Ennistymon CBS 3-14 St. Mary’s Newport 3-4 Ennistymon CBS captured the Munster under 15 D hurling title and the Kevin Marren cup when they defeated St. Mary’s from Newport at Meelick this afternoon. Goals from Liam Cotter, Sean Rynne and Brendan Rouine streered the North Clare side, managed by Jason Daffy, to this latest success. The team was captained by Cillian McGroary from Corofin and he was presented with the trophy which commemorates a Newmarket man who gave many years of service to the promotion of hurling at schools level in particular. The Ennistymon CBS team was Dylan McCoy (Inagh-Kilnamona); Mark Callinan (Inagh-Kilnamona), Marc O’Loughlin (Corofin), Colman Kelly (Inagh-Kilnamona); Thomas O’Dwyer (Ennistymon), Cillian McGroary (Corofin) Captain, Shane Woods (Inagh-Kilnamona); Keith Barry (Inagh-Kilnamona), Brendan Rouine (Ennistymon); Niall Mullins (Inagh-Kilnamona), Joshua Guyler (Inagh-Kilnamona), Ricky Wynne (Inagh-Kilnamona); Liam Cotter(Ennistymon), Sean Rynne (Inagh-Kilnamona), Diarmuid Fahy (Ennistymon); Subs; Adam O’Loughlin (Corofin), Martin O’Keeffe (Ennistymon), Colin Fitzgerald (Corofin), Jack Lyons (Inagh-Kilnamona), Brendan McCoy (Inagh-Kilnamona), James Cullinan …

Clare 1 Dublin AUL 0 Clare’s drive for a third successive Oscar Traynor inter league junior soccer title moved a step further at Frank Healy park in Doora this afternoon when they recorded a hard earned victory over a fancied AUL side from Dublin The decisive goal came in the final minute of normal time when Irish junior international Eoin Hayes applied the finish, Earlier he had seen his penalty attempt well saved by the visiting goalkeeper Lee Murphy. A near galeforce wind blew directly down the field towards the goals at the road side of the grounds and this made things difficult for the players. Clare played with the aid of the wind in the opening half but visiting goalie Murphy got little to do. Five minutes before half time he did produce an excellent save from Colin Ryan whose first time strike from the half way line saw Murphy dive full stretch to his right to keep the …

Clare 3-13 Limerick 2-9 FOR the sixth successive year the Clare minor footballers have beaten Limerick in the Munster championship. The county U/17s won this game in the first half with a blistering display of attacking football. They moved the ball at speed, their control was impressive, as was their tackling, although that deteriorated somewhat in the second half. Clare have now qualified for a Munster semi-final on May 8 while Limerick will be in action again next Wednesday, when they play Tipperary. Clare were in complete control at half-time, leading 2-9 to 0-4. Inside forwards, Shane Meehan and Mark McInerney, were absolutely deadly in that opening half. Meehan’s movement and ball retention was brilliant as was his finishing. The Banner club player put 1-5 on the board in a superb opening half hour of attacking play. He pointed 0-3 from play and the goal was an opportunist one, just before half-time. Limerick goalkeeper, Kevin Walsh, was unlucky to spill …

Pike Rovers 3 Newmarket Celtic 2 (after extra time) Newmarket Celtic’s dream of a first ever FAI junior cup title was shattered by Pike Rovers at the Limerick clubs grounds this afternoon when they lost out by the odd goal in five to the home team. Adding to the disappointment is the fact that Newmarket enjoyed the better of matters for long spells but they will be disappointed with the manner in which they conceded all three goals. The fact that Pike Rovers goalkeeper Gary Neville was named as the man of the match indicates that the Clare side created a lot of chances but they found Neville to be in sparkling form. Two goals down early in the second half, Newmarket faced an uphill battle but, as they have done all year, they refused to give up and two Stephen Kelly goals saw them force extra time. Pike went back in front early in the first period of extra …

