Scariff caster Ruairi Costello literally has the world at his feet. The Ballycorban angler has just returned from Japan where he pitted his casting skills against the best in the business and triumphed. Ruairi picked up two gold medals and four silver medals in addition to setting a new trout 6 weight single handed world record of 52 metres.Competing in the prestigious JCA Anglers Class Masters casting competition in Tokyo, Ruairi collected the gold medals in the 6 weight trout distance and the 18 foot speycasting, a remarkable achievement for someone who only fishes for trout during the Mayfly season on Lough Derg. There were 120 entrants in the competition and Ruairi came out on top. He has now won in three continents – North America, Europe and Asia and is officially recognised as the best all round caster in the world.  Ruairi has developed a unique casting style. He is self-taught and has a powerful final delivery. When asked …

Ollie Baker is to manage the Offaly senior hurlers for the coming year and included in his backroom team will be another Clare man, Alan Cunningham from Shannon.This will be Baker’s first appointment as an inter-county senior manager. In recent times, he served as a selector in Clare under Anthony Daly and under Mike McNamara while he was part of the Antrim backroom team last year under Dinny Cahill.Speaking to The Clare Champion this week, the Tullamore-based garda sergeant said he was “looking forward to the challenge. I hope to continue the good work done over the past four years by Joe Dooley.”An outstanding midfielder, he helped Clare to three Munster and two All-Ireland titles in the ’90s when he also played a leading role in helping his club St Joseph’s to Clare, Munster and All-Ireland club titles.Baker confirmed this week that Alan Cunningham from Wolfe Tones will be part of his backroom team. The St Caimin’s Community school teacher …

St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield stunned Clare football when they beat Doonbeg by a point in the championship quarter-final. That day Colm Mullen showed his big match temperament is still intact when he stroked over the winning point. Five years living and working in the US and Australia hadn’t dulled his love of the club, be it as a footballer or hurler. “I’d often contemplated coming home for a couple of games. That didn’t pan out but I really missed it and it was great to get back into it. I came back into a different club in a lot of ways. The success was gone and we were struggling in both codes. “Having said that, we knew that the talent was there, definitely with the footballers. It was just a matter of getting it out of the squad that was here. It’s great that we have done that and I’m glad to be part of it,” he smiled. Before St Joseph’s …

PLAYERS who are prepared to put their bodies on the line often decide big championship games.One of the greatest compliments ever paid to former Galway hurler, Brendan Lynskey was that he was prepared to put his head where others wouldn’t put their hurley in a bid to win possession.It might be a different code but Peter O’Dwyer is a player in the same mould as Lynskey. A vital block in the closing minutes of the recent Clare Senior Football Championship semi-final illustrates his great work-rate throughout the field and willingness to make the hard tackle when it matters most.Conor McGrath was ready to pull the trigger and split the posts to send Cratloe in front two minutes from the end after beating his marker on the 30m line. However, the South-East Clare dual star hadn’t bargained on the intervention of the Kilmurry Ibrickane midfield general, who smothered the attempted shot. Kilmurry Ibrickane have got used to expecting impressive displays from …

IN 2006 and for part of 2007, former Kilmurry-Ibrickane player and mentor, Martin Keavey coached the St Joseph’s senior side. Among his backroom team was another Kilmurry-Ibrickane man, CJ Sexton, who is still coaching some of the juvenile players at the club.At the time, Martin was residing in “The Parish” and answered the call when approached to get involved.“They (St Joseph’s) have had a lot of young talent coming through in the past decade in particular. Some of the older fellas, who were playing when I was involved, are still playing and are as good as ever. “With the underage talent that has been coming through, there is huge potential there. If they could win one senior championship they would be around for a while and they are certainly a huge threat,” he said at his home in Quilty.Martin suffered a broken leg in 2007 and this led to him stepping down from his role as coach to the Doora-Barefield …

