Tag Archives: laois

Clare 5-32 Laois 0-12 While anything other than a comfortable Clare win in this first round hurling championship qualifier would have been a big surprise, few would have predicted that their winning margin over Laois would have been so great. The fact that thirty five points separated the teams is sure to lead to more debate as to what teams should be allowed into this competition. For the official attendance of 5,518, there was little to cheer about as the result was clear from a very early stage. Clare’s determination to get back to winning ways after their Munster championship exit was evident from the outset and once they took control, they dominated throughout the field. Indeed it’s fair to say that their winning margin could have been greater such was their dominance on an evening when Laois goalie Enda Rowland denied Clare at least three further goals There was little between the sides in the opening quarter at the …

The Clare team to face Laois in the opening round of the senior hurling qualifiers shows four changes in personell from that which started against Waterford in the Munster semi-final four weeks ago. Into the starting line up come Andrew Fahy, Jack Browne, David McInerney and Aron Shanagher and they will replace Patrick Kelly (injured), David Fitzgerald, Darach Honan and Conor McGrath(injured). The inclusion of David McInerney is a huge boost as it wasn’t expected. The Tulla man has been out of action due to a back injury for the past three months and wasn’t expected to return at this time. He has been named as midfield partner to David Reidy and all involved will be keeping their fingers crossed that he will come through the game without suffering a recurrence of the injury which has kept him out of action for so long. The team named for duty is Andrew Fahy (Whitegate); Oisín O’Brien (Clonlara), Pat O’Connor (Tubber), Cian …

Clare 1-21 Laois 0-16 Clare made it three wins from three outings in this season’s Allianz hurling league when defeating Laois at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise this evening. While the visitors led from the outset, they struggled to pull away from the home side who will wonder if they might have caused an upset had they not been so wasteful when they enjoyed a good spell midway through the second half. Clare started brightly and raced into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead after just three minutes but a brace from Willie Hyland brought the midlanders to within a point. By the mid point of the half it was 0-7 to 0-3 in favour of the visitors who went on to lead 0-13 to 0-8 as the game went into ‘injury time’ at the end of the opening half. Two minutes of ‘injury time’ were signalled and in the second of these a delivery from Bobby Duggan caused problems for the …

AFTER a one-week break, Clare will return to hurling league action this Saturday evening when they travel to play Laois in Round 3 at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise at 7pm. As has been the case with their opening two games, Clare will carry the favourites’ tag but team mentors have stressed that they will be taking nothing for granted. Laois haven’t had a good start to this season’s campaign, losing their opening-round game to Kerry and then going down to Offaly last time out. At this stage of the campaign, relegation to Division 2 is a serious concern, so they will be expected to up their game. While Clare have won all recent outings against the Laois men, they haven’t had things their own way and, in fact, have had to pull out all the stops to get victory. In the league quarter-final in 2014, only four points separated the sides at the final whistle, with Clare ahead on a …

There are four changes in personnell on the Clare senior hurling team for this Saturday’s league clash with Laois at Portlaoise from that which started against Wexford last time out. Into the side come Andrew Fahy, Brendan Bugler, Aaron Cunningham and Bobby Duggan and they replace Patrick Kelly, Jack Browne, Aron Shanagher and Conor McGrath. Jack Browne is ruled out due to injury. Brendan Bugler will be making his first start since last summer. He has recently returned to action following surgery on his shoulder. The team is; Andrew Fahy (Whitegate): Pat O’Connor (Tubber), Cian Dillon (Crusheen) Captain, Paul Flanagan: Brendan Bugler (Whitegate) David McInerney (Tulla), Conor Cleary (Miltown St. Josephs): David Reidy (Eire Og), Conor Ryan (Cratloe): John Conlon (Clonlara), Colin Ryan (Newmarket) Gearoid O’Connell (Ballyea); Aaron Cunningham (Wolfe Tones), Shane O’Donnell (Eire Og), Bobby Duggan (Clarecastle). By Seamus Hayes

By Seamus Hayes Clare 2-23 Laois 2-19 Clare will play Tipperary in the Allianz hurling league semi-final on April 20 but only after they managed to overcome a determined Laois in a quarter final tie at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise. Those who made the journey to the well appointed midland venue expecting a comfortable victory for the All-Ireland champions, endured many anxious moments before the favourites came through with four points to spare. A combination of improved play from the midlanders and below par performances from a number of Clare players resulted in a much closer contest from the last time the teams met when Clare were easy winners in a championship qualifier last July. On the evidence of this display, Laois have made great strides in that nine month period and their supporters, who clapped their side as they made their way to the dressing room after the game, must be wondering if they could have caused a shock …

Ollie Byrnes THIS year marks the centenary of Clare’s first All-Ireland hurling championship win.  As we continue to enjoy being current holders of the Liam MacCarthy Cup, it is only fitting that we look back 100 years to honour and remember the men who won the senior and junior hurling championship double in 1914. It was a very different world then.   In European terms, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand lit the fuse that plunged the continent into the Great War in August 1914.  Women didn’t have the vote and Emily Parkhurst, pioneer of women’s emancipation, was jailed for protesting outside Buckingham Palace, and not for the first time.  In Ireland, we still lived under British Rule.  Independence was on many people’s minds and life was a struggle. In hurling terms, life and work impacted on training and opportunity.  These days, the All-Ireland championship is a sophisticated journey involving coaches, motivators, nutritionists and media appearances.  In 1914, it was a …

SsangYong are making a comeback in Ireland. They have already launched the Korando, earlier this year and that model has now been joined by the Rodius, which is being launched at the National Ploughing Championships this week in Co Laois. The Rodius is a full seven seater and this time around, it’s powered by Ssangyong’s own diesel engine, a 2.0 litre unit producing 155 bhp. At this stage, let’s deal with the elephant in the room. The old Rodius – in fact all Ssangyong’s – were hideously ugly. They looked ungainly from all angles and faces that not even a mother could love. Happily, the first time I saw a Korando, I didn’t know what it was until I got closer and I thought it was a very good looking design. The same can be said for the Rodius, which has a distinctly upright, almost American inspired look. It’s going to be one of the largest MPVs on the Irish …