2023 All Ireland Junior winner Sinead Hogg is a mainstay at the heart of the …
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LAHINCH Golf Club member Sinéad Sexton has been named on the Irish girls’ team for the home internationals, which will take place in Gullane, Scotland from August 3 to 5.
Read More »GALWAY’S seven-day summer festival kicks off on Monday evening with the scene set for yet another record-breaking week at the popular Ballybrit course.
Read More »Clare 2-15 Limerick 2-13 CLARE hurling made history for the second time in three days when the intermediate team captured the provincial title for the first time on Wednesday evening.A strong second-half showing saw them deservingly account for neighbours Limerick before an attendance of 3,168. Playing a huge role in the success was veteran Niall Gilligan, winner of Munster and All-Ireland senior medals with the county in 1997. The Sixmilebridge man was the game’s top scorer, contributing 0-7.Clare made the better start and by the tenth minute had built up a five-point lead. Team captain Tony Carmody opened the scoring in the second minute, Declan O’Rourke quickly following with a like score.A point separated the sides when Daire Keane won possession from an Andrew Fahy puckout and he broke through to fire home the game’s opening goal.Just when it looked like Clare might pull away for a comfortable win, Limerick came into the game strongly. Corner-forward Michael Ryan caused a …
Read More »Clare 1-20 Waterford 3-9 A particularly superb first half performance laid the foundation for Clare’s historic Munster minor hurling final victory over Waterford at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday.In winning their fourth provincial crown at this level, Clare repeated last year’s final success over the Déise County, thus retaining the Munster minor title for the first time in the county’s history.It was, by any standards, an outstanding performance and while some followers might have been a little anxious when Waterford hit for their third goal, four minutes from the end, there was never really any danger of defeat.Waterford scored first when Jake Dillon pointed a 40m free in the first minute but Clare responded with five unanswered points and by the tenth minute were in control in most positions.It was 0-7 to 0-3 by the mid-point of the half when a rare slip by the Clare defence made the opening for the game’s first goal. The highly rated Stephen Bennett, …
Read More »John Aldridge represented Ireland 69 times and played 104 games for Liverpool in a professional career that incorporated 889 games. He scored 19 goals at international level and 476 career goals. On the field he has seen it all. Off it Aldridge probably thought that he had seen most of it as well.He must have felt that a bus journey around Clare for a week, as the FAI prepare for this weekend’s AGM, would hardly prove too taxing. That was until the Liverpool-born ex-centre-forward visited Kilrush on Wednesday. Having stepped off the mini bus that was transporting the FAI delegation, ‘Aldo’ headed for Crotty’s bar for lunch. On his way he met Roy ‘Modda’ Danagher, who introduced himself as a distant cousin.This came as quite a surprise to the Scouser, who thought his Irish connections were all on his mother’s side. ‘Modda’ was armed with a detailed family tree, which suggests that John Aldridge’s great-grandparents, Maggie Aldridge (McCarthy) and Walter …
Read More »Comment OUCH. Hell surely hath no fury equal to that of a Waterford ‘supporter’ 17 points down at half-time in a Munster final. If those clothed in Waterford jerseys leaving Pairc Uí Chaoimh at half-time had their way, Davy Fitzgerald would have been sacked at 4.35pm.The word ‘supporter’ is used advisedly though. Committed ones would not have left during the interval however bad things were. They would have stayed, peered through their fingers perhaps but not abandoned their county. All of that is not of much relevance to Fitzgerald this week though.He is in the middle of the most challenging fortnight of his management career. Can he somehow lift Waterford between now and Sunday week when they play Galway? The answer is yes, as long as he has the belief and trust of the Waterford dressing room. If he doesn’t, Fitzgerald and Waterford are finished with each other and Waterford’s year will be cut short by Galway.Clare hurling people would …
