Tag Archives: Ballyea

By Seamus Hayes Twenty teams set out in search of the Clare senior hurling championship back in May and the number that can win the Canon Hamilton trophy in 2014 is now down to eight. The final two quarter final places were filled at Cusack Park on Saturday evening where O’Callaghans Mills and Ballyea overcame Broadford and Inagh-Kilnamona to complete the line up. They join Cratloe, Crusheen, Newmarket, Clarecastle, Eire Og and Clonlara who had already booked their last eight places before Saturday’s round three games. Level with their neighbours Broadford at 1-6 each at half time, few would have predicted such a one sides second half but the Mills dominated after the break to run out 2-19 to 1-7 winners. Not alone did the victory earn them a quarter final spot, it also sent them through to the senior B final where they will take on Eire Og. Three points behind at half time, Ballyea were level with Inagh-Kilnamona …

The parishioners of Clarecastle will celebrate the 175th anniversary of the construction of  the Church of Ss Peter & Paul on this Sunday. A special mass at 12 noon will be the focal point of the occasion and there is an open invitation to everyone to attend and hear Dr Joe Power outline the history of the church. Construction of the chapel was begun in 1839 to replace a much smaller thatched chapel, which lay about 100m to the south-west of the present church. The work was instigated by the parish priest, Fr Patrick O’Gorman, who came to the parish in 1834. The plot of ground upon which the church stands was donated by the Protestant landlord, Mr Patterson, in 1839. Other Protestants living in the parish, such as Mrs Stamer of Carnelly, who gave £60, also donated generous sums to the building project. The walls and roof of the building were completed in 1841 and in October of that …

Two senior hurling clubs, Ballyea and Cratloe, have lodged appeals with the Munster Council against a decision, confirmed on Tuesday evening, to cancel four second round games in the Clare Senior Hurling Championship this weekend. Representatives of the eight clubs – Sixmilebridge, Cratloe, Ballyea, Clooney-Quin, O’Callaghan’s Mills, St Joseph’s, Wolfe Tones and Éire Óg – were told on Tuesday evening at a meeting in Clareabbey that their scheduled round two games for this weekend were cancelled. A number of the clubs have criticised of the way the issue has been handled by Clare GAA. According to Clare GAA chairman, Michael McDonagh, “A decision was made by the CCC (Competitions Control Committee) to put back four games to either August 3 or 15. We understand the plight the clubs are in and we have to try and help both the clubs and the county team. We felt that by giving a definite date for the re-fixtures, we are doing that. “There …

By Seamus Hayes Sixmilebridge 1-14 Ballyea 0-11 In retaining the Clare under 21 A hurling championship title at Clarecastle on Sunday, Sixmilebridge were crowned champions for the fourth time in six years and for the fifteenth time in the history of a competition introduced back in 1964. They went into Sunday’s final as underdogs but as the game progressed they took a grip on matters and a strong finish which sat them score 1-5 without reply in the final twelve minutes sealed this latest success. The outcome was in doubt for much of this tie when the sides were level on five occasions up to the 50th minute. A tally of nineteen wides is sure to be a big talking point in Ballyea who certainly had the chances to have had a much greater tally on the scoreboard.. They dominated the opening quarter but only found themselves with a two point advantage, 0-4 to 0-2, at this stage. Five minutes …

By Seamus Hayes Holders Sixmilebridge will face Ballyea in the final of the Clare under 21 A hurling championship after they won their respective semi-finals on Friday evening. This is the final pairing that many had predicted when the draw was made. In a repeat of last year’s final, the Bridge overcame Clonlara on  a 0-16 to 0-12 scoreline at Clarecastle. Clonlara were dealt a massive blow with both their inter county senior players, Colm Galvin and Cathal ‘Tots’ O’Connell, were ruled out due to injury. O’Connell did make an appearance for the final five minutes but it was too late to prevent the holders from progressing.   Sixmilebridge were without the injured Jamie Shanahan but they did have Seadna Morey who lined out at centre back Alex Morey hit nine points for the winners whikle Alan Mulready contributed five on an evening when the holders were  0-8 to 0-7 in front at half time. Meanwhile, Ballyea justified favouritism when scoring a …

By Seamus Hayes Eleven years after their last title win, Sixmilebridge are back as Clare senior hurling champions. At rain lashed Cusack Park on Sunday, they dethroned champions Newmarket in a fiercely competitive tie. The final scoreline of 1-10 to 0-11 is an accurate reflection of a tie which produced some great hurling despite the atrocious conditions. The winners had a dream start when top scorer Niall Gilligan scored the game’s only goal as early as the second minute when he drilled a penalty to the net following a foul on Alan Mulready. From here they held the lead until two minutes from the break when Colin Ryan levelled. The holders hit the last five points of the half to move from being three in arrears to holding a two point lead at the break, 0-9 to 1-4. A hungrier Sixmilebridge returned for the second half and they held their neighbours and great rivals scoreless for twenty six minutes during which …

By Seamus Hayes Ballyea caused a major shock in the Clare senior hurling championship on Saturday when they defeated one of the favourites for the title, Crusheen at Cusack Park. There is no disputing the result as Ballyea were the sharper and hungrier side throughout. They led by a point at half time, 1-12 to 2-8  before outscoring their opponents 0-6 to 0-3 in the final ten minutes A ten point haul by the outstanding Tony Kelly was a key factor in Ballyea’s victory on a day when team captain Paul Flanagan was magnificent at centre back. Jack Browne, Martin O’Leary and Clare football captain Gary Brennan were  others to stand out for the winners who finished the game with fourteen players after midfielder Gearoid O’Connell picked up a second yellow card in the closing minutes. Meanwhile, county minor A hurling champions Kilmaley moved to within a game of retaining the title when they scored a two point win over …

CLARE and Ballyea corner back Jack Browne, like his team-mates, was still on the Thurles sod well over an hour after the final whistle. It’s not unkind to Antrim to suggest that the Clare players were under more pressure signing autographs and posing for photographs, than they had been in the game itself. “I didn’t think there was this many people in Clare,” Jack Browne laughed, surrounded by young autograph hunters, who were trading secrets on what player was where across the fabled Tipperary sward. “It means everything. When you’re growing up as a young lad, all you want to do is win an All-Ireland medal. It’s great,” he said of Clare’s third All-Ireland U/21 win. Jack Browne couldn’t believe the size of the crowd roaring on Clare, given that the seniors will be back in Croke Park on September 28. “There was a massive Clare crowd. The roaring that was going on for Clare scores was great. When we …