Tag Archives: cusack park

UPGRADING works at Cusack Park in Ennis will begin on June 15, Clare GAA secretary Pat Fitzgerald has confirmed “The contractor wants the site handed over in total. It’s an eight-month contract and the work must be completed by the end of the eight months,” Fitzgerald explained at a meeting of the GAA county board. “There are other issues with the Cloister side. We went for planning and there are fairly significant costs involved with preparation, much more than €20,000, €30,000 or €40,000. More information was sought and the cost of preparing that won’t be far off €20,000,” he continued. “Decisions have to be made,” the secretary went on adding, “We would have anticipated that we may be able to use the venue. If we don’t hand it over, the eight months may be much more, maybe 10, 11 or 12 months. The contractor has to be told”. Responding to a query from Clonlara chairman, Flan Mullane, as to where …

LEST any Clare supporter be unaware of the task facing the county footballers in Ennis on Saturday evening, consider that the last time the counties met in the Munster championship, Limerick won by four points, 1-13 to 1-9. That was in 2009 and while Clare did beat Limerick in the Munster semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds three years ago, Clare hadn’t beaten their neighbours since June 3, 1984 prior to 2009. This weekend’s game will be the 38th Munster championship meeting between the counties, with Clare winning 22 of those fixtures. Incredibly, Limerick won just a single championship game between the counties from 1909 to 1980, when they met 19 times. Five of their 37 Munster meetings have finished level. In the here and now, the current teams met on the last Sunday of March in round six of the NFL. Limerick had to win to have a chance of retaining their Division 3 status and they did just that. …

WHEN accepting the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 1995, after Clare had ended an 81-year wait for the All-Ireland senior title, Anthony Daly proclaimed that Clare people loved their traditional music, as well as their hurling. That passion will be clear for all to see this weekend, as the county supports its hurling and football teams and also find the time to attend the many events in the Fleadh Nua in Ennis. As the respective management teams finalise their plans for the Munster quarter-finals, there are injury concerns in both camps and a number of players face late fitness tests before a final decision is made. With Brendan Bugler (suspended), Colm Galvin (in the US) and Conor McGrath (injured) already ruled out, hurling followers are keeping their fingers crossed that Conor Ryan and Cian Dillon will be fit. Dillon has been out of action for the past number of weeks but did play for a period in a practice game at …

Young hurlers and footballers from across Munster will get an early taste of their own “field of dreams’ as they line out in this year’s Munster GAA Primary Games. This weekend, the Shannon Airport sponsored initiative will see pupils of Clare and Limerick schools go head to head in both football and hurling at half time in championship games.The format in both codes is 11-a-side. The young footballers will be first into the fray at Cusack Park in Ennis on Saturday evening, as Clare play hosts to Limerick, in a home and away arrangement. On Sunday, Semple Stadium in Thurles will be the venue for the eagerly awaited Clare v Limerick Munster Hurling Championship first round game. Again at half-time, pupils from the respective counties will entertain what is expected to be a large crowd. The county jerseys that will be worn in the half-time in the Primary Games were unveiled as two key figures in Sundays hurling championship, John Conlon …

UNLESS Clare beat Armagh in Ennis on Sunday, their hopes of having a crack at promotion will splinter beyond rescue. Conversely, a Clare win would be a massive morale boost, backed up by the points that would leave them in a great position, with games away to Limerick and at home to Fermanagh to come. Armagh are top of Division 3, with three wins and a draw. The latter result was at home to Fermanagh last Saturday night, when Kieran McGeeney’s team allowed an eight-point second-half lead to evaporate. Following Clare’s six-point loss to Tipperary, management will have a few decisions to make regarding who to start. Only about six of the starting 15 played anywhere near the required level. Those who did included Cathal O’Connor, Shane McGrath, Martin McMahon, Podge Collins, Ciaran Russell and Dean Ryan. That leaves huge scope for improvement, which will be the minimum demand on Sunday. Management will have to decide whether to give the …

AFTER a great start to the league with impressive wins over Tipperary and Kilkenny, the Dublin senior hurlers were brought crashing back down to earth on Saturday night, when they suffered a drubbing at the hands of Cork at Croke Park. An 11-point loss should see the Ger Cunningham-managed side come to Ennis on Saturday for their meeting with Clare determined to get back to winning ways and secure a place in the play-offs. Another defeat could see the Ger Cunningham-managed Dubs with relegation worries on their minds going into the final game of the group stage. Davy Fitzgerald and his team will be hoping that the improvement shown in their game against Tipperary will continue and lead to a Clare win this weekend. Clare will have to win their remaining two games and hope that other results go in their favour if they are to have a chance of avoiding the dreaded relegation play-off. It’s unlikely that all of …

CLARE won’t name the starting line-up for Sunday’s crucial hurling league clash with Tipperary until nearer match time but it’s expected that Tony Kelly, David McInerney and Conor McGrath will all make their first competitive starts of the season. The inclusion of all three will strengthen Clare’s chances of getting their first win of the campaign. It’s also likely that experienced Brendan Bugler and Pat Donnellan will revert to defensive duties for this one, after spells at midfield and wing-forward respectively. Indeed, there is speculation that Clare might revert to using a sweeper, with Donnellan filling the role that he did with great success during the 2013 championship campaign. Ahead of this week’s eagerly-awaited tie, there is a doubt about the fitness of Colin Ryan. The Newmarket man picked up a leg injury in the Cork match and didn’t train last week. A final decision on his fitness will be made nearer match time. McInerney is likely to be named …

The key points of the Draft Ennis and Environs Local Area Plan 2015-2021 are: Housing The draft plan zones 110 hectares of land for residential purposes, providing sufficient space for 2,600 housing units and giving the town the potential to reach its 2021 national population target of 32,000, up from 25,000 (2011 Census). The draft plan puts a strong emphasis on increasing the number of people living in the town centre of Ennis. Economic Development and Enterprise The draft plan confirms the importance of key employment locations, such as the Gort Road Industrial Estate and Roche in Clarecastle. It also zones land for expansion at Information Age Park, Ennis, in addition to lands for enterprise and light industry on the Kildysart Road. Enterprise zoning from the current town plan is retained at Beechpark, with potential to accommodate a campus-style, low-carbon enterprise park. A site for light industry at the Tulla Road interchange on the M18 and a 33-hectare site zoned …