Tag Archives: gaa

Clare 2-11 Down 0-11 THE key to Clare’s six point defeat of Down in Cusack Park on Sunday, was David Tubridy’s injury time goal just before half-time. The Doonbeg man put away Clare’s second goal, seconds after he had pointed a clear goal scoring chance. Keelan Sexton scored Clare’s first goal in the second minute after Tubridy had cut in along the end line, easing beyond Down defenders Gerard McGovern and Niall Donnelly. [data-ps-embed-type=slideshow] > iframe {position: absolute;top: 0;left: 0;} http://photos.clarechampion.ie/js/psEmbed.js _psEmbed(“http://photos.clarechampion.ie”); Come half time Clare led 2-7 to 0-3 and while that 10 point lead was emphatic, they could have led by much more. Clare kicked eight wides in the first half, along with missing at least two clear goal opportunities. The game was played in bitterly cold conditions in Ennis in front of an attendance of 1,749. Clare’s opening 20 minutes was their most impressive spell with their tackling and tracking exceptional, even if their shooting did not …

Clare 1-8 Derry 0-11 A James Kielt point, kicked from 40 yards, five minutes into injury time, snatched a late equaliser for Derry in the opening game of the NFL division 2 in Celtic Park on Sunday. This was a game that Clare created sufficient chances to win and in fact they kicked 15 wides and missed at least two goal chances. However Clare goalkeeper Joe Hayes made two excellent saves while three Clare players were black carded in the second half. Clare had no substitute left to replace black carded Dean Ryan in the closing minutes. Derry led 0-6 to 0-5 at half-time. Clare kicked eight first half wides and spurned great goal scoring chances when Seán Collins and Jamie Malone failed to capitalise on excellent opportunities. Gary Brennan, playing his second game inside 19 hours, made several energetic runs from midfield and was involved in creating some of Clare’s first half points. Midfielder Ciaran Russell put over Clare’s …

THE Clare senior football team to play Limerick on Wednesday evening at St Patrick’s grounds at 7.30pm has been named. The team shows ten changes from that side that defeated Waterford on Sunday with Kilrush duo Darragh Bolton and Gearóid O’Brien making their first starts. If Clare beat Limerick they will advance to their second successive McGrath Cup final. The starting 15 is as follows: Clare: Joe Hayes; Darren Nagle, Kevin Harnett, Martin McMahon; Liam Markham, Gordon Kelly, Cian O’Dea; Gary Brennan and Cathal O’Connor; Shane Brennan, Shane McGrath, Darragh Bolton; Eoin Cleary, Keelan Sexton and Gearóid O’Brien.

Clare 1-10 Waterford 0-8 VERY slow to settle in the opening quarter, Clare eventually ground out a five point win in their opening McGrath Cup fixture in Meelick on Sunday afternoon. The match was played in perfect underfoot conditions on what was an overcast afternoon. If Clare beat Limerick on Wednesday evening in the Gaelic Grounds, in their second game in this group, they will qualify for their second successive final in this competition. Clare gave a debut to Ballyhaunis corner back Eoghan Collins, who is a nephew of manager Colm Collins while Kilmaley’s Mikey O’Neill also also started his first inter-county game. Others to play their first minutes of senior football included David Egan and Darragh Bolton while Liam Markham also featured for the first time in several seasons as did John Hayes. An Eoin Cleary goal, made by Jamie Malone and David Tubridy helped Clare into a 1-3 to 0-3 interval lead. That 19th minute goal was Clare’s …

IT has emerged that county secretary Pat Fitzgerald’s “contract with Croke Park expired on July 1”, according to board treasurer Bernard Keane. He was replying to a query from O’Callaghan’s Mills delegate Noel O’Driscoll. Mr Fitzgerald said, “It was put to the delegates at a board meeting two years ago if you wanted me to report here or to Croke Park and you opted that I report here. In 2015, I was asked to supervise the development at Cusack Park and I agreed. There is no longer a stipend from Dublin. I took a significant cut in my pay”. Earlier in the meeting, Tulla GAA Club’s Brian Torpey had disapproved of comments made by Mr Fitzgerald in his report. Referring to the decision of team manager Davy Fitzgerald to step down, the secretary had said, “The two goals leaked to Galway were horrendous defensive blunders and for those, the players have to ship the blame”. Mr Torpey commented, “No one …

Kilmurry Ibrickane 2-9 Doonbeg 1-8 THE mid Winter evening of December 9, 2016 will be fondly remembered in the history of Kilmurry Ibrickane GAA club. Last Friday in Kilmihil, Kilmurry added their sixth successive Cusack Cup to the senior championship and U/21 titles already won. That they did so was largely thanks to 1-2 from play, all in the second half, from centre back Martin McMahon. Interestingly, while McMahon was definitely the most influential player on view, he was challenged for player of the match by second half substitute Declan Callinan, who won several breaks, in the Kilmurry half back line. Kilmurry played their best football in the second half, having been out played for much of the opening half hour. Doonbeg led 1-3 to 0-4 at half-time but they were dealt a huge blow five minutes before the interval, when Colm Dillon was black carded for a late shoulder on Ciaran Morrissey. Dillon should have been yellow carded but …

CLARE senior football coach Mick Bohan has resigned from his position after just one year in the role. In a statement issued today by Clare GAA, “family reasons” are cited for his vacating the post. Bohan will be replaced by Alan Flynn who guided Galway to an U/21 All-Ireland in 2013. Next season will be the fourth successive year in which Clare have had a different coach. Paudie Kissane, Ephie Fitzgerald, Mick Bohan and now Alan Flynn have filled the role since Colm Collins was appointed to the managers job in 2014. In 2016 the Clare footballers were promoted to division 2 of the NFL and made the last eight of the All-Ireland championship. In the Clare GAA statement, it was confirmed that Mick Bohan “will continue in his role with the under-age development programme in Clare”.

Kilmurry Ibrickane 2-13 Cratloe 0-6 OUTSCORING Cratloe 2-7 to 0-2 in the second half, Kilmurry Ibrickane eased to their first senior championship title since 2012 and their 14th in total in Sunday’s Clare county football final replay in Cusack Park, Ennis. Martin McMahon’s goal, nine minutes into the second half, was the games decisive score, putting Kilmurry into a 1-7 to 0-4 lead. That was Kilmurry’s first county final goal since their 2004 replay win over Éire Óg. On Sunday, Kilmurry led 0-6 to 0-4 at half-time following a first half which featured both sides defending in numbers, when they didn’t have possession. The key contributor in that half was Kilmurry full forward Peter O’Dwyer who started this time, having been introduced as a late substitute in the drawn game. O’Dwyer kicked a good point and was directly involved in two more of Kilmurry’s first half points. Kilmurry largely rely on a possession based support game but O’Dwyer provided them …