Sport

Three week gap can be challenging – Canning

ONE man with recent experience of preparing for an All-Ireland senior hurling replay is Galway’s Joe Canning. The Portumna man was in Thurles last Saturday week as a Bord Gais ambassador at the All-Ireland U-21 final. Canning rescued a replay for Galway with an injury time equaliser, 12 months ago. The replay with Kilkenny was the first in an All-Ireland since 1959. With hindsight, he says Galway would prepare differently but he feels gearing up for a replay is a challenging proposition. “We lost, so we’d have other ways of going about it that we might think of now. At the same time, it’s unknown territory for every team that’s in it. When you’re going into an All-Ireland, you’re thinking you’re going to win or lose, you’re not thinking about a replay,” he suggested. Canning remembers the weeks bridging the draw and replay dragged appreciably. “How to deal with the three weeks between the matches is the big thing. You’d …

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Free flowing Banner have it all their own way

Banner Ladies 6-24 Liscannor 1-4 FIRST off, let’s acknowledge the speed, skill level and fluency of the Banner Ladies’ first-half display. The champions played sublime football in the opening 30 minutes as they careered through Liscannor, establishing a 5-13 to 0-2 lead. While the huge Liscannor following in Cooraclare would understandably not concur, it was worth the admission fee to witness the imaginative, free-flowing excellence of Niamh O’Dea, Gráinne Nolan, Aoife Keane and Naomi Carroll. They played the game at a pace armed with precision and movement that Liscannor could not live with. Of course, it was very disappointing that the senior ladies football county final was so desperately one-sided. Saturday evening was perfect for football. The pitch was in top-class condition, the crowd sizeable and the Ladies Gaelic Football Association was represented by national president Pat Quill. Everything was set but the gulf between the competing teams was far too wide for any hope of a relatively even contest. …

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Win tickets to the All Ireland

All Ireland hurling ticket

  ENTER our fabulous competition to win a pair of tickets to the All-Ireland replay between Clare and Cork. Like and share us on Facebook to increase your chances of winning. Enter the competition click here and join the fun!   Please Note – This competition has now ended.

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President’s praise for A Rising Tide

President Michael D Higgins

  THE Clare Champion’s recent All-Ireland hurling final supplement, A Rising Tide, has received a ringing endorsement from none other than the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins. The President’s praise for the production came at an awards ceremony in Áras an Uachtaráin last week for the inaugural Get-Involved Community Get Involved campaign, organised by the National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI) Local and Regional and the Regional Newspapers and Printers Association of Ireland (RNPAI). Broadcaster and environmentalist, Duncan Stewart chaired the judging panel for the competition. An avid sports fan, President Higgins made special mention of the Clare hurlers and commented that The Clare Champion supplement, A Rising Tide, was the best he’s seen but he had only managed to get halfway though it. He received an appropriate reminder of his cradle days, when he was presented with a framed copy of The Clare Champion front page for the day of his birth in April 1941. Mr Frank Mulrennan of …

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McGrath in charge of hurling final replay

THE GAA has confirmed the referee and match officials for the All-Ireland senior hurling final replay between Clare and Cork on Saturday week. James McGrath from Westmeath will be in charge and this will be h is second senior assignment, having taken charge of last year’s replay between Kilkenny and Galway. The Turin clubman refereed the All-Ireland minor final in 2009 and the All-Ireland U21 final in 2010. James was in charge of the Munster senior final when Limerick beat Cork on a day when Pat Horgan was controversially sent off. That decision was subsequently overturned on an appeal. He also refereed Clare’s first round game with Waterford as well as the meeting of Offaly and Waterford in the qualifiers. Offaly’s Brian Gavin, who was in charge of the drawn game, will be the standby referee with Johnny Ryan (Tipperary) as the other linesman. The sideline official will be Alan Kelly (Galway).  

