Tag Archives: league

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 …

By Seamus Hayes There are seven changes in personnel to the Clare senior hurling team for the Allianz league quarter final clash with Laois at Portlaoise on Sunday from the side which started against Galway in Cusack Park last Sunday. Omitted are Domhnaill O’Donovan, Jack Browne, Paul Flanagan, Colm Galvin, Shane Golden, Cathal McInerney and David Reidy and they are replaced by Conor Cooney, David McInerney, Pat Donnellan, Colin Ryan, John Conlon, Bobby Duggan and Conor McGrath. McInerney, Donnellan, Ryan, Conlon and McGrath were all introduced during the second half last week and played a big part in helping Clare to earn a draw in that game. Of the seven left out this week, Shane Golden is under suspension having been sent off last week while Colm Galvin is injured and missed his club’s under 21 A championship semi-final on Friday evening when they lost to Sixmilebridge at Clarecastle. The team that will line out against Laois is Patrick Kelly (Inagh-Kilnamona); …

By Seamus Hayes CLARE football deserves to be playing in a higher grade than division 4. They have shown this through county champions Cratloe, and their predecessors, Kilmurry-Ibrickane and Doonbeg. Just a few months ago we saw what Cratloe can do when they played Dr Crokes. The standard of football in Clare is knocked at times but if everyone gave 100%, Clare football is well capable of competing in a higher division. That’s the view of former Clare and Munster player, Martin Daly who was speaking this week ahead of Sunday’s clash with Carlow in the second last round of the 2014 league race. The Lissycasey man came into the Clare senior panel as an 18-year-old in 1992 and was part of the team that famously beat Kerry to win the Munster senior title that summer. He went on to play for the county for over a decade, eventually succumbing to a back injury. Recalling his inter county playing days …

ENNIS Chamber has welcomed the added economic boost which came to the town with the hosting of Clare’s opening National Hurling League game against Kilkenny. “The success of the All-Ireland winning senior hurlers in winning their first Allianz hurling league match was made a little sweeter for the local economy by the thousands of people who came to Ennis to see the game yesterday.  The welcome reprieve in the recent stormy weather conditions also meant that spectators were able to travel in comfort.  Given the calibre  of teams in Division 1 of the league and as kingpins in hurling, Kilkenny attracted many of their supporters to follow their team to the West of Ireland,” commented Chamber CEO, Rita McInerney. “Ennis Chamber welcomes the playing of such league games in the County Grounds of Cusack Park.  It brought a real buzz to the town at an otherwise quiet time of year.  Local hotels reported a busy weekend both for Valentine’s and …

Clare 3-9 Waterford 1-10 TWO second half goals, put away by substitute Michael O’Shea and centre-forward Shane McGrath, helped Clare to an excellent opening win in the 2014 division 4 NFL. Playing into a stiff breeze in Dungarvan, Clare led 1-5 to 0-6 at half time. Kilmihil’s Martin O’Leary, making his senior inter-county debut, scored the first half goal for the winners, while Gary Brennan and Cathal O’Connor dominated the Waterford kick out. Full forward David Tubridy pointed twice from play while McGrath and Shane Brennan put over a point each in the opening half. Waterford upped their game considerably in the opening minutes of the second half but the introductions of O’Shea and hurling All-Star Podge Collins helped to settle Clare. In fact it was Collins who kicked Clare’s opening point of the second half, a superb left footed effort. From that moment on Clare regained control with the goals securing the points. Waterford’s goal, scored by Paul Whyte, …