Tag Archives: gaa

ENNISTYMON’S Laurence Healy has opted to end his nine year inter-county football career. The 33 year old school teacher was not a regular starter in 2014 and has decided to call a halt as Clare near the start of their 2015 division 3 NFL campaign. “I loved the training part and playing with the best players in the county. Getting to mark some of the best players in Ireland was also something I enjoyed. Last year I was on the panel but I was a sub. When you’re used to starting it’s hard to face into being a panellist. Steven Gerrard had the same issue at Liverpool,” Healy joked. “I’m not good at being a sub anyway. I know that from last year. I suppose you’re selfish in that way in that you just want to be playing. It was great that the team went well but it’s just not the same when you’re not playing,” he conceded. Healy said that …

CLARE County Board chairman Michael McDonagh has supported 1993 Derry All-Ireland winner Joe Brolly’s suggestion that the inter-county league and championship system should be completely overhauled. In fact the Miltown Malbay clubman has told The Clare Champion that the national hurling and football leagues should start in January, while the All-Ireland finals should be completed by August 1. “I think the clubs have been let down by an expanded inter-county scene and I think it’s now time to start a national debate on it. My own opinion is that the inter-county leagues should start in January and finish by March. We should be able to run out county leagues in tandem with that,” McDonagh said. “Inter-county championships should start in April and finish by mid July. This would enable our club championships to start in August and finish by the end of September. I don’t think there should be any such thing as the McGrath Cup or the O’Bryne Cup. …

THE Friends of Clooney/Quin GAA Club prepare are reminding locals of their sponsored climb of Clare’s highest mountain, Moylussa, in Killaloe on December 28. The climb has been organised to raise funds for the Oncology Department of University Hospital, Galway and is being held in solidarity with one of their own who is battling cancer currently, as well as to all the others in the club and parish who have been affected by the disease. The club is reminding those interested in participating that it is a climb that will be no trouble to anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. Participants are asked to gather at 12 noon on December 28 and are advised to wear good hiking boots and to bring a walking stick. Following the event there will be a social gathering at The Village Inn in Quin. Further information is available from Haulie Hannon on 086-3456233 or  Pat Ryan on 087-2906766. By Carol Byrne

JIMMY Sexton is the oldest surviving Kilmurry Ibrickane footballer. Almost 86, Jimmy made his adult debut for Mullagh in 1943 and while the his local club were not senior for the duration of his career, he has been part of several senior championship successes in his role as a selector. “When I was 11 years old I went on as a sub with the juniors. They were short a player,” he recounted in Quilty last Saturday. “We had a poor team. We won junior and intermediate with Mullagh in the 50s but we couldn’t produce a senior team. I never played senior here but I played senior with Clohanes believe it or not. We were beaten in the Cusack Cup final. Three of us from Mullagh played with Clohanes and two from Quilty played with Miltown. It was around 1954,” he recalled. Jimmy played minor and senior football for Clare before a knee injury finished him. His subsequent contribution to …

IT’S a sobering reality that there are few GAA clubs that have not been touched, in some way, by suicide. With this scourge in mind, the GAA and the Samaritans have launched a partnership, which aims to reduce the stigma around the issue of mental health and to encourage help-seeking behaviour. In its next phase, clubs are being encouraged to get in touch with Clare Samaritans liaison volunteers, who can arrange awareness talks for their members. The Samaritans exists to offer confidential, emotional support to people who are experiencing feelings of distress and despair, including feelings that may lead to suicide. This is done, primarily, by providing those who are having trouble with a safe place to talk. To achieve this, the charity operates a helpline, which is available 24/7, at a free-to-caller number 116 123. They may be contacted by email at jo@samaritans.org, or people can also call to the centre on the Kilrush Road in Ennis, between the …

Most GAA clubs feature families who have been involved as players or administrators for generations. Cratloe have some of that type of influence but most of their active GAA families are not originally from the parish. Cratloe native and former Kilmallock senior hurling manager, Tony Considine feels this is in fact a huge advantage to Cratloe and adds freshness to the club. Generational baggage handed down is not a factor. “Management-wise everyone they have is inside but remember they’re not from Cratloe. Maybe if there was an insider, they mightn’t be as successful. Somebody didn’t buy the right pig from a fella or stole his hen,” Considine suggested. “In a club where someone local is involved, everyone knows you and, more importantly, they know everyone belonging to you. Your great uncle might have hit a slap at some fella in a pub or told him he was useless years ago. That’s the same everywhere. “I think this is why Cratloe …

CATHAL McInerney has opted to play inter-county football for Clare in 2015. The Cratloe dual player, who was man of the match in Clare’s 2012 All-Ireland U/21 final win over Kilkenny, started one senior hurling championship game for Clare in 2014 when he lined out against Wexford in Cusack Park. He was introduced as a second half substitute against Cork in the Munster championship in Thurles and as a brief blood substitute for John Conlon in Clare’s All-Ireland qualifier replay defeat in Wexford Park. He joins his Cratloe club mates Podge and Seán Collins in opting to play inter-county football next year. Clare will open their division 3 NFL campaign at home to Wexford on February 1. McInerney’s decision comes in a week when Clare senior hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald confirmed that coach Paul Kinnerk, strength and conditioning coach Joe O’Connor and selector Mike Deegan have stepped down from their respective roles. Kelvin Harold will fill the strength and conditioning …

GAA PRESIDENT Liam O’Neill has said young boys need to be treated sensitively, when playing hurling or football, to help ensure that their emotional growth is not stunted as they get older. He was speaking at aweek-long Gaelic Games Made Easy course in Barefield National School for primary school teachers, organised by Peadar McMahon and Joe Garry. “I was talking to the teachers in terms of attempts now being made to help young adults to express their feelings and to avoid people thinking that they’re alone if they have any difficulty. We’re working very closely with the Samaritans, with Pieta House and with any group of who would help in a situation where people find themselves in difficulty,” Mr O’Neill outlined to The Clare Champion after he had addressed the group of more than 30 teachers. “Young boys aren’t taught the language of emotion early enough. When I was a child if you got a belt you were told ‘big …