Tag Archives: gaa

THE Clare footballers have named an unchanged team for Sunday’s Munster semi-final meeting with Kerry in Killarney. Despite speculation that Podge Collins and Shane McGrath might have played their way into the starting 15, both have been named on the bench. The Clare and Kerry teams were named a short time ago with the Kingdom giving championship debuts to two players in this weekends provincial semi-final. The Clare team is as follows: Joe Hayes (Lissycasey); Dean Ryan (Éire Óg), Kevin Harnett (Meelick), Martin McMahon (Kilmurry Ibrickane); Seán Collins (Cratloe), Gordon Kelly (St Joseph’s, Miltown), Cian O’Dea (Kilfenora); Gary Brennan (Clondegad-captain), Cathal O’Connor (Coolmeen); Eoin Cleary ((Miltown), Jamie Malone (Corofin), Pearse Lillis (Cooraclare); Keelan Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane), David Tubridy (Doonbeg), Pat Burke (Kilmacud Crokes). Two players will make their débuts for Kerry against Clare on Sunday. Wing backs Brian O’Beaglaoich and Tadhg Morley will play their first championship game for their county. Kerry manager Eamon Fitzmaurice has made five changes to …

A SHANNON couple have contacted Gearóid Ó Maoilmhichíl, the GAA national children’s officer in Croke Park, in relation to an incident involving their son at an underage game in Clare last August. In a tournament organised by the gardaí, Seán and Valerie O’Callaghan allege that their then 13-year-old son was hit by an adult, following an altercation between him and an opposing player. The altercation involving the two players led to their son receiving a red card, which the parents say they have no issue with. “Our son got a red card. As he was walking away, a man ran onto the pitch and punched my son in the back of the head and hit him in the eye. Kyle was on the ground. Gardaí and parents then went onto the pitch,” Mrs O’Callaghan explained. Their son later received medical treatment following the incident. The matter was referred by gardaí to the DPP, who confirmed about six weeks ago that …

A monument to Michael Cusack is to be erected in Ennis at the home of Clare GAA. Planning permission has been granted to the Clare County Board to install a statue over 2m high at the entrance to Cusack Park depicting Michael Cusack. Drawings submitted to the planning authority show that as well as depicting Michael Cusack himself, there are also plans to feature images relating to the GAA, such as a hurley, sliotar, football and GAA symbol on the statue. The total height of the planned monument will be 2.44m, including the plinth. No submissions were received by the planning authority in relation to the application. During the application process, the planning office raised concerns about the possibility of “ad hoc” development and the need for a design concept for the overall entrance area. According to the planner’s report, “There is no objection in principle to the provision of sculpture at various locations in the town. Indeed, such pieces …

Clare 2-17 Kildare 1-19 AN Eoin Cleary free, converted five minutes into injury time in a pulsating NFL division 3 league final in Croke Park on Saturday evening, guided Clare to a sensational defeat of Kildare. Corofin’s Jamie Malone was fouled for the crucial free and Cleary, who had been promised a trip to Liverpoool by selector David O’Brien if he delivered at GAA headquarters, stroked over the winning point from a tight angle, 23 yards out. With normal time almost up, Clare trailed 1-18 to 1-15 and it looked as if their chances of winning had evaporated. However a Martin McMahon diagonal ball, found Gary Brennan and the Clare captained placed Dean Ryan for a dramatic equalising goal. Not noted for his goal scoring, Ryan finished lethally from six inches. Two minutes later, substitute Shane McGrath hit the post with a point effort but another sub, Enda Coughlan, reacted quickest and fisted over the rebound. However Kildare responded with …

An unusual dance routine performed at a wedding in South Galway has gone viral, with over half a million views since a video of it was posted online. The footage, filmed by Noel Uniacke from Kilconieron, Craughwell, features the Gavin School of Dancing from Peterswell taking to the floor at the wedding of Sandra Lynskey and Trevor Blake in the Lady Gregory Hotel, Gort. Noel’s niece Sandra, from Skehanagh, married Salthill man Trevor, whose parents hail from Mayo, on December 30. The dance sees Galway take on Mayo in football, complete with referee, pre-match huddle, warm up, throw in, tackles and hand passes. A few days later, Noel posted the video of the dance to his Facebook page and it got in the region of 1,500 views. Recently, however, it got a new lease of life. “The wedding was on December 30. I posted on Facebook on January 4 and it went up to about 1,500 views. Then, last Saturday, …

Kildare 0-22 Clare 1-14 ALTHOUGH beaten in Newbridge on Sunday afternoon the Clare footballers will play division 2 league football in 2017 as their scoring difference ensured that they will join Kildare in the higher league. The same counties will also meet in the division 3 NFL final in Croke Park on Saturday April 23. Clare are likely to be without David Tubridy however. The Doonbeg man was shown a straight red red following an incident with Kildare wing back Ciaran Fitzpatrick as the game approached injury time. From this observers point of view Tubridy was very harshly red carded. Fourteen minutes from time, Clare led 1-14 to 0-15 and it looked as if they had every chance of at least drawing. However powered by their bench,with Eamon Callaghan particularly effective, the home county scored the last seven points with Clare not managing a score in that spell. So while Clare were delighted when word came through that Longford had …

Clare 1-20 Longford 1-9 AN outstanding display of point taking helped the Clare footballers to a comprehensive win over Longford in Ennis on Sunday afternoon. This eleven point win, played in front of a disappointingly small crowd of 1,226, has taken Clare to the verge of promotion to division 2 for the 2017 season. They play already promoted Kildare away on Sunday. Clare sit on eight points currently, two points behind Kildare and two ahead of Tipperary, Offaly and Sligo, all of whom are tied on six points. Clare might even win promotion if they lose to Kildare but a draw would guarantee it. Having started tentatively, Clare ended up leading narrowly, 1-7 to 0-6 at at half time. They played into the wind in the opening half and along with their opponents, Clare were slow to settle. Longford’s Michael Quinn goaled in the sixth minute for the opening score of the half, following a Barry McKeon pass after Clare …

Offaly 0-15 Clare 1-11 FOLLOWING an exceptionally poor first half display, Clare improved significantly in the second period but eventually lost out to a Michael Brazil point from play, which was kicked six minutes into injury time. The fact that the Offaly centre forward cut through the Clare defence without any Clare defender impeding his progress, underlined some of the deficiencies in this display. Lifted by their wins over Limerick and Westmeath, Clare showed few signs of their form in those games. While their performance was not good enough, if promotion is to be a realistic aim, they did show admirable resolve in the second half and Eoin Cleary’s 70th minute goal leveled the game. Five minutes into injury time the Miltown forward was certain he had kicked the winning point but it was waved wide and neither was a 45 awarded. He confirmed afterwards that if the ball was in fact wide, it was definitely a 45. A minute …