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Fitzgerald, the Parteen-based owner and trainer.Owned in Newcastle West by members of the Dream On Syndicate, Omera was withdrawn from the semi-finals in Miltown Malbay, was beaten in the Ballyduff final and her most recent outing  was at Ennis-Clarecastle fixture where she was the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 …

Spancilhill trainer Noel Glynn is hoping his star chaser Becauseicouldntsee can step up one place when he lines up for the second year in a row in the ultra-competitive €190,000 Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown next Tuesday.Second in the race 12 months ago to Dermot Weld’s 33-1 winner Majestic Concorde, Becauseicoulndntsee had a nice pipe-opener for next week’s three-mile test when third to Golden Silver over two miles at Cork recently and Glynn is more than hopeful his eight-year-old, who fell at the second fence in the Grand National at Aintree back in April, can go one better this time round.He said, “Thankfully, Becauseicouldntsee is in great order and we’re expecting a big run. He just wasn’t himself for a while there earlier this season but he’s coming back to his best now at just the right time. It’s a very open affair and, as you would expect for a race of this nature, it will be hugely competitive.”The fact …

THE members of Clare’s Munster Minor Hurling Championship-winning squad and the players, who brought a first Munster and All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling title to Clare in 2011 were presented with their medals at a gala function attended by over 300 people at the West County Hotel, Ennis last Saturday night.The presentations were made by two of Clare’s All-Ireland winning heroes from the ’90s, team captain Anthony Daly, who is now the Dublin senior hurling manager, and goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald, recently appointed Clare senior manager.The respective team captains, Tony Kelly (minor) and Tony Carmody paid tribute to the management teams for their efforts and the county board officials for their support.Joint minor managers, Gerry O’Connor and Donal Moloney, along with intermediate manager, Kevin Kennedy addressed the attendance.Speaking to the players, O’Connor asked if their achievement gave them a taste for more and, if so, said they must make a lifestyle choice. “Ye have won a Grammy and ye must now decide if …

IN a joint report to Tuesday’s Clare Ladies’ Football County Board AGM, adult PRO Mary Keane and her underage counterpart, Alan Copley, suggested that club PROs must work harder. “With the exception of a few clubs, many of the 22 club PROs were not active during the past year although this did improve late in the year when material was requested for the Clare GAA year book, after several requests in some cases,” their report read. They encouraged clubs to insist that PROs change their attitudes in 2012. “We encourage all clubs, when having their AGMs between now and February 1, to select a suitable candidate with an interest in the post,” they added. The report paid tribute to Kilkee-based community radio station Radió Corca Baiscinn for broadcasting a full commentary on the ladies’ senior county final. “For the first time, our senior county final was broadcast live from Doonbeg, while a special pre-championship programme was broadcast live from Kilmihil …

THE Clare ladies’ football U-14 trials, which is run in conjunction with the Marian Keane Memorial Cup, was played out over the last three weeks and concluded this weekend at Clarecastle. Sixty-five girls were called to attend the trials and included players who had participated in the U-13 12-week  development programme, other interested 13-year-olds and a selection of U-12 development squad members. The trials were well attended in very adverse weather conditions showing a massive interest in representing Clare in Gaelic football. Four teams played for the Marian Keane Memorial Cup, which was accepted for her team by captain Chloe Moloney and the shield, which was accepted by captain Katie Considine for her team. Trudy Davenport, chairperson of Doora-Barefield Ladies’ Football Club presented the cup, shield and medals to every participant. Mentors Eimear Considine, Áine Kelly, Johnny Hayes and Alan Copley acknowledged the work of parents and their clubs for participating in the trials. The panel will be selected in …