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Eire Og end Kilmurry-Ibrickane’s three in a row dream

CLARE senior football champions Kilmurry-Ibrickane are out of the 2013 title race. At Kilmihil on this Sunday evening they suffered a one point loss to Éire Óg in a quarter final tie that produced some great excitement, writes Seamus Hayes. The game was delayed for over half an hour in the opening half whilc injured Eire Og midfielder Darren O’Neill received attention. At half time the town side led the title holders by the odd point in five. Éire Óg had the better of the early second half exchanges and opened a nine point lead, 2-5 to 0-2. The champions refused to go down without a fight, however, and they dominated the last quarter hitting eight unanswered points. In the final minute, Ian McInerney’s free to level the game rebounded into play off the upright. Earlier today, Lissycasey booked their quarter final spot with a one point win over Ennistymon in a tie that required extra time. The final score here …

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U-21s show Antrim no mercy

Clare 2-28 Antrim 0-12 UNPRECEDENTED times for Clare hurling. A second successive All-Ireland under-21 title, and a third in five years, has given Clare fans reason for celebration but for the majority of the players the celebrations will be put ice for another few weeks. On Sunday, its back to training for 14 of the squad, as they turn their thought to Saturday week’s senior final replay against Cork. Clare dictated matters from beginning to end at Thurles, as Antrim were routed. It was a total mismatch. To their credit, however, the Ulster champions never gave up. Apart from the opening five minutes, when the sides when players were settling in, Clare had their third All-Ireland under-21 title wrapped up midway through the opening half when they had a six point lead. Antrim were clearly struggling to keep with them. Seven minutes from half time, the opening goal came from corner forward Davy O’Halloran and four minutes later his Éire Óg club-mate …

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A great day for young fans

THE most telling moment in Thurles on Saturday evening was when hundreds of determined Clare youngsters, mostly under the age of 10, lined up four or five deep on both sidelines in Semple Stadium. It should be noted that they leaped over the hoardings with a minute or two still left on Colm Lyons stopwatch, determined to position themselves in the scramble for photo opportunities and autographs. It underlines the depth of interest engendered in the children of Clare when Podge Collins is still on the field at 7.30pm, well over an hour after the game finished. It’s likely that Antrim were well up the road towards Belfast and the famous Glens, by the time the Clare players eventually made the dressing room. Perhaps that’s where the real value in Clare’s facile win was. It gave an opportunity for the children of the county to storm onto Semple Stadium, surround their heroes and make sure that they didn’t get away …

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The team that started the revolution

  DESPITE the fact that Clare were raging hot favourites to retain the under-21 All-Ireland hurling title, Clare joint manager Donal Moloney said there was never any question of them taking things for granted. “This had to be done for the team of 2010. We were so disappointed we didn’t win the All-Ireland minor title in 2010. There were the guys that started all the change; that started the revolution for us,” he said as he watched team captain, Paul Flanagan accept the All-Ireland trophy from GAA president, Liam O’Neill. “We should cherish these times. We have a lot of very, very good players and we have some outstanding players.  No matter how hard people work at underage hurling and no matter how hard the clubs work, you won’t always have as crop like that. A new generation has come and  some of them are exceptional. Hopefully, the hard work will continue. These could be a very special few years …

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Browne delight at All-Ireland winning display

CLARE and Ballyea corner back Jack Browne, like his team-mates, was still on the Thurles sod well over an hour after the final whistle. It’s not unkind to Antrim to suggest that the Clare players were under more pressure signing autographs and posing for photographs, than they had been in the game itself. “I didn’t think there was this many people in Clare,” Jack Browne laughed, surrounded by young autograph hunters, who were trading secrets on what player was where across the fabled Tipperary sward. “It means everything. When you’re growing up as a young lad, all you want to do is win an All-Ireland medal. It’s great,” he said of Clare’s third All-Ireland U/21 win. Jack Browne couldn’t believe the size of the crowd roaring on Clare, given that the seniors will be back in Croke Park on September 28. “There was a massive Clare crowd. The roaring that was going on for Clare scores was great. When we …

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Match-sharp Lissycasey tipped to make semi-final

WERE it not for Colin Lynch, Lissycasey may not have been playing senior football at all in 2013. Lynch, who is part of the Ennistymon management, along with Mark Shanahan and Cathal Crowe, came out of football retirement last year to assist his native club in retaining their senior status. He kicked three points in their relegation final replay defeat of Miltown. An integral component of Lissycasey’s 2007 championship winning team, Lynch has to put his personal affiliations aside on Sunday in Clarecastle. Everyone involved with Ennistymon will remember how poorly they played at the same stage last year, when they lost to Kilrush in Quilty. Memories of that implosion will motivate them this weekend as they attempt to reach the semi-final stage of the senior championship. When that will be played nobody knows but that doesn’t dilute the desire of Ennistymon and Lissycasey to reach that stage. To reach the quarter-final Ennistymon defeated St Breckan’s in Round 1 and …