Read More »Kilkenny 2-15 Clare 2-8 Clare’s hopes of reaching the concluding stages of the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship were dashed with a loss to Kilkenny in round five at Nowlan Park on Saturday.It was a must-win game for Clare to remain in contention for at least a play-off place and for Kilkenny to secure a semi-final spot. For 58 minutes, the outcome was in doubt but in the end Kilkenny upped the ante and a goal in the 59th minute decided the game.Kilkenny opened the scoring with a point inside the opening minute before Clare were awarded a free following a foul on Chloe Morey by Kilkenny’s Aoife Neary. Morey dropped her shot into the square and Naomi Carroll was on hand to finish to the net.Kilkenny responded with four points to go back in front by two. Then another Morey free dropped dangerously into the Kilkenny square but Clare were guilty of fouling and the resulting shot down the wing …
Read More »When Clare hurled at full pelt in Pairc Uí Chaoimh, the ease of their instant touch, smooth striking and flawless free taking was clearly visible. What was perhaps less aesthetically endearing, yet hugely influential, was Clare’s frantic yet co-ordinated work-rate when Waterford had possession. Any of the 36,654 in attendance in Cork who couldn’t indefinitely put off a visit to the packed Pairc Uí Chaoimh toilets, could identify with the Waterford minors. Neither the Déise minors nor those queuing to use the facilities had much room to manoeuvre. Clare were much more up for it and infinitely more skilful than their opponents. They even looked imposing in their warm-up routine, with every player getting plenty of striking time. For example they played conditioned games with teams split into five groups of six. Waterford were divided into two cumbersome groups, with many of their players not getting a meaningful touch, as they battled with their team-mates caught in the warm-up bottle …
Read More »The minor hurlers won’t know their semi-final opponents or whether they will be playing on August 7 or August 14 until the quarter-finals are decided.The quarter-final pairings were decided on Monday and Waterford beaten finalists will play the Leinster runners up, Kilkenny with Galway taking on Antrim. Both games will take place on Saturday or Sunday week.Clare and Waterford cannot meet in a semi-final just as Dublin (Leinster champions) and Kilkenny can’t meet at that stage. This means that if Waterford manage to beat Kilkenny, Munster champions Clare will be playing either Galway or Antrim in the semi-final.The semi-final pairings will determine which day the games will take place.Whatever about the pairings, not knowing when the game is to be played is a difficulty not just for the team management in terms of their training plans but also for the county board with regard to domestic fixtures.The senior and intermediate hurling championship is set to resume on the weekend of …
Read More »TOWARDS the end of May there was much talk in hurling circles that Niall Gilligan might be tempted to return to inter-county hurling and join the Clare intermediate team in preparing for the Munster championship semi-final.The vast majority of supporters didn’t believe that it would happen but intermediate team manager Kevin Kennedy got a resounding yes from the Sixmilebridge man, who has been outstanding in the campaign to date.When he hobbled off the pitch in Sixmilebridge last Saturday in a Clare Champion Cup tie against Newmarket, his chances of playing in the Munster final looked slim but he reported fit for action at Cusack Park on Wednesday and delivered a five-star display“It’s fierce enjoyable and it was a brilliant game of hurling. This year Kevin (Kennedy) asked me to come in and the club was on a break, so I accepted. There is mighty young talent there and fair dues to Kevin and his team, they got a good mix …
Read More »WHILE congratulations were being dished out to all involved in the intermediate’s Munster success, the man most sought out by supporters after the final whistle was team manager Kevin Kennedy.“It’s a proud moment,” he admitted. “I don’t know how many years I have been with this team. I have been with them off and on since 2001. I am glad for the players, those that were used and those in the subs that didn’t get a game and who were with me in previous years. They have given me a lot and I am glad that they now have a Munster medal at this grade. There were times when I had a job to field a team for this competition but tonight we had a perfect panel,” the Ennis-based detective garda said.“Our first half tonight was poor. They pulled a man back as a sweeper and we didn’t cope too well with that. We asked them at half-time if this …