Powerstation, part-owned by well-known Clarecastle bookmaker Neil Casey, rolled back the years when running out a 14/1 (28.70 on the tote) winner of the feature Grade C Proudstown Handicap Hurdle at Navan last Saturday.Without a win since scoring at Killarney 19 months earlier, Powerstation, who runs in the colours of the 13-strong Fat Frog Syndicate, has been a great servant having placed three times at the Cheltenham Festival and third twice to the mighty Big Buck’s in the World Hurdle.Hollycross amateur Johnny King was on board the now 11-year-old on Saturday and he had the son of Anshan in contention at the third last flight in this stamina-sapping two-mile, seven-furlong test, which was run on soft to heavy ground. King’s mount improved to lead before the last but, having been headed briefly by eventual runner-up He’llberembered at the final flight, the teak-tough Powerstation really stuck his neck out on the stiff uphill climb to the line at the Navan course …

An Irish weightlifting team took part in an international contest that included teams from France and Belgium, in Brussels recently. Gabriel McNamara from the Miltown Malbay weightlifting club was selected on the Irish team that was coached by Gerry O’Mahony, who also founded the Miltown club some years ago. The Irish team finished second, which is an indication of the progress of the Miltown club in such a short space of time. All of the members in the club have achieved personal bests while winning many titles over the past few years. They are in training now for the Irish Championships which take place in Dublin in February.

In his end of year report to delegates at this Thursday’s county GAA convention, secretary Pat Fitzgerald (pictured) notes, “thankfully, and unlike previous years, there was nothing untoward to shine the media spotlight inwardly, no player revolt, no managers having their reign terminated mid-term, no upheaval of any description.”Despite this, however, Fitzgerald did mention one issue, a hardy perennial that keeps coming up – the club fixtures and the frustration being experienced by clubs over the elongated club season.“As I see it, there is no easy solution unless hard decisions are made,” he says. “Each year, a committee spends many nights drafting a master fixtures programme which is subsequently presented to the county board for ratification by the clubs through their delegates. This schedule is supposed to be set in stone but, as we saw this year, it became flexible after appeals by both the minor and intermediate hurling managements were entertained. “For a county bereft of success, it’s entirely …

There are 48 motions listed for discussion at this Thursday’s County GAA convention at the Auburn Lodge Hotel, Ennis, that will start with the registration of delegates from 6.15pm with the business of the meeting getting underway at 6.45pm.It’s expected, however, that motions dealing with competition structures will be deferred to January and dealt with at a special meeting when the report from the committee currently meeting with clubs across the county to review competition structures will be presented.West Clare neighbours, Kilmurry-Ibrickane and Doonbeg, have tabled motions calling for games in the Senior Football Championship to be played every two weeks once the competition gets underway. It is expected there will be strong support for this proposal.Inagh-Kilnamona and Tulla both want quarter-finals in the Junior B Hurling Championship, while St Joseph’s, Doora-Barefield and Tulla want dates for the junior football and hurling championships set out in the Master Fixtures plan. Ennistymon and Sixmilebridge both want quarter-finals in the Intermediate Hurling …

A CALL for more support for the development squads was made by Bord na nÓg Iomaint chairman Martin Reynolds when he addressed delegates attending the annual convention of the board last Thursday night at the Auburn Lodge Hotel.“I would like to see the clubs give more support to the squads, as sometimes they don’t support them as well as they should. These squads are the main reason why we have won two Munster Minor Championship titles in the last two years and we should give them more support,” the Clarecastle man said.He described the year under review as a good one for the board. “I am happy with the year. It took a while to fill the positions on the executive and all of the officers were new to the posts,” he said before paying tribute to all for their work.“We worked well with all the clubs and we got tremendous support from the county board and from secretary Pat …

It’s a feast or famine for Clare boxers. Bereft of serious action since the Ennis BC anniversary show in October, the fighters will see action on the double this Friday and Saturday and this will embellish the action from last weekend’s tournament against a Galway selection.All of the Ennis champions were in action last weekend but it was the lesser-known fighters who showed their mettle while their more illustrious clubmates and sparring partners tasted unlikely defeats. Lee Sherlock, who excelled through last season, lost out to European silver medalist Jack Connolly from Clonmel by the narrowest of margins. He conceded after the fight that his slow start cost him dearly.Sherlock admitted, “I paid him a little too much respect early on, boxing on the defensive for the first three minutes but when I realised that I was capable of mixing it with him and countering effectively, much of the initiative had passed me by”. In fact Connolly was caught persistently …

