There are two changes to the starting line up for Clare hurlers for their Allianz round 3 division 1 hurling league against Cork at Cusack Park on Sunday from the team which started against Kilkenny two weeks ago. Michael O’Malley (Kilmaley) and Niall Deasy (Ballyea), both introduced in Nowlan park, have been retained to the exclusion of David Fitzgerald and Cathal Malone who have both been impressive in the victories over Tipperary and Kilkenny. Andrew Fahy will wear the substitute goalkeeper’s jersey for this one Malone picked up an injury when helping U. L to victory in the Fitzgibbon cup semi-final on Tuesday night but it is understood that it’s not as serious as was first feared and he is listed amongst the substitutes for Sunday’s game which throws in at 2p.m. The team is Donal Tuohy (Crusheen); Jack Browne (Ballyea), Conor Cleary (Miltown, St Josephs),Patrick O’Connor (Tubber); Mikey O’Malley (Kilmaley), David McInerney (Tulla), Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge); Colm Galvin (Clonlara), …

Suspensions have been proposed for two Clare footballers and team manager Colm Collins arising from the referee Jerome Henry’s report on Sunday’s national league game between Clare and Tipperary at Cusack Park. Clare will appeal the red card shown to Jamie Malone following his clash with Tipperary official Shane Stapleton, 11 minutes into the second half. While Stapleton was quickly back on his feet, he collapsed moments later and having received medical attention on the sideline, he was stretchered from the pitch and later removed to hospital, where he remained overnight. After the game, Tipperary manager Liam Kearns said Stapleton had hit his head off concrete when he fell. He stated he felt unwell and subsequently collapsed. Malone, who was attempting to retrieve the ball, which had gone over the sideline adjacant to where the Tipperary officials were positioned, was shown a straight red card. It is believed he was subsequently reported for a category four offence, which deals with …

Clare 0-11 Tipperary 0-11 IN the aftermath of Clare’s NFL division 2 draw with Tipperary in Ennis on Sunday, the visitors manager, Liam Kearns, expressed concern at the delay in an ambulance arriving at Cusack Park to bring an injured Tipperary mentor to hospital. Shane Stapleton was eventually removed, after a second half incident, during which he fell to the ground. “There is an ambulance about to collect him now. It still hasn’t got here, which is disappointing,” Kearns said. “He’s had a very bad bang to his head and we think he might have had a seizure so he’s going to hospital. Hopefully, he will be alright. It was a belt to his head. He went back and hit his head off the concrete behind him. He said to me after getting back up, ‘I don’t feel very well’. When I turned around again, he was lying on the ground in the foetal position. It is serious enough. Hopefully, …

Hurling fans faced into the 2018 season with hope more than confidence. The loss of a few regulars to retirement, travel and injury has meant that some key players from the past decade have had to be replaced. Defeat in the final of the Munster league by neighbours Limerick, on a day when the Banner men failed to match the physicality of their opponents, only added to those fears. Fast forward just three weeks and victories over Tipperary and Kilkenny in the opening two rounds of the national league have Clare fans instead dreaming of silverware again. Tipperary and Kilkenny are difficult to beat on any occasion but adding to the excitement about these results is the fact that they were fully merited. Indeed, Clare should have won both by a much greater margin, particularly Sunday’s game in Nowlan Park. While all involved are entitled to be pleased with these results, it must be remembered that their opponents, in both …

A 14-point defeat leaves little room for putting much of a spin on things. Clare were beaten in almost every sector on Sunday. From a management point of view, Colm Collins’ task is to try to pick up the players’ morale before Sunday’s game against Tipperary in Cusack Park at 2pm. As poor as Clare were in Navan, if they manage to somehow beat Tipperary, they will move ahead of them on the Division 2 table. For that to happen though, a mammoth improvement and lifting of effort levels is required. “We win together and we lose together. No player goes out to play poorly. This week we’ll have a look at it and go after the areas we feel we didn’t do well in. These things happen. Sometimes you turn in a really magical display and sometimes it’s poor. You’re never really as bad or as good as either. You just have to park it. There’s nothing we can …