IT is difficult to locate a corner-back who doesn’t think that he would be capable of seamlessly slotting in higher up the field. Critically evaluating their attacking colleagues, from a distance, can lead to corner-backs thinking they could do an offensive job if only their manager would give them a run up front.Now we must be clear and state unequivocally that St Joseph’s Sean Flynn, a recognised defender, made no such claims. Not verbally at least. Yet, when he was shunted from corner-back to centre-forward for St Joseph’s must-win group game against Shannon Gaels, he turned in a superb performance. It was a good day for frustrated corner-backs. Actions speak louder than words. This was a corner-back who knew what he was doing in what should have been an alien role.“It makes a change from spending 60 minutes pulling lads’ jerseys,” is how Flynn contrasts playing centre-forward to corner-back.On the off-chance that a corner-back doesn’t add to his team’s attack, …

Sixmilebridge 1-17 Cratloe 1-13 IN what was, arguably, the most entertaining game in the 2011 Clare Senior Hurling Championship to date, Sixmilebridge maintained the upperhand on neighbours and great rivals Cratloe when the sides clashed in the first of the semi-finals at Cusack Park on Saturday evening.An injury-time goal at the end of the opening half had a huge bearing on the outcome. Cratloe had the better of matters in the second quarter and they were four points in front when the ’Bridge struck a vital blow.Following a great interception by team captain, Barry Duggan, Cratloe looked to have the danger cleared but lost possession and Declan Morey blasted the ball to the net. The Cratloe men were still in front but as they made their way to the dressing room they were clearly rattled, whereas their neighbours were upbeat.In the second half the winners appeared to play with more confidence and once they took the lead, Cratloe were never …

Crusheen 2-15 Kilmaley 0-13 GOALS from Fergus Kennedy and Jamie Fitzgibbon early in the second half gave Crusheen control at Cusack Park on Sunday.The title-holders went to the break with a three-point lead but this was reduced to two in the first minute of the second half. Two minutes later, the champions put down a marker with their first goal. Pat Vaughan found Cian Dillon with a line ball and the centre-back’s delivery was collected by Gerry O’Grady, who passed to Fergus Kennedy and he found the net.Kilmaley hit back with a point but were dealt another blow when, in the seventh minute, Jamie Fitzgibbon had their second goal and again team captain Gerry O’Grady provided the pass. When David Forde added a point, the winners were eight points clear and Kilmaley were clearly in trouble.A powerful performance from Cian Dillon at centre-back laid the foundations for Crusheen’s win. He stood out in a defence that dominated, something that is …

Ruan 3-10 Corofin 2-6 Ruan will play Éire Óg in the final of the Intermediate Hurling Championship following this comfortable win over neighbours, Corofin, at Shannon on Sunday evening.Considered a little fortunate to have earned a second chance, there was no disputing their superiority on this occasion. A dream start saw them race into a 1-3 to 0-0 lead after just eight minutes and by the mid-point of the half they were 1-3 to 0-2 ahead. A Corofin goal from Kevin Heagney eleven minutes from the break suggested that Corofin were about to launch a rally but three unanswered points for Ruan left them 1-6 to 1-3 in front at half-time when the score was 1-6 to 1-3.Lively corner-forward Brendan Lyons had the winners in front after just 20 seconds and John Punch and Colin Donoghue quickly added like scores. Indeed, Donoghue’s performance in this tie was one of the main reason’s for Ruan’s victory. He contributed 1-3 from play …

Inagh-Kilnamona 1-17 Clonlara 3-11 Leading by five points with just a few minutes remaining at Clarecastle on Sunday, Inagh-Kilnamona looked to be on their way to the Clare Champion Cup final.A storming finish by Clonlara left the mid-Clare side having to come from behind for Ger Arthur to score the equaliser in injury time.In difficult conditions, the teams produced some good hurling and while each will point to missed chances, a draw was a fair outcome.John Conlon had the game’s first score but Inagh-Kilnamona hit back with three unanswered points through the Arthur brothers before Conlon struck again.At the mid-point of the half, Conlon won possession from a Tomás O’Donovan delivery and he turned quickly and blasted to the net. As half-time approached, the sides were level at 0-8 to 1-5 but Inagh-Kilnamona finished strongly and Conor Tierney struck for a goal to help them to a 1-9 to 0-5 lead at the break.Points were swapped twice early in the …