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Tones to overcome Clondegad as fixture pile-up looms

THE losers of the Clondegad v Wolfe Tones second round losers game on Sunday in Clarecastle will have to face into playing a relegation semi-final against Liscannor. That stark fact will be to the forefront of both clubs thinking ahead of Sunday’s game, which has been held up for several weeks. Wolfe Tones cited the absence of Aaron Cunningham, due to his senior hurling commitments, as the reason why they couldn’t play, while at a county board meeting earlier this summer, Clondegad pointed to the fact that Tony Kelly and Paul Flanagan are also tied up with the senior hurlers. Clondegad lost their first round game to Éire Óg while Wolfe Tones were comprehensively beaten by Kilkee. It’s difficult to predict a winner given that neither club has any recent form line to go on. However, Wolfe Tones have more experience of playing senior football and perhaps that might edge the result in their favour. The prize for the winners …

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Magnificent Clare can up it another notch

SO did Clare leave it behind them? Emphatically, no. The sight of Domhnall O’Donovan on his back, while all around him Clare men, women and children were leaping into the Dublin skyline illustrates the depth of courage and mettle that has been drilled into this panel of Clare men. Had there been a chink of self-doubt or self-pity, Cork would have Liam McCarthy with them this week in the southern capital. In a game largely ruled by Clare, Cork led just the once. That they did so, a minute and a half into a mere two minutes of injury time, underlines the perilous precipice on which Clare stood. Eighteen months of work was imploding before their disbelieving eyes, while decades of regret loomed. Had Cork clung on to their one-point lead, they would have snaffled a 31st All-Ireland title that they did not earn. If they win the replay, at least they will probably have to hurl for longer and …

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Clare make one change

  THERE  is one change in personnel on the Clare under-21 hurling team from the side which started against Galway for Saturday’s All-Ireland final clash with Antrim. Cathal Malone retains his place at wing forward in place of Aaron Cunningham. The Ennistymon man replaced Cunningham when the Wolfe Tones player suffered a hamstring injury in the semi-final. Cunningham is named among the substitutes. The Clare team is: Ronan Taaffe (Tubber); Paul Flanagan (Ballyea) captain, David McInerney (Tulla), Jack Browne (Ballyea); Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge), Alan O’Neill (St Joseph’s) Stephen O’Halloran (Clarecastle); Colm Galvin (Cratloe), Tony Kelly (Ballyea); Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin), Paudge Collins (Cratloe), Cathal Malone (Ennistymon); Cathal O’Connell (Clonlara), Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg) Davy O’Halloran (Éire Óg). Subs: Keith Hogan (Clooney-Quin), Niall Arthur (Inagh-Kilnamona), Aaron Cunningham (Wolfe Tones), Jarlath Colleran (St Joseph’s) Enda Boyce (Cratloe), Mikey O’Neill (Kilmaley), Kevin Lynch (Sixmilebridge), Darragh Corry (Tulla) and Daire Keane (Kilmaley). Seamus Hayes

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Anger as football reverts to seeded draw

AT a meeting of the Munster GAA Council  in Limerick on Thursday, a proposal from the Provincial Competitions Control Committee (CCC) to change the format to a seeded draw for the 2014 Munster senior football championship was adopted. This means that the 2014 format will keep the 2013 finalists, Cork and Kerry, at opposite sides of the draw. The CCC  proposed a change back to the seeded draw and this was seconded by Cork. Tipperary proposed that Cork and Kerry get byes to the semi-finals, with the remaining four counties, Clare, Limerick, Waterford and Tipperary playing off for the other two semi-final spots after which the semi-final pairings would be decided by means of an open draw. The proposal to revert to the seeded draw was carried by six votes to three. Each County has one representative on the CCC while the officers with the exception of the full time officials (secretary and assistant secretary) are also allowed to vote. …

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Recent Posts

‘Fix the one percents and you’ll reach the magical one hundred’ – Hogg

2023 All Ireland Junior winner Sinead Hogg is a mainstay at the heart of the Clon defence and after a monumental battle with Eimear Bourke and Cait Devane she is ready to push on and claim the biggest camogie prize in Munster. ” Today wasn’t easy and the body is sore. It was a serious battle and in fairness to both teams it was a war of attrition. We had to just try and stay in the game at different stages because their six forwards are unbelievable players and can hurt you in the blink of an eye. It’s great to have that half back line in front of you cutting out the supply which makes it a bit easier for us in the full back line though and I think we did quite well. We were fully focused on delivering not only a performance but delivering a result and thankfully we did both.” Sinead feels as a group they have …

