St Munchin’s Limerick 37   Ennistymon VS 34  (after extra time) Ennistymon Vocational School will take strong positives from this semi-final game at the South-West Regional Finals in Kanturk, with nine of the squad underage for the next two years. They certainly can look towards a strong showing in this competition if they can continue their progress.They opened the brighter of the two sides and had the much-taller Limerick team on the ropes in the opening minutes, with John Dillon and Joey Rouine combining for 10 early points, two three-pointers coming from Dillon. This gave them an early 10-3 lead. St Munchin’s Liam Collins connected on two three-pointers to have the Limerick side trail 15-8 at the end of the first quarter. The second quarter was a much more even affair and Ennistymon kept well in the game with strong rebounding from Pádraig Haugh, Roma Byrne and Aaron McNulty against the opposition. Shane McNamara and Adrian Hickey posed some problems for …

The inaugural Mountrivers Cup, Doonbeg Links versus Doonbeg Golf Club  competition was played recently and resulted in victory for the club team on a 12½ to 8½ score. Afterwards, captain, Kevin Hayes presented the cup to the club team captain Kevin Kenny at a social gathering in Darby’s.The results are listed below.Michael Waters and Michael Liddane had a 2½ to ½ win over Martin Griffin and Kevin Hayes. Wade Murphy and Seamus Dooley suffered a 0-3 loss to Paddy O’Grady and John O’Brien. Harry Crowe and Bernard Ryan halved their match with Timmy Killeen and Declan Conway. Kevin Kenny and Eddie Dwyer were 3-0 winners over Seanie Moloney and Roy Capon. Ian Kearney and Barry Murphy had a 2-1 win over Diarmaid O’Donnell and Pat Cotter. Nigel Dillon and Frank Murnane lost to Maurice Mangan and Johnny Igoe on a 2-1 scoreline while Joe Russell and Paul Faughnan were 2 ½ to ½ winners over Seamus Griffin and Pat O’Malley.In …

TULLA Community Games was founded 40 years ago by Paddy Joe Brassil, a Tulla man who went on to become the Clare county chairman.Community Games was very active in Tulla in the early days but then Tulla did not compete for a number of years, before returning in 1984 when Kay and Pat Madden, who are still actively involved, played a prominent role.  Presently, there is a very vibrant committee, headed by Rosemary Perkins as chairperson, with Mary McSweeney as secretary.In recent years, handball and draughts have been strong in Tulla, with representatives winning All-Ireland medals over the last few years at all age levels. At the moment, there are over 50 children training for the draughts and the handball has never had so many children involved.The branch continues to look for new sports to take part in and for children from all walks of life to take part in the many events offered by Community Games.Over the past 40 …

Connolly Celtic 1   Àvenue United 0 AVENUE United crashed out of this season’s Munster Junior Cup competition when they were beaten by first-division side Connolly Celtic at Lisdoonvarna on Sunday. Before referee, John Murray got things underway, Connolly were dealt a blow when their regular netminder Niall Quinn was ruled out due to a shoulder injury and his place between the posts was taken by Bernard Field, normally an outfield player.The prize for the winners is a fourth-round home tie against crack Limerick side Pike Rovers in January. Both sides settled well in the soft underfoot conditions and the first opportunity came after six minutes when a glancing Herlihy header was just wide of the Connolly goal following a good David Smith cross.The outcome of the game was decided in the 10th minute when a sweeping move down the left wing saw Jan Feck and ex-Avenue favourite, Mickey Burns combine before the latter’s good cross was met by the in-rushing …

THE annual general meeting of St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay GAA Club at the clubhouse last week attracted a moderate-sized attendance.Chairperson Gerard McMahon outlined a summary of events in 2011. Detailed reports were presented by treasurer Tommy Byrne, secretary Francis Cahill and stand committee chairperson John Reidy.Tommy Byrne stepped down as treasurer after three years in the role and it is hoped to fill the position from within the executive in early 2012. John Reidy presented the financial report on the stand committee and signalled that the project is complete.The senior and junior management positions remain to be filled for 2012, with managers appointed for the majority of underage teams.The officers for 2012 are: president, Canon Seamus Mullin; vice-presidents, Aidan Carroll and Marty Marrinan; trustees, Noel Walsh, John Reidy and Marty Marrinan; chairperson, Gerard McMahon; vice-chairperson, Paddy Egan; treasurer, to be filled; assistant treasurer, Willie Healy; secretary, Francis Cahill; assistant secretary, Tomás McKenna; county board delegate/Irish officer, Noel Walsh; field manager, …

