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Tag Archives: football

From Chapel Lane to Croke Park

A stalwart of Ennis and Clare football in the 1950s Michael Garry from Chapel Lane in Ennis passed away in Australia before Christmas in his 88th year. Joe Ó Muircheartaigh recalls a remarkable football story for club and county. Michael Garry left his native Ennis for Australia in the mid-1950s, but when it came to the GAA it’s safe to say that he never really left at all, because his heart was always in the games and the Banner. He showed this to be true in different ways down the years — it was through the letters he wrote to The Clare Champion about club and county games and it was in the pride he had having represented his club Ennis Faughs in county finals and his county in Munster and All-Ireland finals. Michael Garry’s time was in the early to mid-1950s when he was a key member of two great teams in the county — the Ennis Faughs team …

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Clare hoping to keep the Faith-ful

Allianz Football League Division 3 Round 3 Offaly v Clare at Glenisk O’Connor Park Tullamore, Sunday 2pm (James Molloy, Galway) There’s no need for Mark Fitzgerald or Seanie Buckley to script any motivational speech for this Sunday’s return to National League action in Tullamore. Nothing to do with their hosts Offaly, more an inevitable need to itch a scratch caused by the injustice of their last outing on away soil against Mullingar a fortnight ago. What initially seemed and has been since proven to have been a legitimate Cormac Murray match-winning goal was agonisingly ruled out for a perceived square ball by referee David Murnane, a bitter pill for Fitzgerald and his new-look Banner to have to stomach. Every cloud has a silver lining though and unquestionably Clare will be fired up to redress the balance and get themselves back into the promotion mix albeit still without three of their most experienced leaders as captain Cillian Brennan, midfielder Darragh Bohannon …

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New-look Clare begin in Fitz and starts

Weatherwise it was an opening night that lended itself to grit and determination more than anything else as Mark Fitzgerald’s competitive bow as Clare Senior Football Manager got off to a difficult start in Clarecastle on Wednesday evening. Holding a minimum advantage by the three-quarters mark, the home side would be blitzed by defending McGrath Cup champions Cork in a dominant final quarter that produced an unexpected 14 point turnaround to prevail by 2-14 to 0-8, with the Tralee native looking to take the positives from the bulk of the performance. “Look, it’s January football in tough weather but we’re relatively happy. It went away from us a little bit there in the second half but when you’re seeing what Cork are pulling off the bench, some very experienced lads really, it was always going to be tough to hold out,” he said. “We just picked up one or two injuries this week and obviously picked up another in the …

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Ballyea and Éire Óg on spree for three

BALLYEA (hurling) and Éire Óg’s (football) quest for a historic three in a row of senior titles were put into sharper focus on Wednesday evening when the draws for all eleven adult hurling and football championships were made at the June Meeting of Clare GAA in Hotel Woodstock, writes Eoin Brennan. With only two teams to emerge from each group in the senior hurling championship, the back-to-back champions face a difficult title defence when pitted against 2021 finalists Inagh-Kilnamona, Clare Cup holders Kilmaley, Intermediate winners St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield and 2020 equivalents Scariff. One of the most intriguing pools was Group 3 which comprises of four neighbours Cratloe, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Wolfe Tones and Clooney-Quin. In the race for Jack Daly, three teams will emerge from Group 1 that involves last year’s semi-finalists Corofin and Kilmurry Ibrickane, Cusack Cup champions St Breckan’s and 2020 intermediate winners St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield. It was also announced that TUS have come on board as sponsors of the …

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Clubs under starter’s orders for Cusack and Garry Cups

Cusack Cup Division 1 Football League Round 1 Kilmurry Ibrickane v Ennistymon at Páirc Naomh Mhuire Quilty, Friday 11.30am Based on the standard of last weekend’s hurling equivalents, it would be some feat to come even remotely close to their epic 140 minute senior championship semi-final showdown last October that went all the way through extra-time and penalty before sudden death finally inched Ennistymon through to a first county final in four years. Instead, it will probably be all about blowing off the cobwebs of the new season and trying to unearth more options for their flagship sides. Kilmurry Ibrickane Management: James Murrihy (Manager); James Mannion, Enda O’Halloran (Coaches); Gary Sexton (S&C): Diarmuid Whelan Ennistymon Management: Mark Shanahan (Manager); Ger Quinlan (Coach); John McInerney, Brendan Rouine (Selectors) Clondegad v Doonbeg at Ballynacally, Friday 4pm While Doonbeg gained confidence from last year’s Cusack Cup run to a semi-final, only these minimum separated the sides in the subsequent championship group stages, with …

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St Michael’s Kilmihil are top of the Hill in Munster

Munster Senior E Post-Primary Schools Football Final St Michael’s Kilmihil 1-8 Coláiste Mhuire Thurles 1-7 St Michael’s Kilmihil certainly provided value for money as they eventually edged a nervy finale by the bare minimum to finally garner a Munster Senior E title for the very first time in Cappamore on Tuesday afternoon. Having literally weathered the storm against the conditions and a black card by the break, the West Clare side turned the screw on the restart when raiding for 1-3 without reply culminating in a goal for substitute Julian Linnane by the turn of the final quarter at 1-7 to 0-5. They had further opportunities to close out the contest including a smothered goal chance for another replacement Dylan Downes. However, with the door still slightly ajar, to their credit Coláiste Mhuire Thurles somehow turned the tide as points from midfielders Audi Lohan and Sean McGrath slashed the deficit to just a goal before Seamus Kennedy’s effort for an …

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Back-to-back Sigerson final anguish for UL

Heartbreak for UL as they were made to suffer a second successive Sigerson Cup Final defeat, this time after extra-time to UCC by 1-16 to 0-16 in an inclement Carrignore, Waterford on Wednesday evening. The goal which opened the scoring in spectacular fashion through a Dylan Geaney flick in only the fourth minute, predominantly separated the sides as UL chased the Corm college in vain until midway through the third quarter. Powered by a seven-strong Clare contingent led by inspirational captain Emmet McMahon, the Limerick college produced a remarkable seven point turnaround in as many minutes by the turn of the final quarter to hit the front for the first time. Kilmihil’s Ciaran Downes began the seven point unanswered blitz in the 38th minute while Emmet McMahon kicked a superb brace of points from the left wing to nudge his side into the ascendency at 0-13 to 1-8. UCC refused to yield however, with points through chief marksmen Geaney and …

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