Tag Archives: clare

TWO years ago, Clare and Kilkenny finished up at the bottom of Division 1A in the hurling league, which led to them playing off to determine who would make the drop to 1B. That situation, which saw Kilkenny surviving in the top flight thanks to a one-point win, is sure to be recalled this week as the counties meet in this season’s competition. It may only be Round 2 of the 2017 competition but both suffered defeat in their first outing last weekend, which means there is a little more urgency about getting points on the board this weekend. Of the two, Kilkenny were the more impressive last week, running their neighbours Waterford to a point at Nowlan Park. Clare, on the other hand, were a good bit off the standard required in their clash with Cork at Páirc Uí Rinn and will need to show a much-improved performance if they are to trouble the Noresiders at Cusack Park on …

Clare 2-11 Down 0-11 THE key to Clare’s six point defeat of Down in Cusack Park on Sunday, was David Tubridy’s injury time goal just before half-time. The Doonbeg man put away Clare’s second goal, seconds after he had pointed a clear goal scoring chance. Keelan Sexton scored Clare’s first goal in the second minute after Tubridy had cut in along the end line, easing beyond Down defenders Gerard McGovern and Niall Donnelly. [data-ps-embed-type=slideshow] > iframe {position: absolute;top: 0;left: 0;} http://photos.clarechampion.ie/js/psEmbed.js _psEmbed(“http://photos.clarechampion.ie”); Come half time Clare led 2-7 to 0-3 and while that 10 point lead was emphatic, they could have led by much more. Clare kicked eight wides in the first half, along with missing at least two clear goal opportunities. The game was played in bitterly cold conditions in Ennis in front of an attendance of 1,749. Clare’s opening 20 minutes was their most impressive spell with their tackling and tracking exceptional, even if their shooting did not …

Clare 1-8 Derry 0-11 A James Kielt point, kicked from 40 yards, five minutes into injury time, snatched a late equaliser for Derry in the opening game of the NFL division 2 in Celtic Park on Sunday. This was a game that Clare created sufficient chances to win and in fact they kicked 15 wides and missed at least two goal chances. However Clare goalkeeper Joe Hayes made two excellent saves while three Clare players were black carded in the second half. Clare had no substitute left to replace black carded Dean Ryan in the closing minutes. Derry led 0-6 to 0-5 at half-time. Clare kicked eight first half wides and spurned great goal scoring chances when Seán Collins and Jamie Malone failed to capitalise on excellent opportunities. Gary Brennan, playing his second game inside 19 hours, made several energetic runs from midfield and was involved in creating some of Clare’s first half points. Midfielder Ciaran Russell put over Clare’s …

Clare 1-12 Limerick 0-12 INSPIRED by  0-9 from Lissycasey’s Conor Finucane, who put over 0-8 from play, the Clare U/21 footballers won their fourth successive game in this competition in capturing the Peter McNulty Memorial Tournament. The final was played at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday evening. Ironically the only game Clare lost was to Limerick in Kilmihil in early January. Since then they have beaten Kildare, Wexford, Galway and now Limerick, all away from home. Clare led narrowly, 0-8 to 0-7, at half time with Finucane and Eimhin Courntey accounting for all of Clare’s points. Hugh Bourke kept Limerick competitive with 0-6 from frees over the hour, although he missed a couple of scoreable frees towards the end. Approaching full time, Clare were just two points up, 0-12 to 0-10 but a close range goal from Joe McGann, following build up playing involving Keelan Sexton and Finucane, placed the St Breckan’s man for the goal. Limerick responded with points …

Carron will host the Clare lady footballers’ first league game, when they play Waterford at 2pm on Sunday. All-Ireland intermediate finalists in 2016, where they lost by just a point to Kildare, Clare are likely to field up to four débutantes this weekend. With a number of key players from last year not involved this season, Clare will field a much less experienced team. Younger players like Lizzie Roche, Anna Courtney, Amanda Mulcair, Tara Kelly and Nicole O’Doherty are very likely to feature on Sunday, as Clare comes to grip with the absence of Louise Henchy (retired), Niamh Keane, Emma O’Driscoll and Laura Egan. Eva O’Dea is still absent due to a long-term knee injury, picked up in Clare’s 2016 All-Ireland semi-final win over Tipperary. Manager Neil Moynihan is hoping for the best against what are senior opponents. “Home advantage will be no advantage whatsoever when you’re playing the likes of Waterford, who are a senior team. We played them …

Cork   0-19     Clare   0-15 CLARE relinquished the Munster Senior Hurling League title at windswept Sixmilebridge on Wednesday evening when they went under to Cork in their final group game. Cork will play Limerick in the final on Sunday. A strong wind blowing directly down the field made matters difficult for the players and it was the visitors who adapted better to the conditions. That said, Clare will rue some missed chances, especially in the opening half. However, it was Cork’s superior strength and better ball control in the second period that proved decisive. Clare did not want to play the game due to the involvement of more than half of their panel in Fitzgibbon Cup games on Tuesday but their efforts to delay the game failed. Cork had already qualified for the final of the competition before Wednesday’s game, which Clare needed to win to get to the final. Clare made seven changes in personnel from …

Clare Public Participation Network, the organisation of Community and Voluntary Groups in County Clare, is holding its first county level public meeting of 2017 on Wednesday next at 7 pm in The Old Ground Hotel, Ennis. Each Public Participation Network is required to hold two county level plenary meetings each year and these meetings are the main decision making forums for the whole organisation. At Wednesday’s meeting the PPN’s board members, ‘the secretariat’ will be reflecting on the great year that Clare PPN had in 2016 and will be calling for input from all member groups about what activities to prioritise in 2017. Marie Therese Carroll, the representative from Ennis Municipal District explained, “The PPN is a great resource for community groups. In the last year, as well as having our community representatives participating in Clare County Council’s committees, we have been able to organise training and workshops for group members in all sorts of things from media and social …

Clare senior hurling joint managers Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor have named a number of newcomers tosenior inter county competitive action for their first competitige tie in charge at senior level. These include Eoin Quirke (Whitegate) and the Inagh-Kilnamona pair Jason McCarthy and Kevin Hehir. Crartloe’s Cathal M<cInerney returns afer a two year absence. The team to face Kerry in the opening game in this season’s Munster league at Austin Stack park in Tralee this afternoon is Andrew Fahy (Whitegate); Eoin Quirke (Whitegate), David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona), Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge); Jason McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona), Conor Cleary (Kilmaley), Brendan Bugler (Whitegate); Colm Galvin (Clonlara), Kevin Hehir (Inagh-Kilnamona); Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge), Podge Collins (Cratloe) Aaron Cunningham (Wolfe Tones na Sionna); David Reidy (Éire Óg), Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones), Cathal McInerney (Cratloe)