Tag Archives: Croke Park

Clare Senior Hurling Manager Brian Lohan is relishing a return to Croke Park for only the second time since 2013. He spoke with Ivan Smyth about lessons learned from last year’s trip to GAA HQ. The similarities are obvious. Akin to 2022, Clare face in to an All Ireland semi final against Kilkenny after bouncing back from a Munster final defeat to Limerick. Facing off against the third placed team in Leinster in an All-Ireland quarter-final adds to the sense of déjà vu so far in this year’s journey to GAA HQ. The semi final showdown last year was only Clare’s second appearance in Croke Park since the 2013 All-Ireland final. There is a greater sense of cautious optimism among the Clare hurling fraternity with manager Brian Lohan expressing his view that the squad have gained valuable insights from last year’s journey. “I think we are in a different place to last year. We invested a lot of energy in …

All-Ireland Football Qualifier Round 3 Clare 2-15 Roscommon 1-16 HISTORY repeats itself. Roscommon once more the vanquished. Those who bemoaned travelling to Croke Park were not those who were present to see history being witnessed as one of the greatest successes in Clare football was secured and a place in the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals in two weeks’ time, writes Michael O’Connor. Memories of a glorious Saturday in Pearse Stadium and an emphatic six-point win all of six years ago were rekindled as Clare once more took on Roscommon in a qualifier with a place in the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals at stake. Six starters from the Salthill encounter started this latest instalment at GAA headquarters. The opening score went to Cathal O’Connor after a five man move ended with the Coolmeen man pointing. Roscommon rallied with Eddie Nolan going close with a goal chance before Cathal O’Connor with Clare’s second effort was off target after being set up by Podge Collins as Clare …

Clare 1-30 Galway 1-30 (AET) CLARE will meet Galway again, next Sunday in Thurles at 2pm, for a place in the All-Ireland final on August 19, following an extraordinary and epic semi-final in Croke Park this evening. Substitute Jason McCarthy rescued Clare with an injury time equaliser, at the end of extra-time, in what was a classic encounter. The teams were tied 1-23 to Clare’s 0-26 at the end of normal time. Peter Duggan, who scored 0-14 in total, equalised for Clare as the game entered injury, after 70 minutes. Substitute, Aron Shanagher goaled for Clare at the start of extra-time and from there to the end it continued to evolve into an increasingly epic contest. It was his first game game following a lengthy lay off, after an operation on his cruciate. Galway made a superb started and raced into a 1-7 to 0-1 lead after just 16 minutes. Clare could not win a break and struggled badly on …

ALL conquering last year and having turned in some dominant displays this summer, Ger Loughnane still feels Galway may not be the irresistible force some feel they are. He believes if Clare take them on from the first whistle, they may find some flakiness in the Galway ranks. “What I do hope is that Clare go in and ask the questions from the very beginning and just play with total abandon. Not wildness now, with structure; but absolutely have a right cut at them from the start. I think that fellas that collapsed before can collapse again, that’s always my belief. Fourteen of that Galway team, that played the last day, played in the 2016 Leinster final, which was the most abject surrender I’ve seen in the last 10 years in a championship game.” The Feakle man adds, “They’ve won an All-Ireland since, maybe they’ve turned into a brilliant team since, they look to have, but Clare have to test …

THE surprise announcement on Monday last by the chief executive of Munster GAA, Simon Moroney, that he will step down from the post in May, has fuelled speculation that he will be the association’s next director general. Paraic Duffy, the GAA’s ard stiúrthóir is to leave his position at the end of March and, this week, the closing date for applications for the post was extended by two weeks. Ennis man Moroney was first appointed to the position of Munster Council secretary in 2004, when he replaced Donie Nealon. He resigned from the post in 2008 but he returned to the position in 2013, when he agreed to take on the role for nine months initially. “This became one year and after that year, I agreed with the then management committee to do up to five years, one year at a time. I have really enjoyed the last five years and when I finish up on May 6, I will have served just …

September is synonymous with GAA and Croke Park, and the All-Ireland final weekends. Today Friday), Michael Lyster took a break from commentating on the finals to discuss World Heart Day on Friday, September 29. The RTE Sunday Game presenter wants all of Ireland to unite and Stand Up to Heart Failure. Heart Failure is a debilitating, life-threatening condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood around the body because the muscle of the heart become too weak or too stiff to work properly2. However, with access to timely diagnosis, appropriate medical management and follow-up services, a patient’s prognosis can be significantly improved. It is estimated that 90,000 people live with the condition in Ireland1. Due to Ireland’s ageing population, heart failure is set to increase dramatically, leading to an increase in hospitalisations from heart failure of more than 50% over the next 25 years3. Campaign ambassador Michael Lyster opened up about his own experience with heart failure at the …

Cuala 2-19 Ballyea 1-10 A magnificent season for Ballyea ended in disappointment at Croke Park this afternoon when they were outplayed by their Dublin counterparts,Cuala in the All-Ireland senior club hurling final. The Claremen can have few arguments with the outcome as Cuala dominated in all the key areas and were full value for their victory in a tie in which Ballyea’s key players failed to dominate as they had done in previous rounds. Credit must go to the new All-Ireland champions for the manner in which they nullified Ballyea’s star man Tony Kelly in particular and also in the way they didn’t allow Niall Deasy to have as big a influence as Ballyea fans had hoped for At the end of a low scoring first quarter the winners led by the odd point in three but then a slip up by the Clare side’s defence led to the opening for Colm Cr0nin to strike for the game’s first goal …

Croke Park is usually the preserve of  hurling, football, camogie and ladies football county teams.  However, that all changes for St Patrick’s Day, when local hurling and football teams enjoy their moment under the spotlight for the All-Ireland Club finals. This Friday, Ballyea, lining out in black and amber, will face Cuala from Dublin, in red and white, in the final of this year’s series. For those who will never don their county colours at Croke Park, pulling on the club jersey there is every bit as good. It will be a dream fulfilled for any group of lads who have been a unit from under-age right up to senior. To mark Ballyea’s march to Croke Park, this week’s Clare Champion includes a special supplement  – Dreaming of Glory – with features, interviews and commentary.