THE local qualifiers may not be as numerous as other years but there is nonetheless a strong challenge for honours at the 93rd National Coursing Meeting in Clonmel on Saturday, Sunday and Monday next. Clare has two representatives in the BoyleSports Derby and a total of six interests in the Horse and Jockey Oaks. With a reduced team, trainer Pat Curtin has high hopes with the Kilcreevin-Ballymoate qualifier Roquefort Teddy in the Derby and Mad Decision in the Horse and Jockey Oaks. Owned by the Windfarm Syndicate of Michael Eustace (Ennis) and County Galway men Jonathan Newell and Gerry Hughes, Roquefort Teddy is one of three big names bred by Sharon Sexton of Mullagh. In the draw at the Horse and Jockey Hotel near Thurles on Friday night, he was not particularly  lucky as he came out of the hat with a tricky first round opponent in the 10/1 shot Silent Whisper, the Galway-Oranmore qualifier. Clareabbey Flyer (33/1), winner of the Miltown Miltown stake for …

Clare 2-18 Kilkenny 1-18 Despite being the better team for most of this league game at Nowlan park this afternoon, Clare had to survive some anxious moments in the closing stages before emerging with a one goal victory over Kilkenny. A blistering first quarter by the visitors paved the way for this victory, their second in this campaign, as they outplayed the Noresiders l;throughout the pitch in that openingn period Even the most ardent of Clare followers would not have predicted an eleven point lead for Clare after twenty minutes of this Allianz league round 2 tie but the visitors were full value for this and, in fact, could have been further ahead but Podge Collins didn’t capitalise when put through by Shane O’Donnell in the fifteenth minute. Kilkenny’s concern was reflected in the fact that they had made three changes in personnell by the 25th minute and these helped bring about an improvement in their play which yielded 1-4 …

Meath 0-21 Clare 0-7 COMPLETELY outclassed, particularly in the second half, Clare were beaten emphatically by Meath in Navan on Sunday afternoon. Clare now sit on one point from two games. They were outscored 0-15 to 0-3 in that second period, with Gary Brennan the only Clare player to score from play. In fact his point was the only score of the second half, with his rising shot going over the bar. Brennan was Clare’s outstanding player. However, Meath responded with 0-8 without reply and pulled away from a dishevelled Clare who lost their shape and increasingly lost hope as the second half evolved. Clare trailed 0-6 to 0-4 at half-time with Meath pulling two points ahead, when Bryan McMahon pointed, with the last kick, after a disputed free was taken quickly. Clare competed hard throughout the first half with Killian Roche kicking their opening score from a 45, while Pearse Lillis, Jamie Malone and Gary Brennan (free) added a …

The Clare team to face Kilkenny in round 2 of the Allianxz hurling leaguye at Nowlan Park tomorrow, Sunday shows one change from that which beat Tipperary last week. Podge Collins will start at corner forward in place of his Cratloe clubmate Conor McGrath, a change that was made at half time last week. The substitutes list will see Patrick Kelly and Eoin Quirke replace Ronan Taaffe and Cathal O’Connell Otherwise the team is unchanged ans is Donal Tuohy (Crusheen); Jack Browne (Ballyea), Conor Cleary (Miltown St.Josephs), Patrick O’Connor (Tubber) Captain; David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona), David McInerney (Tulla), Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge); Colm Galvin (Clonlara), Tony Kelly (Ballyea); Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge). John Conlon (Clonlara). David Reidy (Éire Óg); Shane O Donnell (Éire Óg Inis). Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin). Podge Collins (Cratloe) Subs: Patrick Kelly (Inagh-Kilnamona). Mikey O’Malley (Kilmaley), Gearoid O’Connell (Ballyea), Ian Galvin (Clonlara) Darragh Corry (Tulla), Conor McGrath (Cratloe), Niall Deasy (Ballyea), Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin), Eoin Quirke (Whitegate), Jason McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona), Mikey …

Victories over Kilkenny at Nowlan Park don’t come about too often and Clare will be well aware of this as they head to the venue for Sunday’s round two league tie. That Kilkenny lost to Cork in Pairc Uí Caoimh on Saturday is sure to result in a greater effort from the Noresiders to get some points on the board. Both counties have players involved in Fitzgibbon Cup action this week, so the line-outs will not be named until after those games. Fears that the Noresiders would be without captain Cillian Buckley have receded. The defender, who was very impressive against Cork, was stretchered from the field in the closing stages but officials are understood to be confident that he will be fit to face Clare. It is also expected that TJ Reid and Liam Blanchfield, who were introduced during the course of Saturday’s game, will be in from the start this week. Clare were comfortable winners in the corresponding …