Read More »Newmarket 1-16 Sixmilebridge 1-10 IN a repeat of last year’s Clare Champion Cup final, Newmarket turned the tables on neighbours and great rivals, Sixmilebridge on Saturday morning at O’Garney Park.The result ended Sixmilebridge’s involvement in this year’s title race but has kept the Blues in contention for the title.The home side’s hopes weren’t helped by the fact they lost Niall Gilligan after 25 minutes with a hamstring injury. Earlier, defender Robert Conlon had been replaced due to injury, while, in the second half, they lost corner-back Tadhg Keogh with a shoulder injury.That said, they weren’t able to match the play of the visitors, who had some excellent individual performances from Stephen Kelly at full-back and Alan Barrett in the half-back line in particular.Newmarket raced into a five-point lead after 10 minutes with four scores coming from frees by Colin Ryan and one from Martin Murphy. The game was 12 minutes old before the home side opened their account.At half-time the …
Read More »ÉIRE Óg caused a surprise in Division 2B of the Clare Champion Cup last Friday evening when they recorded a merited win over previously unbeaten Kilmaley at the latter’s venue.However, despite the defeat, Kilmaley are still through to the semi-final, as they have a superior score difference to Éire Óg and Ruan after the three teams finished on the same points total.The result means Ruan will have to spend another year in Division 2B, as Éire Óg have finished ahead of them on score difference, which will see them promoted along with Kilmaley. Ruan had beaten Kilmaley in the opening round of the competition.Éire Óg travelled to Kilmaley knowing that anything other than victory would see them stay in the division for another term. They took the game to the favourites from the start and were well on their way to victory at half-time when they held a nine-point advantage with the score at 1-13 to 1-4. Thomas Downes scored …
Read More »AFTER the final round of games in both the intermediate and junior A hurling leagues, played on Monday evening, the way is clear for the semi-finals in both grades.A five-point win over Clooney-Quin (2-10 to 0-11) helped Inagh-Kilnamona seal top spot in the intermediate league when they finished their campaign without defeat, dropping just one point in their eight-game programme.Crusheen, last year’s junior A champions, finished in second spot, followed by Newmarket. Meelick’s victory over Kilmaley earned them fourth position and a place in the semi-final.The semi-final pairings are Inagh-Kilnamona v Meelick and Crusheen v Newmarket.Cratloe and Kilmaley finished with three points each and both are relegated.In the junior A league, Clonlara concluded their nine-game programme unbeaten with victory over O’Callaghan’s Mills on Monday evening. St Joseph’s beat Broadford to seal second place, a point ahead of the Mills, with fourth spot going to Whitegate, despite their one-point loss to Corofin. In the semi-finals, Clonlara play Whitegate and St Joseph’s …
Read More »CLARE Community Games representatives continued their superb showing at the provincial finals which were held at the University of Limerick last Saturday.When competition concluded, Clare had won 33 gold and 91 silver medals.Two Clare teams won gold medals, Ennis St John’s in the boys’ U-12 soccer and the Sixmilebridge-Kilmurry U-13 boys’ rounders team.There were also individual gold medal winners in the judo category for Róisín and Ciara Cahill, Nicky Hardiman (Doora-Barefield), Tara Walsh and Ikem Ugwuery (Ennis St John’s).Ennis St John’s U-12 soccer team comprised Jack Connolly, Frank Roche, Ikem Ugwueru, Jesse Onejekwe, Darren O’Brien, Nathan Hannick, Kevin O’Connor, Josh Costin, Conor McDaid, Philip Talty, Robbie Woods, Ronan Lannigan, Fionn Nolan, Rory Brennan, Sam Ogundare and Stephen Kennedy. Extra time was required in the final before Ennis emerged as winners.The Sixmilebridge-Kilmurry boys’ U-13 rounders team included Ronan Tuohy, Cian McInerney, Eanna Chaplin, Paul Corry, Conor Hassett, Eric Purcell, Ethan Slater, Gavin Fawl, Jake Dineen, Oisín Fitzpatrick and Gavin McGonagle.They will …
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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(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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