Tag Archives: Clare senior football championship

Eoin Brennan runs the rule over this weekend’s action as the Clare senior football championship kicks off Round 1 Group 1 Éire Óg v St Breckan’s at Cusack Park Ennis, Saturday 4.30pm Easily the headline act of the opening weekend as depending on how the sides approach it, this heavyweight showdown will either be a timely evaluation of where these Jack Daly contenders are or a cautious must-not-lose affair led by fear rather than ambition. With three to emerge to the last eight from this group, it should be closer to the former and certainly much nearer in terms of scores than last year’s semi-final masterclass from Éire Óg that stifled a normally swashbuckling St Breckan’s before they could get into their stride. The Townies are still the team to beat but going on the hurling version, may need a bit of time to blow off the cobwebs of their meticulous gameplan as they’ve had no competitive opportunities to put …

Clare will face Meath in Round One of the Football qualifiers after this morning’s draw on RTE Radio One. Colm Collins’ side will enjoy home advantage against fellow Division Two outfit Meath on June 4/5. However, Clare have a poor recent record against Meath, having lost their last five games against the Leinster side in as many seasons. The pair met in this year’s league with Meath securing a 0-10 to 0-9 win as James Conlon’s late point was all that separated the sides in Cusack Park. Clare found themselves in the draw this morning after defeat to Limerick. It took a little bit of history to separate the sides with the first shoot-out in Munster Football Championship history deciding matters. The sides finished level at 1-19 to 2-16 after extra time before Limerick prevailed 4-1 in the shootout. Meanwhile, Meath enjoyed a facile 4-13 to 1-12 win over Wicklow in their opening game of the Leinster Championship. Jack O’Connor, …

Eoin Brennan looks ahead to St Breckan’s semi-final clash with Éire Óg Senior Football Championship Semi-Finals St Breckan’s v Éire Óg at Cusack Park Ennis, Saturday 4.30pm WHICHEVER way the pendulum swings, a major breakthrough will be accomplished by Saturday evening for two sides looking to turn undoubted potential into Jack Daly success. While they have been in the list of genuine contenders for several seasons mainly due to four Under 21A triumphs in six seasons (2013, ’14, ’15, ’18), Éire Óg have invariably underwhelmed and have never built upon their county final appearance of 2014. However, along with St Breckan’s, they do have the most exciting collective attacking unit in the county, with Gavin Cooney, Mark McInerney, David Reidy, Philip Talty, Ikem Ugwueru, Eimhin Courtney and even the option of Darren O’Neill at the edge of the square. Add in the county senior experience of Aaron Fitzgerald, Ciaran Russell and Conall Ó hAiniféin at the back and on their …

WITH three of the four sides emerging contently from the opening round, the stakes in the ‘Group of Death’ are upped this weekend as Ennistymon are introduced into the mix against Kilmurry Ibrickane while old rivals Miltown and Cratloe renew acquaintances. Eoin Brennan reports. Kilmurry Ibrickane v Ennistymon at Cusack Park, Saturday, 4.30pm (Referee C Maguire) While neighbours Kilmurry Ibrickane and St Joseph’s Miltown know each other inside out, it’s a little less familiar territory from now on for the defending champions who will be expecting an Ennistymon ambush this Saturday. The North Clare side were the only team to sit out the opening weekend of the championship so they will be extra eager to not only get their championship challenge underway but also make an immediate impact. After all, with Kilmurry Ibrickane, St Joseph’s Miltown and Cratloe strong favourites to take the three knock-out spots, Ennistymon will be determined to break up that cosy cartel, having contested at least …

Eoin Brennan previews the county football championship action with focus on games across all divisions THE overly-familiar West Clare derby of Kilmurry Ibrickane and St Joseph’s Miltown represents the perfect start for this year’s race for the Jack Daly. Of course, it’s their fourth championship meeting in less than two years, with the spoils split evenly so far and what makes it even more intriguing is the fact that they have now shared the last six senior crowns evenly (Kilmurry Ibrickane 2016, ’17, ’20, St Joseph’s Miltown 2015, ’18, ’19). As defending champions, Kilmurry Ibrickane certainly had the upper hand in last year’s championship opener, but a combination of key injuries to Shane Hickey and Dermot Coughlan allied to Miltown’s Cusack Cup winning form have certainly swung this year’s momentum towards the men from Miltown Malbay. In an unforgiving group, last year’s finalists Cratloe will also be keen to keep pace at the top as they face Cooraclare this Sunday. …

HAVING never played a senior championship game against each other, 14-times champions Kilmurry-Ibrickane will face Clondegad in the 2017 Clare County Championship final at 3pm, with the Ballynacally-based men in black and red seeking their first title. Kilmurry won the 2015 Cusack Cup final when the clubs met, while their last championship meeting was the 2011 intermediate final, when Clondegad beat Kilmurry’s second team to achieve senior status. Clondegad have played seven games in reaching Sunday’s final, including replays against Lissycasey and Doonbeg. In total they have played 380 minutes of football, with 14 players contributing to their 5-75 tally. Podge McMahon, with 2-20 (0-11f), is marginally their top scorer ahead of Gary Brennan with 1-22 (1-13f), while Tony Kelly has put over 0-10 from play, followed by Eoin Donnellan on 0-9. Clondegad have conceded 4-55. The only games they did not concede a goal in was against Kilkee in the first round and Doonbeg in the quarter-final replay. Sixteen …

SUNDAY will be a particularly special day for Miltown, St Joseph’s GAA chairman, Gerry Curtin. He will travel to Cusack Park with the club’s senior team for their Clare football final date with Cooraclare. Understandably, he wants to see his beloved club emerge victorious, a result that will see him “hand over the baton of captain of the last team to bring the title to Miltown.” Twenty-five years ago, Miltown last won the blue riband of Clare football, beating Kilmihil in a final played at Cusack Park. “The final score on that occasion was 1-6 to 0-7 and Sean Burke’s goal proved decisive,” he said. Recalling that success, the Miltown chairman said, “We had won the title in 1985 and the guts of that team were still there. A lot of us were coming to the end of the road. It was a tough struggle and Kilmihil had us on the rack in the first half and again in the …