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‘I feel like I’m in a dream’ – Morris

Former coach to the Clare Senior set up and in his fourth year training his beloved Truagh-Clonlara Ryan Morris feels like he’s dreaming but admits this was their ultimate objective. ” I feel like I’m in a dream that I don’t want to wake up from. To see how far we’ve come from winning an Intermediate title to claiming a first ever McMahon Cup, going back to back and now a Munster final. It’s magical, it truly is. Last year we enjoyed celebrating after the County championship and the buzz around the place was incredible. The whole day out against Sarsfields was also really special but in truth we let the day be our focus and not the game itself. It wasn’t until we sat down to plan for this year that we felt the pain of that defeat. We set in motion a plan to retain our crown and have another crack at Munster but to do so we …

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Controversy reigns as Tulla denied at death

Dr. Harty Cup Round 2 St Joseph’s Tulla 0-17 Cashel Community School 0-17 After an opening day defeat to Cork school Blackrock, the pressure was firmly on Tulla to deliver in Cappamore. Showing tremendous character against a quality Cashel side they managed to stay in the game throughout thanks to an outstanding defensive display by fullback Fionn O’Gara and a series of top drawer saves from Broadford’s Jack Lovett. It was the player affectionately known as ‘Fog’ though that towered above everyone else on the field and was quite simply majestic all afternoon. Decisive hooks, critical blocks and booming clearances were the order of the day from the Clooney-Quin player. When Cashel did manage to break through the Tulla rearguard, they met a wall of resistance in Lovett. On three occasions the netminder came to the rescue, firstly denying Briain O’Donoghue with a brave point blank save in the 15th minute, then thwarting corner-forward Ryan O’Sullivan just before the interval …

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21st celebrations as Éire Óg return to helm

Clare Senior Football Championship Final Éire Óg 1-10 Kilmurry Ibrickane 0-6 “The Townies are back and we’re not going anywhere’ was the passionate concluding words to captain Aaron Fitzgerald’s speech as Éire Óg bounced back to Jack Daly winning ways in Cusack Park, writes Eoin Brennan.  Having only lost one of their last 21 matches and that to Cratloe in last year’s semi-final after penalties, the Ennis side’s third senior crown in four years was fully merited as they rolled with the punches of a difficult day weather and opposition-wise before finishing in powerful fashion. The ‘Bricks, fueled by an intriguing mix of youth and vast title winning experience, certainly made Paul Madden’s side sweat after hitting the ground running with the first three points through Keenan Sexton (2) and Daryn Callinan. However, on a day in which they almost needed a perfect performance, crucially they coughed up possession at halfway for Mark McInerney to pick out Gavin Cooney for …

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Strong Ennis performance seals win over Cobh Pirates RFC

Senior Men’s Junior League 2: Ennis RFC 26 – 6 Cobh Pirates RFC The Ennis Senior men’s rugby team were victorious 26 – 6 over Cobh Pirates during the Junior League 2. Ennis started off with a strong scrum, followed by Dylan Kenny breaking through tackles to score a converted score under the posts. Ennis’ defence stood firm and soon Joey Keane managed a huge steal with the Cobh Pirates just short of the try line. At the end of the first-half, the opposition scored a penalty, bringing the half-time score to 7 – 3. At the start of the second-half, the Cobh Pirates scored another penalty. With the score at 7 – 6, Ennis increased their defence and attack, allowing Cian Guilfoyle to score Ennis’ second try. Brendan Keane scored their third try, converted by Kenny, after a dominant Ennis scrum. With the game almost over and the Cobh Pirates on the attack, Guilfoyle intercepted on the halfway line …

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Meehan and McEvoy shine as Banner overcome Wolfe Tones