Dates for the various golf cups and shield competitions for 2012 have been finalised and draws were announced this week.On Saturday and Sunday, May 12 and 13, Lahinch will be the venue for the North Munster section of the Jimmy Bruen Shield. The pairings will be: Doonbeg Links v Kilrush with the winners to play Woodstock; Ennis v Shannon; Dromoland Castle v Lahinch; East Clare v Kilkee with the winners to play Spanish Point. The Munster semi-finals and final will take place at Fota Island Golf Club on Sunday, July 15.Kilkee will host the North Munster section of the Pierce Purcell Shield on Saturday and Sunday, May 26 and 27, where Woodstock will begin the defence of their national title. The pairings are: Ennis v Lahinch with the winners to play Kilrush; Doonbeg Links v Spanish Point; Dromoland Castle v Kilkee; Shannon v Woodstock. The provincial semi-finals and final will also take place in Fota Island on Sunday, July 15.In …

In the primary schools team event, Cratloe emerged as the winners from Ballyea.In the secondary schools team event, St Michael’s Kilmihil were the winners and they also won the novice section.ResultsPrimary schools team event: 1. Cratloe National School, Team A: Mark Mc Donagh, John Gallagher, Kara Gupta; 2. Ballyea National School, Orla Gooney, Clodagh O’Meara, Robbie Coote, Sinead Reidy; 3. Sixmilebridge National School: Tara Diggins, Shannon Ward, Jason Duggan, Makayla Normoyle; 4. Inch National School: Rhys Williams, Sean O’Connor, Catherine Bult, Alannah Forde; 5. Doora National School: Jack O’Grady, Yvonne Hughes, Panna Boda; 6. Cratloe National School: Team B: Tom Gleeson, Stephen Hochtor, Aoife O’Brien, Esha Gupta. Secondary schools team event: (novice): 1. St Michael’s, Kilmihil: Chloe Crowley, Chloe Normoyle, Katie O’Dea, Amy Johnston; 2. Villiers School, Limerick, Team A: Olivia Gurnett, Peter Howard, Ciara Frawley, Robert Cunningham; 3. Villiers School, Limerick, Team B: Orla Shiel, Della Daly, Becky Davis, Laura O’Connor; 4. Ard Scoil Ris, Limerick, Team A: Oisin …

The Ennis U-12 group travelled to Corinthians in Galway at the weekend. With nearly 40 players and two teams again split into red and black, the opportunity to play in Galway brought the best out of this group.The opposition was provided by Corinthians, UL Bohemians from Limerick and Old Wesley from Dublin.Ennis Black really hit the ground running against UL Bohemians scoring two early tries from Shane Brennan and Liam Wall. A brief scare brought the game back to 2-1 but Elias Kunz powered over for the final score of the game to make it 3-1. Against Old Wesley, Ennis took the game to their opposition but fell a little short going down 2-1. Their final game was against the hosts Corinthians and Ennis asserted themselves again, dominating the breakdown that was key. This coupled with tidy back play, Shane Brennan being notable in midfield, ensured a comfortable 3-1 victory with scores from Stephan Dolan, Paul Tuohy and Caiman Whelan.The …

Lifford   4 Ennis Town Rock   2 WHILE the inclement weather played havoc with the Clare soccer fixture list last weekend, one of the games to survive was this big Ennis derby when Lifford welcomed neighbours, Ennis Town Rock, to the well-appointed Cassidy Park. Clare’s UEFA qualified referee Pádraig Sutton got this Premier-Division clash underway as the heavy early morning rain was beginning to clear but not without leaving its mark on the playing surface which was very soft throughout. The visitors started brightly and their chief marksman, Stephen Hickey, came close to getting the opening score in the 11th minute but Lifford’s net-minder, Jan da Silva, was alert and raced from his line to avert the danger. Two minutes later, his side were behind when the defence failed to clear their lines following a corner. The ball fell to Ennis Town Rock midfielder Daryl Eade, who saw his effort come back off the right-hand post but Marty McLoughlin was on …