Tag Archives: Clare minor hurlers

Clare duo Eoghan Gunning and James Hegarty have been named in the Electric Ireland GAA Minor Hurling Team of the Year. Broadford’s Eoghan Gunning and James Hegarty of Inagh-Kilnamona have both been honoured for their performances in the Banner’s progressions to the last four of the All Ireland series. Clare came agonisingly close to securing an historic Munster final triumph before losing out on penalties against eventual All Ireland champions Tipperary. The pair played every minute of Clare’s eight contests this year in a campaign which can only serve to benefit this group of players going forward. Hegarty was part of the St. Flannan’s side that secured Dean Ryan Cup glory last November as they defeated Ardscoil Rís 3-16 to 0-16. Gunning and Hegarty were part of an outstanding Clare defence that played a pivotal role in the Banner’s run to the final four. Offaly’s Adam Screeney has been selected as the 2022 Electric Ireland GAA Minor Star Hurling Player …

Leo O’Connor has certainly become accustomed to rolling with the punches these past few weeks as Clare’s hurling re-emergence at all levels began to build momentum. Working as a Business Development Manager for The Clare Champion, the Limerick native, and former player as well as former minor and U-21 manager has faced his fair share of banter as the Shannonside derby that extended to four competitive clashes in 2022 reached fever pitch with the recent Munster Final clash. With that rivalry put on hold (temporarily at least), there is no let-up for O’Connor though as having been Offaly minor manager for the past three seasons, there was almost a sense of inevitability when Clare were the ones to come through the quarter-final qualifiers to face the Leinster champions at the All-Ireland Minor Semi-Final stage in Thurles this evening (7.30pm). Before matters get serious on Friday though, the Claughan clubman, who actually played against Offaly in Limerick’s ill-fated 1994 All-Ireland senior …

Nine weeks after tentatively embarking on their Munster campaign under lights in Semple Stadium, it’s fitting that the wheel has turned full circle for Clare who prepare for their eighth championship tie this evening. That experience has already proven invaluable as Clare’s rollercoaster ride has gone from the pinnacle of dethroning All-Ireland champions Cork in their own patch to the flooring deflation of an agonising penalty shoot-out in the Munster Final against Tipperary. It understandably took time for the players to fully purge themselves of the residual scars of that battle but there were encouraging signs that the Banner’s swagger was on the way back against Laois last time out. Offaly also dealt comfortably with Laois in their first provincial victory since 2000 so while Clare have the momentum of eight matches in nine weeks, the Faithful County’s five week break since the Leinster Final is offset by a confidence of five successive victories that will be difficult for Clare …

With Clare appearing in their first All-Ireland Minor semi-final since 2012 against Offaly this Friday night in Semple Stadium (throw-in 7.30pm), manager Brian O’Connell believes unity is a key ingredient to his side’s success. With a renewed focus towards developing and improving underage structures within the county, the work is starting to bear fruit as Clare are now just 60 minutes away from a first All Ireland final appearance at this grade since 2010. O’Connell has worked with this group of players at U-15 and U-16 level as he believes the continuity that this group have enjoyed has helped them gather results this year. “We have a good few people in the development squad structure that have put in a lot of work. Kieran McDermott and Donal Moloney are two that have invested a lot of time. This is the first group where we’ve had that S+C and continuity between coaches. Maybe we just got lucky with this group but …

Their potential is unquestioned. Anyone that was in Páirc Ui Rinn or the Gaelic Grounds for their last two provincial outings can testify to that. However, the fall-out from that devastating Munster Final penalty shoot-out against Tipperary was that Clare found it difficult to pick themselves off the floor against Galway. Thankfully, any threat of a further spillover were quickly dismissed according to relieved minor manager Brian O’Connell immediately after their return to winning ways against Laois on Saturday afternoon. “We could tell during the week and again this morning that there was much more energy in the camp. We probably tapered off our preparations after the Galway game and gave them plenty of rest as they were tired mentally and physically. “So we were delighted that they were in good form this morning. “Getting back to winning ways is brilliant for the confidence. No matter what sport you play, winning becomes a habit so it was important for us …

It promised to be a great occasion. The renewal of a rivalry that has seen few battles between these sides at this grade saw a well regarded Galway outfit and a Clare side hurting from Munster final anguish lock horns. With a healthy crowd on an ideal afternoon for hurling the stage was set for a ferocious contest. Considering this was just the fifth time Clare and Galway have met in the Minor Championship this century, all indications before throw-in was that this was going to be a rip-roaring battle between two counties with eyes on putting one foot in the knockout stages. Instead, Clare struggled with all aspects of the game as they fired nine points and 15 wides during the hour of hurling. By contrast Galway notched 0-25 and just 10 wides as Fergal Healy’s side blitzed their opponents. Aside from a 10 minute spell in the second quarter where Clare outscored their opponents by 0-6 to 0-3, …

Pop quiz hotshot, name the current Clare minor mentor that helped a county garner back-to-back All-Ireland minor titles in the past five seasons? In a vastly experienced team headed by former Clare senior captain Brian O’Connell, it’s not six-time Munster and three time All-Ireland winning joint-manager Donal Moloney nor 1995 All-Ireland winner Cyril Lyons who guided his native county to the 2002 All-Ireland decider as manager. In fact it’s coach Damian O’Halloran who while teaching in Balinasloe, was part of Jeff Lynskey’s backroom team that made the breakthrough for Galway with All-Ireland minor crowns in 2017 and ’18 before also having a stint with the Tribesmen at Under 21 level alongside Lynskey, Franny Forde and Tony Ward. “It was a great experience.” Recalls O’Halloran. “Going in cold, it certainly opened my eyes as to the standard required, the levels at which even minor set-ups are operating at along with the workload of management teams that are actually comparable to a …

Belief. With the majority of inter-county minor sides training to a very high level, it’s invariably the key separator in tight matches and so it proved once more in Páirc Uí Rinn on Tuesday evening when taking down hosts Cork to advance to the Munster decider. An almost incredible turnaround in fortunes in less than ten months, this Clare minor side have really developed since falling to Tipperary in the opening contest three weeks earlier. “I’m delighted,” commented manager Brian O’Connell on the field afterwards, “Our biggest challenge with these lads was just making them believe in themselves and when they did that, they’re just starting to skyrocket. “We’ve pretty much focused on ourselves. We know that we’ve good hurlers here, I keep emphasising it but these lads have won provincial junior schools and some of them All-Ireland senior medals so they’ve had a good year’s hurling and good experiences of winning titles and playing in finals. “So there’s definitely …