest played in extremely difficult weather conditions. Players had to contend with showers of sleet, a tricky wind and biting cold. Indeed, five minutes into the second half, referee Richard Moloney, rightly, suspended play during a heavy shower of hailstones. After a five minute delay the game resumed and huge credit must go to all involved for the marvellous entertainment provided. The Cork side made the better start and raced into a six point lead, 1-3 to 0-0, by the end of the first quarter. …

By Seamus Hayes A regular defender throughout last season’s successful division 4 campaign, Shane Hickey has been named to lead the attack for the Clare senior footballers as they begin life in division 3 of the Allianz league when they entertain Wexford at Hennessy Park in Miltown on Sunday. Podge Collins, who led the attack last season, is ruled out due to a hamstring injury suffered in last Sunday’s challenge game with Kerry. The Cratloe dual player is one of a number of players not available this week because of injury, including, Martin ‘Oige’ Murphy and Enda Coughlan. A final decision on Cathal McInerney’s fitness has yet to be made. If he passes a fitness test he will be included in the squad for this eagerly awaited tie, Apart from the injured Collins, the starting line up is along expected lines with an experienced central defensive unit of Joe Hayes (goalkeeper), Kevin Hartnett (full back) and Gordon Kelly (centre back). Team …

(Peter O’Connell) A Clare senior footballer since 2008, Martin McMahon has never played in a division above the basement league. That will change for him and his colleagues on Sunday when Clare play Wexford in their opening fixture of the division 3 league. The Mullagh man, who teaches at St Munchin’s in Limerick, was working in Dublin for several years before finding employment in the mid west. Not having to drive to and from the capital every weekend is something that he appreciates and feels fresher for it. “One thing I never really liked was the travelling. In Dublin you were leaving every Friday evening and heading back every Sunday evening. Then when you were getting close to championship you were up and down twice during the week. The best thing I find about being down is that you can do your gym sessions in groups. When I first started in Dublin there was only about two players away. I …

WITH the county’s biggest number of qualifiers in recent years, Clare’s chances of taking one of the classics at the National Coursing Meeting in Clonmel on Saturday, Sunday and Monday next have been enhanced. With five interests in the Boylesports.com Derby, a total of nine in the Greyhound and Pet World Oaks and one in the Kevin Smith Champion Stakes, the Clare contingent will have plenty to shout about. However, the Oaks draw in Clonmel Park Hotel on Sunday night was not too kind to Clare owners, as five of them were drawn close to each other in the third quarter. Two of them, the Clarecastle qualifier, Miss Buttons, owned by Patrick (Jack) Moloney, Lissane and his grandson, Daragh and the Loughrea qualifier, Aveia, owned by the syndicate of Martin Keane, Kilmihil; Albert Long, Ballyea and Clifden and Dara Heenan, Limerick, go to slips together. Windfarm Ivy, trained by Pat Curtin and owned by him, Michael Eustace and Noel Hehir, …

Clare U- 21 A hurling champions, Sixmilebridge face a preliminary round tie in this season’s competition, which is set to begin in February. They were the first team out of the hat when the draw was made at GAA headquarters in Clareabbey on Monday evening and they will face Broadford, with the winners going through to a quarter final tie with Ballyea, last year’s beaten finalists. Nine teams will compete for the A title, with 12 in the B competition and a further nine competing for the C competition. Neighbours, Kilmaley and Inagh-Kilnamona will meet in a quarter final tie and this promises to be a lively contest. The full draw is; Under 21 A Preliminary round—Sixmilebridge v Broadford; Quarter finals—1—Kilmaley v Inagh-Kilnamona; 2—Newmarket v Éire Óg; 3—Feakle-Killanena v Clarecastle 4—Sixmilebridge or Broadford v Ballyea; Semi-finals—4 v 2; 1 v 3; Under 21 B— Byes to A—Tulla; B—Wolfe Tones; C—Smith O’Brien’s; D—Cratloe; Round 1—E—O’C. Mills v Scariff-Ogonnelloe; F—Parteen v Crusheen-Tubber; G—Whitegate …

During a discussion on the proposed fixtures schedule for 2015, Clare GAA County Board chairman, Michael McDonagh, criticised football clubs for not favouring a start date for the senior championship before July. “I am very disappointed with the attitude of the football clubs. If we don’t start our championship before the end of July, we will have several young players from the county heading out of the country,” he told this week’s meeting. Outlining the proposed schedule, Colm Browne (Kilrush), on behalf of the committee charged with putting the plan in place, said they were “left with very limited options when the national fixtures proposals are taken into consideration. The same issues and the same difficulties are there each year, with a few different parameters”. Browne pointed out a new consideration this year. “There is an A and a B football qualifier this year. If the Clare footballers lose to Limerick in the first round of the championship, they will …