  “THE Mid-West is being neglected when it comes to new initiatives for employment and we only have to look at Shannon Airport and the industrial areas and how they are being allowed to be run down. This is certainly not good for the region and a major co-ordinated drive is needed before it is too late.”So said Clare GAA chairman Michael O’Neill, when he addressed delegates at the annual convention of the organisation at the Auburn Lodge Hotel last Thursday night.“Finding employment for our members is proving more and more difficult,” he said. “We will all work with the relevant bodies in the county to ensure we can provide employment for our members.”“The Mid-West seems to have been neglected for whatever reason and maybe a lot of investments are geared more towards the east of the country, which is to the detriment of the West of Ireland and here in the Mid-West in particular,” he added.“Since we gathered for …

ARISING from comments by secretary Pat Fitzgerald in his report to convention in relation to fixtures issues, Tulla delegate Michael O’Halloran raised the issue at last week’s gathering.“The secretary had documented the situation that prevails presently and he outlines the difficulties and the frustrations experienced by the club in relation to fixtures. Each year, there is a master fixtures programme put together and invariably that programme is discarded and next year, in my opinion, is going to be no different. For the past 15 years, we have addressed the fixture situation. Various recommendations have been made, commitments have been given by the executive and continually these undertakings are shelved. We now arrive at a situation where there is an impasse, as far as I am concerned between the clubs and the county. Both parties need to be accommodated. Looking at the inter-county scenario, it is the ambition of the managements of all teams to progress with a view to winning …

MOTIONS dealing with competition formats were, as predicted last week, deferred until the new year. These will be discussed at a special convention on January 14 when the report from the committee currently examining competitions structures and timings will be debated.Included in the 22 motions deferred are two dealing with the number of county board meetings, which should be held each year.Some debate took place on this issue last week before it was agreed to defer the proposals.Sixmilebridge are asking that there be six meetings per year, which would be attended by the club chairman/secretary, board delegate and manager of the most senior team in the club.County secretary Pat Fitzgerald said he submitted a similar motion about six years ago and went on to say why the motion was put forward. “The basis for this is to stimulate debate and discussion on the GAA in general. In many businesses, if they didn’t change for a number of years, we know …

CLARECASTLE has called for “the county  board to establish a committee to review the enforcement of the rules in relation to the Category 111 infraction – striking with hurley, either with force or causing injury. The club wants this to be undertaken as defined in Rule 7.2(b) of An Treoraí Oifigiúil 2010 part 1. “The remit of this committee should establish clear guidelines to be applied by Coiste Cheannais na gComotaisi (CCC) in determining when to invoke the gravity provision on suspensions allowed for in Rule 7.5 (b) highlighting, in particular, the consideration that should be afforded to any comments in the referee’s report relating to the seriousness/gravity of the particular offence on how to determine, in the case that the gravity provision is invoked, an appropriate suspension more severe that the minimum and up to and including the maximum allowed for in 7.5 (b)”, led to quite a lively discussion.Proposing the motion, John Callinan said, “We all know our …

SIXMILEBRIDGE GAA successfully put forward a motion to convention calling for all Munster club fixtures, including finals, to be on a home and away basis.Putting the proposal, PJ. Fitzpatrick reminded the delegates that the recent Crusheen v Na Piarsaigh final was played in Thurles when “it would have been so much more beneficial to everybody if it was played in either Cusack Park or Limerick”.Having put the proposal, which won the support of the majority of delegates present, Fitzpatrick congratulated Crusheen “on their fantastic display in the county final and on their superb performance in two epic matches in Thurles. They were outstanding games and Crusheen can really be very proud of how they represented the county.”He congratulated Na Piarsaigh on their win and the involvement of their clubman, Sean Stack as the Limerick side’s coach.The co-chairman is to appoint a sub-committee at the first committee meeting in 2012 to deal with the report that has reduced the capacity of …

