Tag Archives: cratloe GAA

U13 B football final Cratloe 2-9 Clooney Quin 2-7 Cratloe had to be at their economical best to finally hold off a relentless Clooney-Quin side that threw everything at their opponents in an excellent Under 13 Division 2 decider in Shannon Camogie Pitch last Tuesday evening. In an evenly-matched seesaw wrestle for control, amazingly the winners were able to keep their noses in front for the majority and even when Clooney-Quin finally regained parity by the two-thirds mark, they never managed to get ahead of Cratloe at any stage. I say amazingly as while the possession stats and wide count were almost identical, the ultimate difference was in terms of scoring efficiency as Cratloe created and scored a brace of goals whereas Clooney-Quin only converted two of their ten, yes ten, goal chances. In truth, there was a resigned feeling of ‘if they didn’t have bad luck in front of the posts, they’d have none at all’ as the crossbar, …

U15A hurling final Clooney-Quin 2-16 Cratloe 2-11 Clooney-Quin relievedly made the perfect start to 2022 when finally holding off an obstinate Cratloe with the last four points to cement a first U-15A Hurling title since 2019 in Cusack Park on Saturday afternoon. Having agonisingly suffered championship final defeats at Under 13B, 14A, 15B and Minor A in 2021, two of which were in Cusack Park, Clooney-Quin deservedly made full amends last Saturday to further enhance their growing underage influence. In essence, Clooney-Quin possessed the better balance and having been the most consistent team in the competition throughout, there were some excellent displays in particular on Saturday from Darragh McNamara, Jerry O’Connor, Sean McNamara, Matthew Corbett, Cathal Leamy, Sean Cassidy and captain Patrick Finneran. Cratloe, U-14B champions from 2021, were greatly reliant on Marc O’Brien and it was easy to see why as the towering centre-forward possessed pace, power and an ever-present threat to favourites Clooney-Quin. Morris Ryan, Tadhg Lohan, Cian …

It might still be some time before action is seen at Pairc Micheal O’Hehir in Cratloe, or any other GAA ground for that matter, but that has not prevented the South East Clare club from looking to continue their progression. Over the last 15 or so years, the club has grown both on and off the pitch and now is established as one of the top contenders in both the Clare senior hurling and football championships each year. The first major stepping stone on that journey of the last few years was their Senior B hurling success in 2006, and just three years later the Canon Hamilton trophy was secured for the first time with victory over Clonlara. It returned to the parish in 2014 when Crusheen were vanquished, but their last two final appearances in 2018 (Ballyea) and 2019 (Sixmilebridge) ended in defeat. In the same year their hurling side were making history with a first senior title, the …

IN terms of experience in the provincial championship, Ballygunner have the advantage. They have competed in the competition on a number of occasions and won the crown back in 2001. They were beaten finalists in 2005 and 2009, losing out to Newtownshandrum from Cork on both occasions and they last competed in the competition in 2011. Cratloe’s only previous involvement in the Munster campaign was in 2009 when, ironically, they came up against Ballygunner in the opening round. That game was also played at Walsh Park, where the Waterford champions recorded a two-point win, 1-14 to 0-15. Balluygunner manager Fergal Hartley played at centre-back in that tie. Amonst the players who lined out for the Waterford champions that day, and who will be in the side on Sunday, are goalkeeper Stephen O’Keeffe, Philip and Pauric O’Mahoney, Wayne and JJ Hutchinson, Shane and Brian O’Sullivan and Shane Walsh. Cratloe’s survivors from that campaign include team captain Liam Markham, Michael Hawes, Óige …

THIS generation of Cratloe players just keep on giving to their club. Their latest delivery is the Jack Daly Cup and a first senior football championship title in the club’s 126-year history. They landed Jack with the minimum of fuss and without playing close to their optimum. This was underlined when the new champions played significantly better on Sunday in their provincial semi-final defeat of Ballinacourty. Even in winning, Cratloe were somewhat understated. They greeted an era defining championship win in the same manner another club might celebrate a league title. Of course, the fact that they had to play again the following day was unquestionably a factor in that. There was a nice symmetry to their success in that Óige Murphy captained Cratloe, 33 years after his father and Cratloe selector Martin, captained Kilmihil to their only senior championship in 1980. What will disappoint Doonbeg most is that they didn’t really go for it. They defended fairly well as …

FOUR members of Cratloe’s senior football championship winning squad are faced with an agonising dilemma – do they travel to Hong Kong with the All-Star hurling team next week or stay at home to play with their club in the Munster final. However, that scenario may yet change as the Cratloe club has lodged a request with Munster Council for a postponement of their final meeting with holders, Dr Croke’s from Killarney. A meeting of the council’s Competitions Control Committee on this Thursday evening will deliberate on the request. The final is scheduled for Sunday, December 1 at The Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Podge Collins, Conor Ryan, Conor McGrath and Brendan Bugler were named on the All-Stars hurling team and they are due to travel to Hong Kong on Wednesday next where an exhibition match against the 2012 All-Stars team is scheduled. They will return the following Wednesday, December 3, two days after the provincial club football final is due …

Cratloe  1-10 Ballinacourty (Waterford) 0-11 GETTING stronger as the game wore on, Cratloe defied the perceived wisdom that playing a Munster club semi-final, the day after their first Clare football championship win, would derail them. Instead they showed that they have the most admirable collection of lungs in Munster GAA. Rather than celebrate the clubs historic county final win on Saturday night, Cratloe spent the evening in the ice chamber, preparing for Sunday’s provincial semi-final in Cusack Park, which was watched by 873 paying customers. Come Sunday evening, they had plenty of time to party with a Munster club final appearance on December 1 also in the bag, against reigning Munster champions Dr Croke’s. Sadly for Cratloe and particularly for Conor McGrath, they will have to take on the Kerry champions without their inspirational corner forward. Quiet against Doonbeg in the county final, McGrath was magnificent against Ballinacourty. His daintily finished goal was the games pivotal score, while he also …