Tag Archives: clare hurling

Initial fears that Clare hurler Aaron Cunningham would be out of the game for a long spell due to the injury suffered in last Wednesday’s Munster under 21 first round win over Limerick have eased. “Following a scan on Thursday, the injury isn’t as bad as we thought. We are awaiting further checks on his further knee”, senior hurling selector Louis Mulqueen said this weekend. “Aaron situation is a knee problem. Unfortunately with Aaron, he’s been injured a lot and rehab is the thing. It takes a bit of time. His shoulder was out at different times throughout the year. He was starting to come good and his form was coming. At the moment we’re still waiting for further checks on the scan but yesterday’s scan wasn’t as bad as we thought. He’s still away with a swollen knee”, Cunningham said. Meanwhile All-Ireland hero Shane O’Donnell is continuing to receive treatment for a hamstring injury. “Shane had a six-week programme …

Munster and All-Ireland U-21 hurling champions, Clare, got over the first hurdle in the 2014 title race when they proved too strong for Limerick, in a tie played in front of 6,063 patrons at sun-splashed Limerick on Wednesday. A powerful second half display proved too much for Limerick and the defending champions secured their place in the semi-final against Tipperary in mid-July early in the final quarter. There were fears for Clare in some quarters at the half-way stage when their lead was just two points, after playing with the aid of the fresh breeze. However, they dominated the second half and goals from Aaron Cunningham and Peter Duggan put paid to Limerick’s hopes of an upset. The Shannonsider’s goal came in the third minute of injury time, too late to cause problems for Clare. Of huge concern, however, is another injury to forward Aaron Cunningham, who had to be stretchered from the pitch five minutes from the end. Not …

Clare 1-28 Galway 1-16 FIELDING a completely separate team in each half, Clare scored a comprehensive win over Galway in a senior hurling challenge game played in Quilty on Sunday evening. The game was the first to feature an All-Ireland hurling winning team playing in west Clare and was played to mark Kilmurry Ibrickane’s 100th anniversery celebrations. The Liam McCarthy Cup was on display throughout the game. Clare led 0-12 to 1-7 at half time, largely thanks to 0-6 from Colin Ryan, who also impressed in open play. Damien Hayes scored the Galway goal in the opening half, while Jason Flynn put over five points from frees and play for Anthony Cunningham’s team. Galway introduced Joe Canning at half time and while he scored an early point from play, Canning didn’t look very sharp with David McInerney retaining the upper hand on the Galway captain. Amongst those to impress for Clare were Seán Collins and Colin Ryan in the opening …

By Peter O’Connell Clare 1-23,  Tipperary 0-12 THE Clare minor hurlers qualified for a Munster semi-final meeting away to All-Ireland champions Waterford on June 25 or 26, following an incident-packed second play-off game in Cusack Park on Wednesday evening. The crowd of 1,218 witnessed three straight red cards, issued to Tipperary players Tommy Nolan, Willie Connors and substitute Chris McCullagh. The latter reds were deserved but Nolan was very unlucky to be sent off, following an incident with Clare goalkeeper Jason Loughnane. He was red-carded in first half injury time after he caught Loughnane with the hurley but a yellow card would have sufficed. Earlier in the half match, referee Nathan Wall had issued four yellow cards, two to each team, when none of the players seemed deserving of them. Tipperary led 0-10 to 0-9 at half-time, having played with the breeze. It’s a measure of Clare’s second half superiority that their opponents scored a mere 0-2 in the half …

LONG before Sunday dawns, one of the main items of interest will be where Clare’s opening league match is played. Recent inclement weather has placed a premium on the use of Cusack Park. Last Sunday’s Division 4 National Football League game had to be moved to Miltown Malbay, which will have helped to protect Cusack Park but it will not guarantee its use this weekend. In fact, the pitch itself might be playable but if, for example, the area behind the terraced stand is flooded, that might present a health and safety issue. Hopefully, come the weekend, the weather will be more compliant but if Cusack Park is deemed unplayable, where the game is played will become a matter of some intrigue. When the Waterford Crystal final against Tipperary had to be moved from Sixmilebridge, the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick was the chosen venue. The fact that happened indicates the paucity of top level floodlit playing fields in Clare. However, …

THE lyrics have been composed, the flags unfurled and the Banner bangers have been wheeled out, leaving the county gripped in hurling final fever, ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland final showdown with Cork. The game has massive global appeal, with Clare’s diaspora going to great efforts to travel home from great distances or gathering with friends in their homes, bars or GAA clubs to see the drama unfold. The frenetic scramble for tickets continues unabated and despite the Clare GAA County Board receiving a second allocation from Croke Park, hundreds of dejected Clare fans are still exploring all avenues in the hope of securing that elusive ticket. However, for those who don’t get to Croker, Ennis Town Council has stepped in to help. Abbey Street car park will be transformed on Sunday afternoon as the town authority hopes to generate an electric atmosphere by broadcasting the game live on a big screen. Entertainment gets underway at 2.30pm and will continue until …

THE number of YouTube hits for a song written by a young Killaloe man jumped from 300 to 33,000 in just 24-hours. Eighteen-year-old Noel McInerney, who lives in the Millstream Housing Estate in Killaloe, did not envisage his tribute song to the Clare team’s hurling efforts The Banner’s Road To Croker would prove to be an internet hit. At the time of writing, the number of hits was at an impressive 59,728. The song is set to feature on the RTÉ News this Thursday evening, while it is expected a clip will also be played on Up for the Match on Saturday night. A casual conversation with his father Willie, who is a caretaker at the local Waterman’s Alzheimer Respite and Day Care Centre, about the All-Ireland semi-final between Clare and Limerick got Noel thinking about a song for the final. Within minutes, he had the chorus written down on his phone and composed the entire song within two hours. …