Tag Archives: eire og

He’s as proud as anyone could possibly be to lead Éire Óg out in Sunday’s county final but Aaron Fitzgerald is the first to admit that he wasn’t always captain material. Indeed, despite having the unique recent distinction of representing Clare at senior level in both hurling and football over the past five seasons, amazingly the Ennis native was a late convert to committing to gaelic games. “I was probably 20 or 21 before I really knuckled down to playing senior for Éire Óg and I must have been 26 or 27 when I finally went into the senior football set-up. Colm Collins had been asking me previously but my commitments levels weren’t there and it was only really when I got stuck into the GAA and my whole life revolved around it by then that I really felt ready to throw my hat into the inter-county ring. “I said to myself if I don’t give this a go, I’d …

It will be proud week for Kilmurry Ibrickane great Johnnie Daly as Kilmurry Ibrickane contest two county senior finals on the same day, writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh. It’s safe to say that where football and Kilmurry Ibrickane is concerned it’s always a case of ‘briseann an dúchas’ as the love of the game passes seamlessly from one generation to the next. Into that fits Johnnie Daly’s story, but he’d be the first to tell you that he’s not unique when it comes to the game. He’s the big game hunter of old for the ‘Bricks with more man-of-the-match gongs in his career that most can dream of, while his harvest of medals between championship, league and Munster competition is also hugely impressive. He played in ten county finals and won seven medals, while for added measure he also picked up a Limerick senior medal during his days in his college days in the University of Limerick. His father before him …

Junior A football semi-final Michael Cusacks 1-9 Éire Óg 0-8 Renowned Michael Cusack’s defender Kevin Fawle is not recognised as a goalscorer but should ultimate success come the way of the men from the Burren and Belharbour they will look back at Fawle’s 50th minute goal as one of the decisive moments of the year. Éire Óg will have left Corofin with deep regrets posting perhaps their least effective showing of the season that was well below their quarter-final showing against Cooraclare as Michael Cusack’s were very fortunate to get extra time before dispatching the challenge of St Breckan’s second string. Éire Óg opened the scoring with goalkeeper Cian Howard kicking over their first score from a free and he added a second free after eight minutes. Domhnall McMahon operating at full forward with others pulled out kicked over Michael Cusack’s first score just before Jack McGann and McMahon once more were on the scoresheet after 13 minutes to take the …

GLOWING tributes have been paid to a former Clare and Éire  hurler following one of the biggest funerals held in Ennis in recent years. Martin “Custy” Linnane (88) Considine Road, Cloughleigh, Ennis and formerly of Old Mill Street, Ennis, Co. Clare died unexpectedly at University Hospital, Limerick, recently. Hundreds of mourners queued from outside Kennedy’s Funeral Home up to Carmody Street, Ennis, on Tuesday, August 6. In fact, the deceased’s remains didn’t arrive at Ennis Cathedral until 10.15pm almost three hours after the appointed time of 7.30pm. Speaking at his Funeral Mass in Ennis Cathedral, Chief Celebrant Fr Tom Ryan said other “Townie” Funerals that were late to the Cathedral included the late Eugene McNamara, Noelie Ryan and Francie Mahon, who were all proud Éire Óg clubmen. After emigrating to work in England, Fr Ryan recalled Mr Linnane returned home in the late sixties and followed in the footsteps of his father, Mick, by playing for St John’s and Éire …

Éire Óg 3-20 Sixmilebridge 2-14 There’s always a certain level of respect between clubs but sometimes there’s also a level of contempt that is evident for all to see. On Sunday evening this Division 2 final was practically over by the end of the opening quarter. The townies who would have genuine Canon Hamilton ambitions were going through the motions and without much exertion had eased to an eight point lead. Fast forward to the final minutes and after battling throughout the Bridge’s second team who will compete in the Intermediate Championship to their credit only trailed by nine. Gerry O’Connor’s charges are in complete and utter control with several tap over point opportunities but rather than take them they continually try to engineer another green flag to inflict more pain on their opponents. I suppose a series of high profile clashes between the clubs in recent years will have that effect and they did eventually get their third major in …

While Killimer will be out to win a famous first Junior A title, the Éire Óg Townies are no strangers to the winner’s enclosure in this grade as they contest their seventh decider since the turn of the millennium and go for a fifth title in all, writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh Éire Óg have been here many times before and when Saturday comes will be hoping to claim what would be a landmark fifth Junior A title and move just one behind Coolmeen in the roll of honour in the grade. Of course, it’s the Townies’ second team as they bid to keep up their recent record and strike rate of winning a title every five years, with the most recent successes coming in 2013 and ’18 when they beat Cooraclare and Michael Cusacks respectively. However, for the players involved this is their team and the Townies’ record in this third tier of Clare club football has been impressive, especially …

For Killimer it’s a huge day and a huge opportunity as they bid to go where no team from the parish has gone before and claim a Junior A title — a success they have been striving for over a long number of years and different generations writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh There’s always an early start on Sundays back Knockerra and Killimer way — for some like Pat Culligan it’s the same every day as there are cows to milk, cattle to feed and there’s mass to go to, never mind picking up the Sunday papers for a glance. This Sunday gone though, there was something extra for the people of Killimer and Knockerra, especially the followers of the green and gold as they were out in force to ensure that as much of it as possible was visible and proudly flying around the parish. Sunday, October 22, was Mission Sunday, but the big mission for the likes of Pat …

Eoin Brennan previews this weekend’s senior and intermediate hurling championship semi-finals Ballyea v Cratloe at Cusack Park Ennis, Saturday 2.30pm It’s a fifth championship clash in as many seasons but while all the other three were borderline affairs including the seesaw 2018 decider, it was their latest showdown at the tail end of August that provides the biggest focus. It’s too easy to label Cratloe’s 13-point group decider victory as false because there was no reason in the world why Ballyea wouldn’t have thrown everything at their opponents just as they did in similar circumstances in 2018 and 2021. After all, with a month’s break until the quarter-finals, Robbie Hogan’s side would surely have wanted to finish the group stages on the ultimate high and maintain their two-year unbeaten championship record. Indeed, if anyone was going to ease off the gas a little, it should have been Cratloe who were in the midst of a more intensive dual schedule. However, …