Tag Archives: clare

IT IS not too often that a defeated team emerges from any game with their confidence levels enhanced. While a loss is a loss, Clare did play some exceptional football in Newbridge last Sunday. Eoin Cleary gave an exhibition of shooting from play and while he did miss a chance to equalise from a free, he was one of Clare’s standout performers. More impressive than any of their scores was the off-the-shoulder support from players like Cleary, Jamie Malone, Cian O’Dea and Dean Ryan. On several occasions, during the second half in particular, players timed their support run perfectly, so that they broke Kildare tackles without breaking their own stride. Suddenly, they were in space and had time to look up and send decent ball into the inside forwards. The best way to kick quality ball is to use support play to create an opportunity. Kick the ball too early and, have no doubt, it will come back to you …

The quality of games in Division 1A of the National Hurling League has put Clare under pressure in each of their games and, according to selector Jimmy Browne, “ultimately you learn most about yourself when you are under pressure”. Ahead of Sunday’s relegation play-off with Dublin at Cusack Park (throw-in 4pm), he continued, “We have learned a lot this year. We had very good displays against Kilkenny and Tipperary but we did not get the result we wanted and against Waterford for a big chunk of the game. We have a chance to put that back into the mix for Sunday. That is the strength of playing in this league. “The great beauty of playing in this division is that you are testing yourself to the upper limit every day you go out and Sunday is another very important test for us,” added Browne. “We have to perform. There is a lot of importance from a Clare point of view, …

The Embassy of Ireland in Paris was the venue for a recent B2B tourism event, Irlande à Paris. Organised by Tourism Ireland, the networking event involved some 70 leading French group travel operators meeting, and doing business with, 18 Irish tourism companies, including Shannon Heritage. Monica MacLaverty, Tourism Ireland’s manager of Southern Europe, said, “We are delighted that so many key decision-makers from the group travel sector in France took the time to meet with our tourism partners from Ireland, to hear about our fantastic tourism offering and the many opportunities for group travel to County Clare and the West of Ireland.” France is one of the top four markets for tourism to the island of Ireland and 2016 was the fourth record-breaking year in a row for French visitors to Ireland. Last year was the best year ever for tourism from France to the island of Ireland, when with more than 500,000 French visitors.

CRUSHEEN teenager Delia Keary has become the fourth Clare person to die as a result of road traffic accidents in recent days. The 18 year old had been a passenger in a car which collided with a truck at Wards Cross near Abbeyfeale on Friday evening. 19 year old Gary Kelly from Ennis died at the scene while Delia was taken to University Hospital, Limerick for treatment. However Gardai have confirmed that she passed away on Saturday night. Newcastle West Gardai are investigating the incident and they have appealed to witnesses to contact them on 069 20650, The Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station. Also the funeral takes place on Monday of Clare native Paul Hannon, who lost his life after he was involved in a collision with a car while cycling in Dublin on Friday morning. While last Thursday, three year old Estlin Wall was laid to rest after she had died following a …

The price of the average three-bed semi in Co Clare has risen 3.1% to €165,500 in the last three months, according to a national survey carried out by Real Estate Alliance. The REA Average House Price Survey concentrates on the actual sale price of Ireland’s typical stock home, the three-bed semi, giving an up-to-date picture of the property market in towns and cities countrywide for the first three months of the year. “The lack of supply is severe,” said Liam Browne from REA Paddy Browne in Ennis. “There is high demand from owner-occupiers and investors in the town centre, which will hopefully lead to new developments both in the short and long term.” Property prices in the county have risen by 13.8% in the past year, the survey has found.The average semi-detached house nationally now costs €209,944, the Q1 REA Average House Price Survey has found – a rise of 3.5% on the Q4 2016 figure of €202,926. Overall, the …

Kildare 0-18 Clare 1-14 CLARE fell to a heartbreaking one point defeat in Newbridge on Sunday afternoon. Five points down at half-time, they took the game to the home county in the second half, with Shane Brennan scoring a crucial goal. He flicked to the net following a Keelan Sexton angled delivery. Fifteen minutes from time Clare led 1-12 to 0-13 and at that point, the pendulum seemed to be swinging in their direction. However late points from Fionn Dowling and Paul Cribbin swung the result in favour of Cian O’Neill’s team, who are now promoted. Eoin Cleary had an opportunity to equalise from an injury time free but it drifted wide. Unless Clare beat Meath in their final game in Ennis next Sunday, they will need Down and Derry to lose their final league ties, to stave off relegation to division 3. Kildare led 0-11 to 0-6 at half-time, with their midfielder Kevin Feely kicking 0-5 from frees. Clare …

As Clare prepare to head to Newbridge on Sunday, in Round 6 of NFL Division 2, one statistic from their first five games stands out. While Clare have made 22 substitutions up to now, 15 of which were from midfield up, no substitute has yet kicked a score. Of the 15 attacking players introduced, seven were brought on in the last 10 minutes. The 15 substitutes referred to have played for a total of two hours and 52 minutes, without adding a score to Clare’s tally. This fact illustrates Clare’s lack of impact from the bench and while it is difficult for substitutes to immediately get up to the pitch of a game, particularly if it is getting away from their team, it is an area that Clare must try to improve on. Of course, in recent games they have been down personnel, with Seán Collins injured and Shane McGrath opting out of the panel. Ciarán Russell was a big …

To secure victory over Waterford in the National Hurling League at Cusack Park on Sunday, Clare must hit the ground running, according to defender Seadna Morey. “We know each other well. We have played at underage, as well as at senior in recent years. We all know the way Waterford play and we must focus on that this week,” he said. The Sixmilebridge man went on, “It’s nice to be injury free and getting a chance. There is a great buzz with the team and it’s a great scene.” Acknowledging that it’s a huge game, he said, “Look at the league. We are second at the moment but we can still get stuck in relegation. That shows the competition. Going into the last game, it’s important to get that final win. The competition is very keen, as evidenced by the fact that a team can perform one week and then get turned over the next. “In the Kilkenny game, the …