Junior C camogie final Banner 1-9 Wolfe Tones 0-9 Novel could best describe this meeting on Saturday afternoon last between Wolfe Tones and Banner in the Junior C camogie final that drew a sizable attendance to Father McNamara park.  Wolfe Tones with an experienced group of players faced up to a youthful Banner side with many dual players. Both sides had freetakers of a standard far higher than Junior C as Ciara Meehan and Sarah McEvoy shared a dozen scores over the hour. Wolfe Tones netminder Anna Brennan retired injured after 15 minutes as the Shannon side started slowly and didn’t score until the 17th minute from McEvoy with Laura Meaney adding a second Tones scores a minute later. Two further scores from Wolfe Tones in the final minutes of the half left them on four points, one behind Banner at the interval. Ciara Meehan was excellent from placed balls and missed just one over the hour. Half-time Banner (0-5) …

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Whelan and Meaney score as Clondegad lower Banner

Junior B football final Clodegad 2-11 Banner 2-8 A season of underachieving in the view of both clubs in the Intermediate championship came to an adult end in Lissycasey on Sunday afternoon in the Junior B county final decider. As with most Junior finals it can be a hazardous task to allocate a favourites tag so all was up for grabs before what was a disappointing following from the two clubs. Scores were hard to come by the opening quarter with the two sides sharing a paltry five points as Clondegad led (0-3) to (0-2) before Ciaran Connelly struck for the first of four goals in the game. Within two minutes Banner had cut the lead of Clondegad to the minimum with their first goal as long time performer Fiachra Hayes who started in place of William Bello was their shooter. Clondegad full forward Oisin Griffin won a high ball and his breaking ball was doubled to the net by …

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Éire Óg Fawle as Kevin’s goal seals final place

Junior A football semi-final Michael Cusacks 1-9 Éire Óg 0-8 Renowned Michael Cusack’s defender Kevin Fawle is not recognised as a goalscorer but should ultimate success come the way of the men from the Burren and Belharbour they will look back at Fawle’s 50th minute goal as one of the decisive moments of the year. Éire Óg will have left Corofin with deep regrets posting perhaps their least effective showing of the season that was well below their quarter-final showing against Cooraclare as Michael Cusack’s were very fortunate to get extra time before dispatching the challenge of St Breckan’s second string. Éire Óg opened the scoring with goalkeeper Cian Howard kicking over their first score from a free and he added a second free after eight minutes. Domhnall McMahon operating at full forward with others pulled out kicked over Michael Cusack’s first score just before Jack McGann and McMahon once more were on the scoresheet after 13 minutes to take the …

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Flynn and Duggan goals keep St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield senior as the ‘Bridge drop down

Senior camogie relegation final St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 2-9 Sixmilebridge 1-10 There was heartbreak for Sixmilebridge and jubilation for St Joseph’s in equal measure in Clooney on Saturday afternoon. Relegation to Intermediate camogie for the Bridge who in a bygone era won multiple championships as St Joseph’ chasing their first maintained their status and once more are the only Clare club to possess four senior GAA, Camogie and LGFA sides. With the LGFA county final on the horizon for St Joseph’s they did not want a low note to be played in the run up with relegation from senior camogie and set out their stall early with (2-2) in the opening half with Ciara Duggan and Siobhan Flynn scoring (1-1 each). Chloe Morey hit back between the 14th and 18th minutes with (1-2) to keep Sixmilebridge in contact as Olivia Phelan had initiated the scoring for Sixmilebridge after four minutes. Determined tackling by both sets of defenders ensured a low scoring contest as …

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Tulla fall to Harty Cup opening round loss

Blackwater Community School, Lismore 2-16 St. Joseph’s Tulla 0-20 St Joseph’s Secondary School, Tulla suffered an agonising two-point reverse in their Harty Cup Group 3 campaign on Wednesday afternoon. The defat, at the hands of a pacy Blackwater Community School from Lismore, leaves them under pressure to advance to the knockout stages. For all that Tulla did well in this contest, a sloppy start proved detrimental to their chances in Kilmallock, falling eight points behind inside the opening quarter. It was a position that the students, coached by Terence Fahy, Aidan Harte and Tomás Kelly couldn’t recover from fully. Even when they were on top and looked like taking the lead, they were hit with a sucker punch of a goal that filled the Lismore confidence heading into the second half. Indeed, a stunning save from Billy Murphy in the Lismore goal denied them a potential game changing goal, with Darragh White having to settle for a point instead. The …

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New Clare ladies football manager