Clare handball is celebrating a magnificent All-Ireland double this Saturday evening. At Kingscourt in Cavan this afternoon Diarmaid Nash (Tuamgraney) and Colin Crehan (Kilkishen) captured the senior doubles 40 x 20 title when they defeated the holders Paul Brady and Michael Finnegan from Cavan. This was a repeat of last year’s final which the Cavan pair won but this time they had to settle for the runners up spot as the Clare pair turned in a superb display The holders won the opening game 21-15 but Nash and Crehan levelled the contest with a 21-14 second game win. In the tie break third game the Claremen were always in control and won on a 21-3 scoreline bot bring this title to Clare for the first time since 1979 when the Kirby brothers from Tuamgraney were champions. Earlier this afternoon Mark Rodgers (Tuamgraney) and Tiernan Agnew (Kilkishen) teamed up to win the minor doubles title at the expense of Kilkenny’s Eoin …

Newmarket Celtic’s FAI Junior Cup semi-final date with Pike Rovers on Sunday is “a big one”, according to team manager Liam Murphy. It’s the first time the Clare club has reached this stage of this prestigious competition and they are determined to keep their winning run going. Newmarket have been in sparkling form all season and remain in the hunt for all five titles for which they are competing. Ahead of Sunday’s game at 2pm in the Pike Rovers complex in Limerick, the Clare side have concerns about the fitness of Seamie Lawlor. He was injured in their win over St Michael’s two weeks ago and didn’t train or play last week. “We know we are facing a huge task against a team that are the current Munster champions. They have one of the best coaches in Munster in Mick Shiels and we will have our work cut out if we are to progress,” Newmarket manager Murphy told the Clare …

Inagh-Kilnamona 1-18 Kilmaley 1-14 Inagh-Kilnamona proved too strong for their neighbours and great rivals Kilmaley in the under 21 A hurling championship final at Cusack Park this Easter Saturday evening. A Keelan Guyler goal two minutes before the half time whistle helped them to a four point interval lead and tney were never headed after this. Kilmaley’s goal came in the fifth minute of ‘added time’ and much too late to prevent their neighbours from re-claiming the title they last held in 2016 before losing out to Feakle-Killanena in last year’s final. They were an all round better balanced side and held the upperhand in the key areas.Kilmaley started well and held a three point advantage after ten minutes when the score was 0-4 to 0-1. Team captain Sean Kennedy lined out having been a doubtful starter allk week due to a hamstring injury suffered in the opening minute of their semi-final win over Bodyke-O’Callaghans Mills six days earlier. However …

“YOU guys should be proud of David Higgins,” comes the endorsement from Joseph Parker, as he praises the promoter with Clare links, who has been with him since he turned professional. Parker looks on the promoter almost as family nowadays. “It started off as promoter-boxer but now that I look at it, he’s like an older brother. The relationship is very strong , we’ve been working together for about five years and he’s made a big difference in terms of my life in boxing and in terms of helping me to achieve the goals I want to achieve. He took a chance in signing me up, not knowing if I was good or not. He’s put a lot of money behind me and into me over the years and now it’s paid off for us all.” When he spoke to The Champion, the WBO heavyweight champion was in Las Vegas, where his trainer Kevin Barry is based. Putting distance between …

After two closely contested games at Cusack Park this evening, Crusheen-Tubber and Bodyke were crowned under 21 B and C hurling champions respectively. For the second week in a row Crusheen-Tubber needed extra time to get over the line, this time accounting for Broadford in the B decider on a final scoreline of 1-17 to 0-13 Fortunate to force the additional period, they were the better side in the additional twenty minutes. They trailed by a point as the game entered the last minute of normal time when they were awarded a penalty. Ross Hayes’ effort flew wide of J.C. McMahon’s left hand upright just before three minutes of ‘additional’ time were signalled. Four extra minutes had been played when Cillien Mullins sent over an excellent equaliser and they went on to dominate the extra period, outscoring their opponents 0-4 to 0-1 in the first period before adding 1-1 in the second period. While Broadford supporters were, understandably, annoyed that …

MILLIONS of eyeballs will focus on a small rectangle in Cardiff on Saturday night, their owners anticipating a level of drama virtually never found away from live sport. Three of the four major world heavyweight titles are on the line, both fighters are undefeated, both are heroes in their own countries. A genuine sense of occasion and a hair-raising atmosphere will fill the Cardiff arena as the first bell rings and the leather begins to fly. While few here know it, a man with very strong ties to this county is among those who has done most to make the fight happen. Parker’s promoter, the 38-year old Auckland-based David Higgins, spent some of his teenage years in Clare and his mother hails from Newmarket-on-Fergus. Parker has been with Higgins’ company Duco Events since turning professional and one could almost say Higgins is the WBO champion’s creator, having sat down at a whiteboard some years ago and plotted how he might …

