Tag Archives: Kerry

CLARE’S display against Limerick on May 29 ensured that external expectation will not be an issue in Killarney on Sunday. Supporters will travel in the hope that Clare play well and at least compete with Kerry but nobody will realistically expect a first championship win over their opponents in 24 years. Within the group of Clare players and management, they will presumably head across the estuary with more ambition and belief. Two years ago, Clare competed manfully with Kerry in Cusack Park in that year’s Munster semi-final. Clare were beaten 1-17 to 1-13 on a day when Kerry’s Paul Murphy scored a goal on his championship début at corner-back. That year, Clare played five championship games and were very close to making it to the last 12 of the All-Ireland qualifiers. However, since then, Clare have not reached that level on the championship field, although their second league promotion indicates that significant progress has been made. The thing now is …

WINNING a championship game should never be derided, yet a worrying trend is developing as far as the Clare footballers are concerned. Sunday’s three-point win over Limerick, who haven’t won a game for 14 months, was the fourth successive championship game in which Clare failed to play anywhere close to their optimum level. Last year, they beat Limerick by two points in Cusack Park, before losing to Cork (1-20 to 1-8) in Pairc Uí Rinn in the Munster semi-final. They exited the All-Ireland qualifiers in their next game, losing 2-12 to 1-12 at home to Longford on July 4. In contrast, they played some excellent championship football in 2014, albeit losing to eventual All-Ireland champions Kerry in Ennis and to Kildare in the All-Ireland qualifiers. However, Clare did play five championship games that year, including a draw against Waterford, before winning the replay in Dungarvan. Their second championship win that year was away to Carlow in Dr Cullen Park. Based …

Kerry 1-13  Clare 1-6 ALTHOUGH not lacking effort or desire, the Clare minor footballers were comfortably beaten by two-in-a-row All-Ireland champions Kerry in Wednesday’s Munster semi-final, which was played in perfect conditions in Miltown Malbay. An attendance of 808 people saw Clare give it a decent shot against their opponents from across the estuary but, ultimately, Kerry were too slick and found it easier to create and take scores across the hour. Kerry led 1-7 to 1-3 at half-time and, at one stage, the reigning Munster and All-Ireland champions were six points up. They led 1-5 to 0-1 after 16 minutes, largely thanks to a soft fourth-minute goal from corner-forward Brian Friel. The Rathmore clubman picked up a break from a David Clifford shot, which was spilled by Clare goalkeeper Mark Lillis. Ferdia O’Brien had already pointed from play for the Peter Keane-managed Kingdom and shortly after their goal, Clifford added a point from a free. It wasn’t looking great …

Clare 0-9 Limerick 1-5 Clare will play Kerry in the semi-final of the Munster minor football championship thanks to a hard earned one point win over neighbours Limerick at Miltown this evening in a game played before an official attendance of 676.  The winners led by two points at half time, 0-6 to 1-1 and would not have been flattered by a bigger lead at this time as they had dominated the opening half exchanges. It was a different story in the second half as Limerick had the better of matters and the visitors will point to missed chances as a reason for their loss. They kicked fifteen wides in total, twelve of which came in the second half. The game looked to be heading for extra time after Limerick substitute Conor O’Grady converted a free three minutes from time but Joseph McGann landed the winner for the home side two minutes later. McGann was one of the Clare stars …

Clare 2-28 Kerry 1-9 After an absence from the game of almost ten months, Podge Collins returned to action on Sunday when he played the last half hour of Clare’s easy win over Kerry in round 4 of the  Allianz hurling league, division 1B. A strong third quarter in which they scored 1-8 without reply saw Clare maintain their 100% record this year. there was never a doubt about the result as the Bannermen dominated from the off and the way is now clear for next Sunday’s final group game against neighbours and arch rivals Limerick, the outcome of which will determine which team will be promoted to divison 1 A for next season Clare took the lead after just fifteen seconds when David Reidy pointed and went on to lead by eight points with just fifteen minutes played. The second quarter was an even enough affair with the winners outscoring their opponents by just a point in this period …

With joint team captains Tony Kelly and Cian Dillon out due to injury, Eire Og’s Shane O’Donnell will captain Clare when they face Kerry in round 4 of the Allianz hurling league on Sunday. There are four changes in personnell from the side which defeated Laois last week. Donal Tuohy, Oisin O’Brien, Colm Galvin and Conor McGrath all start in place of Andrew Fahy Cian Dillon, Colin Ryan and Gearoid O’Connell. The game will mark a first senior competitive start for Clonlara’s Oisin O’Brien who was added to the panel recently. Goalkeeper Donal Tuohy will play his first game in this season’s league campaign. In the absence of full back Cian Dillon, Tubber’s Pat O’Connor is handed the full back role The team is Donal Tuohy (Crusheen); Oisín O’Brien (Clonlara), Pat O’Connor (Tubber), Paul Flanagan (Ballyea); Brendan Bugler (Whitegate), David McInerney (Tulla), Conor Cleary (Miltown St.Josephs); David Reidy (Éire Óg), Conor Ryan (Cratloe); John Conlon (Clonlara), Bobby Duggan (Clarecastle), Aaron …

Clare hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald has named his starting 15 to face Kerry in round 3 of the Munster senior hurling league at O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge, this Wednesday evening (7.30pm) It shows six changes in personnel from the team which started against Cork in round one Into the starting team comes Andrew Fahy, Pat Donnellan, Cian Dillon (team captain), Colin Ryan, Conor O’Donnell and Gearoid O’Connell and they replace Donal Tuohy, Jack Browne, Colm Galvin, Shane Golden, David Fitzgerald and Tony Kelly. John Conlon is named at centre forward this week, while  Cian Dillon will be at centre back, flanked by Donnellan and Jack Browne. There is a new midfield pairing of Gearoid O’Connell and David Reidy. In their two games to date, Kerry have gone under to Limerick and Cork. They scored 0-18 in each tie. The Clare team is Andrew Fahy (Whitegate); Eoin O’Brien (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Pat O’Connor (Tubber), Paul Flanagan (Ballyea); Paddy Donnellan (O’Callaghan’s Mills), Cian Dillon (Crusheen) Captain, …

Clare 0-12 Kerry 0-9 CLARE qualified for the McGrath Cup final, which will be played on Friday January 22, following a three point win over Kerry in Killarney on Sunday afternoon. They last played in the final of this tournament in 2011 when they were beaten 0-13 to 1-7 by Kerry. Playing in front of a crowd of 805 people, Clare faced a weak Kerry team. The All-Ireland finalists returned from holiday on Saturday and none featured on Sunday while Kerry clubs were involved in All-Ireland club competition on Sunday. League and regional championship club games were also played in Kerry over the weekend, which further restricted their options. Clare had more first choice players on the field but again featured a number of younger players including Pearse Lillis, Kieran Malone, Cian O’Dea, Keelan Sexton and Damien Burke. The final will be played ten days before Clare’s opening division 3 fixture at home to Sligo and will provide them with …