THE executive of Clare GAA will appoint a child welfare officer who will replace the post of youth officer. Sandra Reynolds, the Bord na nÓg hurling secretary, was the outgoing youth officer but this position no longer exists within the GAA.Otherwise, all outgoing members of the Clare executive were returned, without opposition, for another term when delegates gathered at the annual convention. A number of these officers will have to step down at the end of 2012 as they will have completed five years in the posts they currently hold.The executive for 2012 is: president, John Hanly, Clarecastle; chairman, Michael O’Neill, Ballyea; vice-chairman, Joe Cooney, O’Callaghan’s Mills; assistant secretary, Des Crowe, Ruan; treasurer, Bernard Keane, St Joseph’s; assistant treasurer, Gerry Lynch, Tulla; public relations officer, Syl O’Connor, Sixmilebridge; Irish/culture officer, Tom Burke, Corofin; development officer, John Fawl, Ennistymon; coaching and games officer, Eamonn  Fennessy, Sixmilebridge; central council delegate, Ger Hickey, Feakle; Munster full-time official, Pat Fitzgerald, Sixmilebridge; council delegates, John …

A MOTION from Ruan asking that the senior and intermediate hurling and football championship finals be played in a pitch that is enclosed and with covered accommodation, was accepted as a recommendation.Proposing the motion, Ger Lyons said, “The finals this year were held in deplorable conditions. There was a lot of anger expressed at a meeting of our club, arising from the late notification of the change of venue for the intermediate final. Many of the supporters didn’t hear about it until 12 noon on the day of the final. People got soaked in Clarecastle, which wasn’t Clarecastle’s fault. Many could not see the game due to umbrellas and they were in no fit state to go to the senior final afterwards as they were drenched. There was a stewarding problem that day and many were allowed onto the far side causing health and safety problems. With the way the weather was this year, perhaps the senior and intermediate finals …

A MOTION from St Josephs Doora-Barefield asking that upcoming weekend fixtures be e-mailed to all club secretaries each Tuesday before 5pm was heavily defeated.Proposing the motion, St Joseph’s secretary Donal O’Connor said his club has a number of players who are currently working in England and others living in Dublin. “We have 14 players who are on shift work. At this point in time, these players can no longer wait until the Thursday ’til The ’Champion is published or until the fixtures are emailed on the Thursday afternoon before they can request time off work. They need to give at least three to four days’ notice. We want fixtures emailed to club secretary on a Tuesday afternoon. We are not looking for venues or referees. All we want is details of the day and the time,” he said.Pat Fitzgerald replied that the league fixtures are provided early in the year. “Championship fixtures are sent out in writing to every club …

GOOD Slick scored his sixth career win for Cooraclare owner, Tommy Gallagher last week. His latest win was at Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium last Thursday night in the last race of the night, the A2 graded 550-yard race. On a very cold night with the track rated 30 seconds  for the final three races, Good Slick (Ballymac Maeve- Bling Bling Flo) showed good early pace to lead Knoppogue Mate and Master Rooster to the opening bend. From this stage, he opened up a sizeable gap and although the locally owned Comeonthebanner came nearer in the final stages, Good Slick had enough in reserve to win by a length and a quarter in a time of 31.07.Eoin O’Brien’s Knockdine Dream was runner-up in the first race of the night won byMartin McDonagh’s Hanover Maeve in 29.86. The winning distance was two lengths.The second race on the card was won by Joinedupthinking owned by Kilmihil’s Martin Keane. This was the second win …

WITH Ocean Tolula, Omera and Job Done in the line-up, the South Clare All-Age Bitch stake promises to be a fairly lively affair at the South Clare coursing meeting at Cooraclare over the Christmas holiday period. Reaching  the last four in the Oaks in Clonmel last season, Ocean Tolula has been in good form this season, winning the cup at the Killimer-Kilrush meeting for Tom Fitzgerald, the Parteen-based owner and trainer.Owned in Newcastle West by members of the Dream On Syndicate, Omera was withdrawn from the semi-finals in Miltown Malbay, was beaten in the Ballyduff final and her most recent outing  was at Ennis-Clarecastle fixture where she was the money-on favourite at the semi-finals. However, she went out at this stage to the eventual winner, the Sixmilebridge-owned Oileán Mystic.After succeeding at Tradaree, young Cathal Meaney from Cooraclare will be hoping to succeed on home ground to add another cup to his collection with the Pat Curtin-trained Job Done.Bookmaker Dinnt Gould …