Tag Archives: Clare senior footballers

Ciarán Russell can never be accused of not being committed to the cause. Due to work commitments, the Garda had been commuting up and down from Dublin for training and games since rejoining the Clare panel in 2020. However, in February, Russell has been relocated and now works out of Mayorstone Park Garda Station in Limerick. The 30-year-old admits the move is a major help to his inter-county career as he no longer needs to endure the arduous road trips from the capital down to Clare. “I’m spending less time travelling and less time in a car so that’s better for the body. I’m able to train a lot more. I’d try travel up and down as much as I could but sometimes it might not have been possible. “Balancing everything is probably getting harder from when I started out. At the end of the day you make room for what you like doing. If you enjoy it you will …

With Championship season now in full swing, players from across the land are desperately trying to find that extra one per cent that can be the difference between victory and defeat. As more counties encounter the heat of Championship battle, the focus needed to compete and ensure a player is ready for peak performance has never been more important. With Cillian Brennan trying to recover from a hamstring injury sustained in his side’s league defeat to Meath, he has had enough to keep him occupied. However, throw in the fact that he is in the final stages of completing his PhD at Mary Immaculate College and it is easy to see why when initially questioned about his studies, Brennan admits the past few weeks have been hectic and the next few will be even more so. With his research exploring the experiences of PE specialism graduates as PE teachers and leaders in Irish primary schools, Brennan is passionate about the …

Gerry McGowan is not afraid of putting in the long hours. The Strandhill native faces more than a four hour round journey from his native Sligo to Clare in his role as coach with this Banner team. McGowan, who works from home with Amazon Web Services, believes the travel is actually beneficial as the commitment from players and management teams continues to increase. “Anyone involved in any set-up knows the time involved is phenomenal. I’m probably down at training in max two hours 10 minutes. It’s about using the time in the car to be productive and making sure I plan stuff ahead. Sometimes you mightn’t have enough time in the car. It can be very productive.” The former Tourlestrane joint manager admits when Colm Collins made contact with him at the start of last year, he was intrigued by the prospect of working with this Clare outfit. The coach admits it was “refreshing” to get behind the wheel and …

The times and venues for the Munster Senior, Minor and U20 Hurling and Football Championships have been confirmed this afternoon, writes Ivan Smyth. The Munster Hurling Championship reverts to the round robin format this year. Clare start their campaign against Tipperary on April 24 as they travel to FBD Semple Stadium, with that game throwing in at 2pm. One week later, on May 1, Brian Lohan’s charges return to Thurles as they face Cork with that game also starting at 2pm. The game was initially due to be held on Páirc Uí Chaoimh but has been moved to Thurles with Ed Sheeran set to play in the Cork venue on April 28 and 29. Two weeks later, Clare host All Ireland champions Limerick in Cusack Park with that game scheduled to throw in at 4pm. In the final round of fixtures, which takes place on May 22, Waterford travel down to Ennis with no time confirmed for that game. The …

‘On the cusp of a wave of momentum’ is a phrase that could be attributed to either Clare or Derry at the moment, writes Eoin Brennan. After all, this is easily the best start that Clare have had in their six seasons at Division 2 as they remain unbeaten after a rousing opening victory over Offaly and back-to-back away draws with Cork and Roscommon. Table-toppers Derry can boast an even greater feat though as one would have to go back to before we ever knew about COVID-19 to find the last time that the Ulster side lost a National League tie. A perfect run of ten consecutive victories have catapulted Rory Gallagher’s side from being a mid-table Division 3 side to the precipice of promotion back to the top tier. Granted, seven of those wins were in Division 3 but it has given Derry the self-belief to hit the ground running so far back in Division 2, with commanding triumphs …

WITH half of the teams in Division 2 still unbeaten heading into Round 3, it’s the clash of Roscommon and Clare that will take precedence in the race for promotion to the top tier, writes Eoin Brennan. For the winner, keeping pace with Galway and Derry is essential as none of the top four have met yet so far but for the loser, it would be a significant set-back in what appears a very high standard at the helm of Division 2. While Connacht rivals Galway and Roscommon were expected to be in the shake-up to bounce straight back up, Derry’s star was also expected to rise after winning last year’s Division 3 honours. Clare remain the outsiders but in truth, they have been ever since returning to Division 2 in 2017 as every year, they have been placed among the bookies favourites to fall through the trapdoor but it’s almost seen as a badge of honour for the Banner …

Eoin Brennan looks ahead to this evening’s vital national league encounter with Cork National League Division 2 Round 2 Cork v Clare at Páirc Uí Chaoimh Cork, Saturday 7pm (Maurice Deegan, Laois) As significant as securing an opening victory over Offaly was in what is a perpetually cut-throat Division 2, the real acid test arrives this Saturday evening as Colm Collins’ side face Cork as part of a rare National League double header between the counties in Páirc Uí Chaomh. Clare have a healthy league record against the Rebels, with three victories in the last four meetings and even last year’s loss proving sufficient for the Banner to advance to the Division 2 Semi-Finals at the expense of Cork. However, it’s 11 years since Clare last played in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, not to mind its state-of-the-art upgrade. Indeed, that 2011 clash was a forgettable 15 point reverse in the Munster Senior Quarter-Final (1-23 to 0-11), with only four of the …

The 2022 Inter-County season will commence on Sunday, January 2, when the Clare senior footballers travel to Dungarvan to take on Waterford in the opening round of the McGrath Cup (Munster Senior Football League) at 2pm. In a hectic first week of Colm Collins’ historic ninth season in charge, the Banner welcome Group 1 rivals Cork, under new manager Keith Ricken, to Hennessy Memorial Park in Miltown Malbay four days later for the first time since winning the McGrath Cup on home soil in 2019. The Group 1 winners will subsequently face their Group 2 equivalents (Kerry, Limerick or Tipperary) in the final on Sunday, January 15. In contrast, it’s winner-takes-all for Brian Lohan’s Clare senior hurlers who also face Waterford, this time in the more familiar setting of O’Garney Park in Sixmilebridge for their Munster Hurling Cup Semi-Final on Friday, January 14 (7pm). With the championship spoils evenly split between the counties over the past two years, it marks …