Tag Archives: minors

All-Ireland Minor Final Clare 2-22 Galway 4-11 At Semple Stadium, Thurles A stunning third quarter paved the way for a glorious afternoon for Clare hurling as the All-Ireland minor title was claimed for only the second time in the county’s history on the back of a famous five-point victory, writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh. This was when a rampant Banner side breached the Galway goal on two occasions and turned what was a one-point interval lead into a convincing 2-16 to 2-8 advantage that had Galway reeling, on the ropes, and on their way out. The Tribesmen had laid waste all opponents on the way to the decider, but in Clare they met their match as Ogie Fanning’s goal inside a minute of the restart put a fire under them that ultimately burned Galway’s challenge. The second came via a James Hegarty free that was fumbled to the net by the keeper on 36 minutes and from there it was just …

Two members of the 2017 minor team have been named in the senior side which will line out against Kerry in the opening round of the Munster senior hurling league at Sixmilebridge on Saturday (2p.m). In a team which features a mixture of youth and experience, Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe) has been named at wing back while Gary Cooney from O’Callaghabns Mills will line out at corner forward in a side which sees Conor Cleary handed the full back role. Donal Tuohy will fill the goalkeeping position with David McInerney at centre back, David Reidy at midfield, John Conlon at wing forward and Shane O’Donnell at full forward. In addition to Ryan and Cooney, other debutants include Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones) and Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin) The team is Donal Tuohy (Crusheen); Jack Browne (Ballyea), Conor Cleary (Miltown, St. Josephs), Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones); Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe), David McInerney (Tulla), Mikey O’Malley (Kilmaley); David Reidy (Éire Óg Inis), Ryan Taylor (Clooney-Quin); Niall …

THE achievement of winning three All-Irelands at U-21 level and an All-Ireland senior title in five years “is phenomenal”, according to Cork selector Pat Hartnett. The Midleton man, who helped Cork to championship glory in 1984 and 1986, argues that Clare has “a serious pool of talent” and “are big time favourites for Sunday’s game”. Given Cork’s absence from the roll of honour in recent years, is there pressure on them to win this title? “There is no pressure in our view,” was the dentist’s response. “We played Clare a number of weeks ago behind closed doors. They are as good as we have met this year, they were scintillating on the night. They are big time favourites for Sunday. It’s up to management team to work with the tools they are given. Three All-Irelands in five years is phenomenal. Look, a blind man knows when the sun is shining,” he added. Regarding the 2013 All-Ireland final, he noted it …

WHEN Cork stripped their great rivals, Tipperary, of the Munster Minor Hurling Championship title in a semi-final replay at Pairc Uí Rinn on Monday evening, it installed the Leesiders as favourites for Sunday’s final clash with Clare at Semple Stadium. Clare’s progress to the final has surprised some, as their semi-final opponents, Limerick, were fancied to make it a fifth successive provincial final appearance, given that they had a fair scattering of last year’s squad that contested the All-Ireland final in their ranks. However, Clare’s greater hunger for victory proved decisive in last week’s clash and they emerged as deserving winners in a tie that required extra time. The fact the Cork v Tipperary tie was still level after extra-time, which led to Monday’s replay, confirms the view held by the Clare management that the four semi-finalists were evenly matched and that there will not be much between the teams on Sunday. In the drawn tie, Brian Turnbull and Daire …

TICKET-mania has gripped the county ahead of what is a huge week for Clare GAA, when four teams will be trying to progress in their respective championships. The minor and senior hurlers face Cork in Thurles on Sunday, the senior footballers host Mayo in round 3A of the qualifiers on Saturday while, on Wednesday evening next, the U-21 hurlers will play Limerick in the Munster championship semi-final. The Munster Hurling Championship has always had a special appeal and on Sunday, Clare will contest both the minor and senior finals on the same day for only the fourth time ever. Clare won the minor title in 1981, when captain by John Lynch from Sixmilebridge, but suffered defeat in the senior final. Clare lost to Tipperary in the 1997 Munster minor final but won the senior crown the same day. Less than two months later, both teams were crowned All-Ireland champions. 1997 was the first year of the back-door system. Clare lost …

Kerry 0-14 Clare 0-3 Kerry’s dominance over Clare in underage football continued at Austin Stack Park in Tralee on Wednesday evening, when the sides met in the opening round of the provincial championship. The gap in standard was evident from an early stage and Kerry had secured their passage to the semi-final, where they will play Cork, long before the final whistle. The fact that Clare failed to score from play is an indication of the dominance enjoyed by the Kingdom side. Clare have another chance, however and they now await the winners of the game between Limerick and Waterford, who also suffered first-round losses. Clare’s next outing will be on Wednesday, April 29. The writing was on the wall for Clare from an early stage, as a slicker Kerry side created too many opportunities. The Banner defence was under a lot of pressure whereas, at the other end, the Kerry back-line dominated. Their full-back trio were particularly strong, while …

By Seamus Hayes There is one change in personnell on the Clare minor hurling team named to play Waterford in the Munster semi-final on this Wednesday at Fraher field in Dungarvan (7.30p.m.) from that which beat Tipperary last time out. Bern O’Gorman from Wolfe Tones is fit again following an appendix operation and he is named at wing back, the position he was named in for round 1 before being forced to withdraw. In the resultant reshuffle, Liam O’Donovan from Ruan drops to the substitutes bench. The team is Jason Loughnane, (Sixmilebridge); Ciaran Cooney (OC. Mills), Seamus Downey (Clonlara), Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones); Jason McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona), Dara Walsh (Eire Og), Ben O’Gorman (Wolfe Tones); David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona), Michael O’Malley (Kilmaley); Ian Galvin (Clonlara), Mikey O’Shea (Smith O’Briens), Colin Corbett (Tulla); Padraic McNamara (Kilmaley), Aaron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones), Brian Guilfoyle (St.Josephs, Doora-Barefield);  

Kerry 2-16 Clare 0-7 Seamus Hayes A KERRY team that followers of the game in the Kingdom believe will have a big say in the destination of the All-Ireland title, proved too strong for their Banner opponents in the opening round of the Munster Minor Football Championship at Cusack Park on Wednesday. While the home side did create three excellent goal opportunities, they were outplayed in many sectors. In the losers round, Clare travel to play Limerick on Thursday next, who lost to Cork on Wednesday. There was surprise when the Clare side was named on Monday regarding the positioning of some players. On their path to winning the Minor A Championship last year, Brian Cahill, the team captain, played either at midfield or centre-back for Lissycasey. On Wednesday he lined out at corner-back, a position he filled until he was black carded, a somewhat harsh ruling by the referee, after 20 minutes. Kerry dominated the aerial battle at midfield …