Clare 3-12 Louth 1-11 FOLLOWING their seven point win over Louth in Cusack Park on Sunday, Clare guaranteed themselves division 2 status in the 2019 national football league. In what was their first home win of the campaign, Clare were never seriously troubled by Louth who have been relegated to division three. Clare finished on eight points in the table, three more than their 2017 total. The key results in this years campaign were away to Down and Cork, while they drew at home to Cavan and Tipperary. Goals at the start and end of the opening half were pivotal in helping Clare to a relatively comfortable win. Jamie Malone goaled after just 11 seconds, having been put through by a Gary Brennan free. The free was won by Cathal O’Connnor who was fouled immediately after the throw in. Just before the interval whistle, Clare wing forward, Kieran Malone slotted home his first goal of the campaign, which helped the …

Scariff Community College 5-10 St. Fergal’s Rathdowney 2-12 A twenty eight year wait ended before a big crowd at a well appointed Toomevara GAA grounds this afternoon when Scariff Community College were crowned All-Ireland hurling champions. A merited win over St Fergals from Rathdowney saw the East Clare school take home the Michael Cusack cup after they overcame the challenge of the Leinster champions in the All-Ireland C final. Scariff last won All-Ireland hurling honours in 1990 when they were crowned B champions after they accounted for Athenry from Galway. In bright sunshine at the North Tipperary venue this afternoon, Scariff took the lead in the tenty minute when Mark Eodgers had their opening goal and from here to the final whistle they led the way. One of the key factors in their march to this title has been the ability of their full forward trio of Rodgers, Ciaran Keenan and Fergus Madden to score goals and this was again …

Sean McNamara’s involvement in the promotion of Gaelic Games won’t surprise anyone that knows his family. His father Mickey has given long service both with his native O’Callaghan’s Mills club, where he served in many administative roles over the years, including that of club secretary and also with inter-firm GAA in Clare when an employee of SPS Shannon. He is also particularly well-known for his work in the promotion of scór at county, provincial and national levels. Sean has also served his home club in many capacities while, in recent years, his main GAA involvement has been with Scariff Community College, where he has taken charge of many teams since joining the teaching staff almost a decade ago. He now manages a senior side he has seen progress through the various age groups over the past five years. “Our captain, Michael Hynes, captained the school to a Munster U-15 D title and many of that team went on to claim …

Limerick 4-21 Clare 0-33 (after two periods of extra time) Limerick won 7 to 6 in a sudden death free taking contest Clare’s involvement in the 2018 Allianz hurling league ended in dramatic fashion at the Gaelic grounds in Limerick this evening. History was made when a league quarter final was decided for the first time by a free taking shoot out which went to sudden death. It’s a piece of history that Clare would prefer not to have been part of but its the format that is in place this season as the authorities seek to get competitions completed in a shorter time frame. This latest clash of arch rivals and Shannonside neighbours Clare and Limerick ebbed and flowed over one hundred minutes at the end of which the sides were still level. This was the eleventh time that the sides were level in this tie, the first having come twenty three minutes into the second half. Both sides …

Clare 0-14 Cork 0-12 FOR the second successive season, Clare have beaten Cork in NFL division 2. Saturday nights win, in Artic conditions in Pairc Uí Rínn, was Clare’s first away league win in the southern capital for 22 years. It leaves Clare on six points in the division with one game left, at home to bottom of the table Louth, on Sunday. On an evening when every Clare player contributed, Jamie Malone and Gary Brennan were particularly superb, while Cathal O’Connor was immense around the middle and defended magnificently. Malone was deployed as a sweeper in the absence of the suspended Ciaran Russell and the Corofin man put over 0-3 from play. Aside from one misjudged free, which led directly to a Cork point, he filled that role exceptionally well. Cork could not cope with the Clare midfield with Brennan producing his best 70 minutes of the current league, while Cooraclare’s Seán O’Donoghue, who played at wing back, excelled …