AS they head for Meath on Sunday, the Clare footballers and management will feel confident they have the capacity to kick a match-winning total. However, they will also dwell on the issues that were highlighted against Cavan and Cork in the McGrath Cup final. In those games, Clare have conceded 5-15 from play, while they kicked enough themselves to win either game. Management are introducing younger players to pivotal positions and those players must be given time to learn what football at this level is about. Based on what they have conceded in the games referred to, Clare will have to look at slightly readjusting their defensive plan for Meath, who beat them by nine points in Ennis last season and who drew with Roscommon on Sunday. They could opt to play a sweeper, if not for the entire 70 minutes, perhaps in the opening 15 minutes, to help them to settle and get a foothold in the game. Employing …

Clare 1-21 Tipperary 0-19 An outstanding performance from David Reidy inspired Clare to a merited win over Tipperary in the opening round of the Allianz national hurling league division 1 at Cusack Park this afternoon. Although trailing by three points, 0-10 to 0-13, at half time, Tipperary looked to be in a strong position as they would have the aid of the breeze in the second half. When they drew level at 0-17 each with thirteen minutes remaining, a win looked to be on the cards for the visitors but the home side finished strongly and capped an impressive performance with a goal from Reidy in the final play of the game. It was point for point for much of the first half during which they were level on seven occasions. Clare landed the last three points of the half and led by three when Alan Kelly sounded the half time whistle. The home side picked up where they had …

Clare 1-12 Cavan 2-9 SIX points up, nine minutes into the second half, Clare were both relieved and disappointed to pick up a point from their first NFL division 2 league game of the new season in Ennis on Saturday. As the three minute of injury time ticked by, Clare led by a point after Keelan Sexton had kicked them 1-12 to 2-8 in front. However, Cavan equalised from a Bryan Magee free on a day when 16 players started their first league game. Clare had six players starting in the league for the first time, including four forwards. Following a very rocky started, during which Caoimhin O’Reilly goaled for Cavan after just 49 seconds, Clare went on to dominate the first half. They led 1-7 to 1-2 at half-time on a day when five of Clare’s six forwards scored from play. Éire Óg’s Eimihin Courtney goaled for Clare in the 12th minute, when full forward Sexton cleverly intercepted an …

  Clare Senior Hurling Joint Managers Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor have named their starting 15 to face Tipperary in the Round 1 of the   National Hurling League at Cusack Park in Ennis at 2.00pm on Sunday.   The team is: 1. Donal Tuohy (Crusheen) 2. Jack Browne (Ballyea) 3. Conor Cleary (St Josephs Miltown) 4. Patrick O’Connor (Tubber) 5. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona) 6. David McInerney (Tulla) 7. Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge) 8. Colm Galvin (Clonlara) 9. Tony Kelly (Ballyea) 10. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge) 11. John Conlon (Clonlara) 12. David Reidy (Éire Óg Inis) 13. Shane O Donnell (Éire Óg Inis) 14. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin) 15. Conor McGrath (Cratloe) SUBSTITUTES: 16. Ronan Taaffe (Tubber) 17. Mikey O’Malley (Kilmaley) 18. Gearoid O’Connell (Ballyea) 19. Ian Galvin (Clonlara) 20. Daragh Corry (Tulla) 21. Podge Collins (Cratloe) 22. Niall Deasy (Ballyea) 23. Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin) 24. Cathal O’Connell (Clonlara) 25. Jason McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona) 26. Mikey O’Neill (Kilmaley) Referee: Alan Kelly (Galway)

Clare under 21 A hurling champions, Feakle-Killanena will begin the defence of the title with a game against their neighbours, an amalgamation of Bodyke-O’Callaghans Mills. The draw was made at this Thursday evening’s county board meeting with nine teams in the hat for the A title. Clarecastle and Kilmaley will meet in a preliminary round with the winners going through to face Wolfe Tones in a quarter final. The full under 21 A draw is; Preliminary round; Clarecastle v Kilmaley; Quarter finals; 1—Wolfe Tones v Clarecastle or Kilmaley; 2-Feakle-Killanena v Bodyke/O’C.Mills; 3-Inagh-Kilnamona v St. Josephs; 4-Newmarket v Sixmilebridge’; Semi-finals; 4 v 3; 2 v 1; Under 21 B; Byes to A-Cratloe; B-Scariff-Ogonnelloe; C-Smith O’Briens; Round 1; D-Broadford v Clooney,-Quin; E; Ballyea v Clonlara; F Whitegate v O’C.Mills; G; Corofin-Ruan v Tulla; H; Crusheen-Tubber v Eire Og; Quarter finals; 1; F v D; 2; B v H; 3; A v C; 4; G v E; Semi-finals; 2 v 3 and 4 …