IN a statement this afternoon Clare LGFA announced the appointment of Listowel’s Graham Shine as the new Intermediate team manager for the coming season. The former Limerick and Kerry Ladies manager has been appointed for two years, with an option of a third, in charge of the county’s flagship side. Board Chairman Sean Lenihan advised that there were a number of applicants for the post from both within and outside the County and thanked the unsuccessful candidates for their interest in the position.  He outlined Shine’s extensive experience at Club and County level over many years and wished him and his backroom team well over the next couple of years starting soon with preparation for Clare’s return to Division 2 of the National Football League commencing in mid-January. A qualified personal trainer and fitness instructor, Shine was part of former Manager Wayne Freeman’s Backroom Team last year so he knows the panel of players involved here to date. He has …

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Banner five still alive in Munster Junior Football PPS Championships

Clare’s interest in the Munster Junior (Under 17) Post-Primary Schools Football Championships have been reduced to five after a busy week of derbies in all five grades. St Joseph’s Spanish Point (C), St John Bosco Community College, Kildysart (D) and Under 17E trio St Michael’s Community College Kilmihil and St Patrick’s Comprehensive School, Shannon and Ennis Community College who are due to face each other this morning (Thursday) in Wolfe Tones at 10.45am are the only schools left in the first provincial championship of the 2024/25 season. The Frewen Cup is destined to return to Kerry for another year after St Flannan’s College bowed out at the quarter-final stage to St Michael’s Listowel by 1-13 to 1-09 in The Bog Garden in Rathkeale on Wednesday afternoon. Trailing by 1-4 to 0-4 by the break, the Ennis College grabbed a lifeline on the restart when Kieran Doyle converted a penalty. With Dara Kennedy and TJ Moore dominating the engine room, Darragh …

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Crusheen present double trouble for Parteen-Meelick

Junior A Camogie Championship Cup Final Crusheen v Parteen-Meelick at Fr McNamara Park Ennis, Saturday at 4pm (Kevin Walsh, Wolfe Tones) Momentum is the clear driving force as heavyweights Crusheen and Parteen-Meelick finally meet in earnest to decide the Junior A Camogie Championship honours. I say finally as they were forced into a dress rehearsal final group decider a fortnight ago but as expected it was merely a shadow-boxing exercise especially on the red half of the divide as Parteen-Meelick eased to a 9-27 to 0-07 win. Don’t expect the same in Fr. McNamara Park on Saturday afternoon as Crusheen, off the back of their commanding Junior A Ladies Football Final triumph over Cúil Gaels last Sunday will be determined to achieve a historic double. Parteen-Meelick were pencilled in for a ladies football final too last Saturday but being a Junior B Shield Final, they opted to put their full focus on this prestigious decider. There’s no shortage of camogie …

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Clancy crushes Cúil dreams of silverware

Junior A Ladies’ Football Final Crusheen 3-10 – Cúil Gaels 0-14 Crusheen back at the start of the century under the management of the late Michael Cullinan possessed some of the best underage players in the county winning four Under 16A titles plus Minor, Junior A and Intermediate honours finally contested a senior final joined with Kilmihil. Time moved on, players left and lean times followed but once more Crusheen are back in the Intermediate championship for 2025 following a five-point success over Cúil Gaels in Lissycasey on Sunday evening. Cúil Gaels for their part had ample scoring chances over the course of the hour and really worried Crusheen but unfortunately from the estuary’s perspective they kicked a dozen wides as opposed to just five for the title winners. At least four of the Cúil Gael points skimmed the Crusheen crossbar much to the relief of Grace Gleeson. Yet, the matchwinner was at midfield for Crusheen, namely Anna Clancy with …

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Shannon Town shade cup spoils in low-key derby

(FAI Junior Cup) Shannon Town A 2 – Bunratty/Cratloe 1 Shannon Town inched the derby spoils to book their place in the next round of the FAI Junior Cup but it wasn’t the greatest of advertisements for an early morning kick-off in Lynch Park in Shannon on Sunday. Don’t get me wrong, all the ingredients were ripe for a memorable derby as a sizeable crowd was in attendance to witness a rare clash of these neighbours while there was the added layer of new Shannon Town manager Davy Hogan playing against his former Premier winning club. However, perhaps the players weren’t given sufficient notice of the 10:30am kick-off as the teams never really livened up until the final quarter. Amazingly, there wasn’t a shot of note throughout the entire opening period and essentially it was only with Charlie Morrison’s 68th minute penalty that this prudent tie finally opened up. It was a huge relief to hosts Shannon Town who, as …

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