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Galway 2-10 Clare 0-14   THIS was one of the stranger games that most of the small crowd will attend this year, with Clare eliminated after a match that was delayed for well over 10 minutes due to heavy rain and lightning. While Galway won after extra time there was controversy at the end of the initial 60 minutes as most felt that the referee had miscalculated and that the Tribeswomen had in fact outscored the Banner by a point. While there was disbelief in many quarters and anger among Galway officials at the situation, it would be only fair to point out that the players were going by the score that the referee was telling them and that Clare sought points in the closing minutes, at a time when they would surely have been looking for a goal if the gap had been a point wider. In the end the controversy mattered not a jot, but if Clare had come …

THE Clare footballers will play Kildare this weekend in round three of the All-Ireland qualifiers in Cusack Park this weekend. Following their 19 point win over Carlow in Dr Cullen Park on Sunday, Clare could have drawn Kildare, Armagh or Roscommon home or away. While it has yet to be confirmed it is likely that the game will be played in Saturday in Ennis. The time and day of the match will be confirmed this afternoon by Croke Park. Kildare scored a 1-19 to 0-11 point win over Down in Páirc Esler at the weekend. They scored 1-6 without reply in the closing ten minutes when defeating the 2010 All-Ireland finalists. Clare’s win over Carlow was their first All-Ireland qualifier win since 2006 while this weekends game will be their fifth championship outing of 2014. The winners will qualify for the last 12 and a likely meeting with the Leinster or Ulster final losers.  

Clare 4-26 Carlow 2-13 CLARE scored an emphatic 19 point win over Carlow in Dr Cullen Park on Sunday afternoon. Such was their fluency in attack, ten players contributed to their tally. [doptg id=”31″]Clare led by 12 points, 2-15 to 1-6 at half time following a superb opening 35 minutes. Rory Donnelly scored the opening Clare goal after picking up a break off Shane Brennan who scored his sides second goal just before half time after a Shane McGrath pass. Donnelly added two points while Enda Coughlan, McGrath and David Tubridy kicked three points apiece in that opening period. They were dealt an early setback when Shane Hickey had to retired with a gash to his forehead which required five stitches. He was replaced by Dean Ryan at corner back. Clare went on to dominate the second period with Podge Collins and Podge McMahon scoring their goals. While Carlow were poor Clare will be very concerned that they conceded 2-13. …

CLARE hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald and Clare Champion journalist, Peter O’Connell, have both given their version of events regarding an incident at Cusack Park on Saturday evening, following the Banner’s draw with Wexford. As a result of the incident, Fitzgerald was restrained by members of his backroom team, while O’Connell was ejected from the tunnel area by Clare County Board secretary, Pat Fitzgerald [Davy’s father] and backroom squad member and referee, Seanie McMahon. They have claimed they ejected O’Connell from the enclosed area of the stadium due to safety concerns. However, O’Connell has firmly denied that such a move was required or that he had behaved in an aggressive or abusive manner. The incident occurred in the enclosed area behind the dressing rooms and close to the mouth of the tunnel, about 45 minutes after the match had ended. Emotions were still running high after one of the most dramatic games of the championship to date when Fitzgerald directed a …

Leading sports photography agency Sportsfile, in association with the GAA, are giving you a chance to showcase your photography skills this summer. A Season of Sundays,now in its 18th year, is still a must have for all GAA fans. The iconic images capture all aspects of the GAA season, from the cold January games to the packed stadiums of sunny summer days. This year, Sportsfile want to add your pictures in the book. “Using the hashtag #mygaapic, we want you to show us your best shots. We want to see supporters young and old getting ready for the game, the build-up, the atmosphere, the emotions, the hats, the flags, the headbands and everything that captures big championship matches. Your picture, your choice,” said Ray McManus. Award winning photographers will select the best shots, and there are great prizes to be won. The overall winner will receive a Nikon D3100 SLR camera and five runners up will receive copies of A …

(Peter O’Connell) THE Clare senior football team to play Kerry in Sunday’s Munster semi-final in Cusack Park has been named. The only change to the starting 15 from last Saturday’s semi-final replay win over Waterford is the return of Podge Collins at the expense of Barry Hartnett. Collins will start at centre-forward with Enda Coughlan wearing the number 15 jersey. Shane Brennan will start alongside his brother Gary at midfield while Coolmeen’s Cathal O’Connor underwent a fitness test at training in Cusack Park on Friday night and it is expected that he will be part of the match day panel. Sunday’s semi-final throws in at 3.30pm. The Clare v Kerry junior football semi-final starts at 1.30pm at the same venue. The Clare senior team is as follows: Clare: Joe Hayes (Lissycasey); Dean Ryan (Éire Óg), Kevin Hartnett (Meelick), Martin McMahon (Kilmurry Ibrickane); Shane Hickey (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Gordon Kelly (Miltown), Ciaran Russell (Éire Óg); Gary Brennan (Clondegad – captain), Shane Brennan …

THERE is no shame in defeat. Nobody can question the sincerity of the Clare hurlers efforts in Thurles. That they didn’t hurl to their optimum level isn’t connected to an absence of desire to make it happen. That said Clare’s tactical approach and selection policy is open to scrutiny. For example Pat Kelly was an integral component of Clare’s All-Ireland winning year. Until last year Clare had struggled to find a goalkeeper who consistently held down the position and who had the full confidence and understanding of his defenders and midfielders. Kelly stepped up last year and literally put his body on the line when facing down Anthony Nash in the All-Ireland final. Why dispense with him when the goalkeeping issue seemed to have been resolved? Donal Tuohy is an excellent goalkeeper and has proven that at U/21 level. However it would be impossible for him to replicate the same understanding, in relation to puck out strategy for example, as …

WHEN Gordon Kelly barrels out from underneath the stand in Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon, he will be minutes away from taking on Kerry in the championship arena for the third time in his career. A regular with Clare since 2006, Kelly faced Kerry in 2008 in Fitzgerald Stadium and in the All-Ireland qualifiers in 2012. Clare were well beaten in both games although Kelly, who played corner back in 2008, held the currently sidelined Colm Cooper to just 1-0 in Clare’s 1-14 to 0-5 defeat under the management of Frank Doherty. Kerry’s visit to Ennis on Sunday will be their first championship tie in Clare since their 2-10 to 0-9 defeat of Clare on May 23, 2004. Enda Coughlan started at full forward that day and is the only player from that game who will start this weekend. Although beaten by seven points in that fixture ten years ago, Clare at least were competitive and that’s their priority this …