Rochestown, Cork 2-10 St Flannan’s 1-12 ST Flannan’s College suffered a heartbreaking one-point defeat in the opening round of the Corn Uí Mhuirí (Munster Colleges Senior Football Championship) at Charleville on Wednesday.Making their defeat all the more disappointing is the fact they lined out without two of their leading players, Tony Kelly and Jack Browne from Ballyea, who were withdrawn from the team by their club ahead of Saturday’s minor hurling semi-final in which Ballyea will play Clarecastle.Two other members of the Ballyea minor team, Tadhg Lynch who, like Kelly, plays his club football with Clondegad and Martin O’Leary, who plays football with Kilmihil with whom Browne also plays football, choose not to obey the club directive and played with the college team in this outing. It is understood the instruction to the players came from the Ballyea minor management team.Early points from captain, Conor Cleary and Barry Lynch helped Flannan’s to a 0-4 to 0-1 lead but Rochestown hit …

Sliabh Luachra (Kerry) 4-15 Banner Ladies 0-11 The writing was on the wall for Banner Ladies at half time when they trailed the Kerry champions by seven points in this Munster Senior B Championship final in Askeaton last Saturday. Sliabh Luachra had defeated Ballymacarby of Waterford in the semi-final and with players the calibre of Aoife Lyons, Lorraine Scanlon, Aisling Leonard, Elaine O’Connor, Margaret O’Donoghue and Mary O’Keeffe in their starting line-up, they were always going to be difficult to beat. On Monday of this week Leonard, Scanlon and O’Donoghue were named as All-Star nominees.The Castleisland-Scaraglin outfit scored 3-13 from play over the hour and got the opening score courtesy of a Leanne Mangan point. Banner replied with points from Naomi Carroll and a Niamh O’Dea long-range free but this turned out to be the only time in the match that the Clare club held the lead. Midfielder Lorraine Scanlon and corner-forward Mary O’Keeffe, with a point apiece, equalised before …

Clarecastle 2-14 Clooney-Quin1-8 A contribution of 1-9 from Eamonn Callinan helped Clarecastle advance to the Senior B Hurling Championship final when they overcame the challenge of a disappointing Clooney-Quin outfit at Sixmilebridge on Saturday. An early goal from Conor O’Gorman sent the Magpies on their way and they led 1-2 to 0-0 after six minutes. Clooney-Quin never really recovered from this early set-back as the Magpies held the lead for the rest of the tie.Five points separated the sides at half time, 1-9 to 0-7, and Clooney-Quin hopes of getting back into the contest were dealt a blow at the beginning of the second half when Callinan pounced for his side’s second major.The winners were 1-6 to 0-2 in front at the end of the opening quarter and while the losers hit the next three points, they never looked like they would get through for the goal desperately needed to get back into contention.When the next goal came it was …

Shannon Gaels 1-7 Kilrush 0-8 Following an exciting, tense Senior B Football Final replay in Cooraclare on Sunday, Shannon Gaels ended their season on a positive note, capturing their first adult title since 2005. Nigel Hehir scored the only goal of the game midway through the first half when he finished a move involving John Paul O’Neill and Shane Tubridy. That score put the winners ahead for the first time, 1-1 to 0-3. Kilrush had made an excellent start and raced into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead, playing into the car park end in Cooraclare. Young full-forward Eoin Tarrant and Ruaidhrí O’Connor (0-2) put over the early Kilrush scores. Michael Coughlan put over Shannon Gaels’ first score from a free as the Gaels began to win more ball in the midfield area. Ten minutes before half-time, Kilrush introduced Donal O’Sullivan for Martin Griffin. However, the Gaels stretched their advantage as the interval approached with John Paul O’Neill from play and …

New Clare senior hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald (pictured) wasn’t surprised when last Thursday’s draw for the 2012 Munster Senior Hurling Championship pitted Clare against Waterford in the semi-final.“In the lead-up to the draw, I felt that it was going to be the pairing. I have had great times with them in recent years but that’s over now and I will be doing all in my power to help Clare win next summer,” he told the Clare Champion at the weekend. Fitzgerald recently stepped down having served almost four years as Waterford boss during which time he led them to the provincial title.Clare and Waterford will clash in the semi-final with Cork getting a bye into the other semi-final where they await the winners of the Limerick v Tipperary first-round tie.In football, Clare also received a bye into the semi-final and here they will meet the winners of the first round game between Waterford and Limerick. A Clare v Limerick game …