Tag Archives: Clare football

Cratloe’s Podge Collins has announced his inter county retirement in what is another blow for the Clare footballers. As first reported by Clare FM, Collins has decided to step away from the inter county scene after a successful dual career. Collins was an integral part of Davy Fitzgerald’s side that defeated Cork to lift Liam McCarthy in 2013, winning an All-Star in the process. He was also nominated for Hurler of the Year after a string of stellar displays helped Clare secure the ultimate prize. The Cratloe club man also secured All-Ireland hurling medals at U21 level in 2012 and 2013. In the small ball code, he claimed two Munster minor titles and a NHL Division 1 title, which came in 2016. The 31-year-old played both football – under the stewardship of his father, Colm – and hurling with Clare up until 2017, when he chose to focus his efforts on the small ball. He later switched codes to focus on …

Senior Football Championship Final Cratloe 1-10 St Breckan’s 1-8 It was the perfect conclusion to a remarkable renaissance as Cratloe bridged a nine year gap to claim their third Clare Senior Football crown in eleven years in Cusack Park, writes Eoin Brennan.  Despite being seen as an aging side, it was that added sprinkling of experience that eventually told in this seesaw decider as they never trailed at any stage and took their goal opportunity perfectly to finally put daylight between the sides as they wound down the clock before finally hearing the relieving sound of the fine whistle. Six of the first eight points, three from chief marksman Cathal McInerney ensured a healthy 0-6 to 0-2 cushion by the 23rd minute. St Breckan’s only first half scorer Jamie Stack did halve the damage by the break at 0-6 to 0-4 while Joe McGann took up the scoring mantle on the restart with two excellent levelling points by the 33rd …

SUNDAY will represent Clare’s 18th appearance in a Munster senior football final, with two finals that were 75 years apart being the stand-out games in the county’s long history of contesting the provincial championship that started in 1888. On that maiden voyage provincial campaign 135 years ago Clare found themselves in a similar situation to what they face on Sunday, as they had to go into battle against the reigning All-Ireland champions – they’ll be hoping for the same result, if not the aftermath. On that occasion the Clare selection, backboned by members of Newmarket Dalgais scored a famous victory over Limerick Commercials in Birdhill by 1-3 to 1-0, only to lose the game afterwards in the boardroom after being accused of fielding illegal players. That was the year a Munster title got away from Clare, but there was no denying them on two red-letter days – in 1917 when they scored a comprehensive 5-1 to 0-1 win over Cork …

A MEASURE of how much the Clare team has changed over the years and is in a constant state of evolution comes footballing home when you look at the first time Pearse Lillis was handed a senior jersey by Colm Collins in the National League. It was seven years ago this Sunday in Miltown Malbay when Clare started their Division 3 campaign with a 1-11 to 0-7 win over Sligo. Lillis was at wing-back that day — the only other starters still standing are Cian O’Dea and Jamie Malone who were with him in the defence, midfielder Cathal O’Connor and captain Eoin Cleary up front. Gone is the backbone of that first Colm Collins team that helped lift Clare from Division 4 to 3 and then to the higher altitude again of Division 2 for 2017. From Joe Hayes in goal through to David Tubridy at corner-forward, with some other giants — in stature and otherwise and football-wise — in …

Doonbeg scoring machine David Tubridy recently called time on his inter-county career after 16 seasons — a remarkable commitment to the Clare cause that saw him straddle five generations of management in the county from Páidí Ó Sé’s time through to Colm Collins’ stint. He spoke to Joe Ó Muircheartaigh about his treasured time in the saffron and blue.   DECEMBER 30 and Colm Collins was making a few end of year calls — Happy Christmas, Happy New Year and all that, but apart from the festive pleasantries, there was also the business of the call. Manager to player stuff. David Tubridy knew it was coming, but that didn’t make it easier, because with the ring-tone would come the realisation that his ‘make your mind up time’ had landed. Finally. Make his mind up on whether to pull the plug on a way of life since 2007, or make his mind up to go again and turn 16 years into …

Clare have been drawn to face Kerry and Cork in the McGrath Cup which kicks off on January 9. Colm Collins’ side come up against reigning All-Ireland champions Kerry in their opening competitive fixture of 2023. That game will be hosted at a Kerry venue with details on a venue to be announced in due course. That game is down for decision on Monday, January 9 before a home tie against John Cleary’s Cork outfit the following Saturday, January 14. The winner of the group of three will qualify directly for the McGrath Cup final and face off against the first placed side in the other group containing Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford. Kerry are the reigning McGrath Cup champions as they comfortably dispatched Cork by 2-17 to 0-11 in the final. This was the first piece of silverware they won in Jack O’Connor’s third spell as manager. Clare last lifted the McGrath Cup in 2019 when they defeated Cork 1-9 …

Eoin Brennan previews the Munster senior, intermediate and junior quarter-finals involving Éire Óg, Kildysart and Liscannor this weekend Munster Senior Club Football Championship Quarter-Final (Extra Time if Necessary – Result on the Day) Éire Óg v The Nire (Waterford) at Cusack Park Ennis, Sunday 1.15pm (John Ryan, Cork) The mere mention of Ballymacarbry around Ennis tends to evoke great memories of ladies football clashes between Banner Ladies and the perennial Waterford champions. Indeed, only last weekend Ballymac edged out the Clare champions to win back the prestigious Munster Senior Club honours after a 22 year gap but their winning legacy hasn’t exactly transferred over to their male counterparts in recent years. The Nire, based on the Waterford/Tipperary border have a unique GAA Club relationship as their three codes are spread into as many entities, with Ballymacarbry (ladies football), Fourmilewater (hurling) and The Nire (men’s football). Up to this year, one man predominantly oversaw all three as former Waterford hurling manager …

Ivan Smyth speaks to Clare defender Cian O’Dea who insists his side are prepared for the challenge of trying to secure promotion to Division One. WITH the old format for the league returning whereby the top two teams out of eight secure promotion, the margins will be fine as Clare go in search of a place at the top table. Cian O’Dea knows his side are not among the favourites for promotion but after coming up short against Mayo last year, he insists belief among the group remains high as they commence their campaign this Sunday against Offaly (throw-in 2pm). “We’ve been back since December and have had a couple of challenge matches. Things have been going really well. The depth we have on the panel right now is really good. We have new lads pushing old lads like myself,” says The Kilfenora man. “We love playing the league. The matches come thick and fast as you have a match …