Tag Archives: @StJosephsDBGAA

The perfect advertisement for 2021’s new underage structure as St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield and Ballyea served up a thrilling inaugural Under 13A decider that was only edged by the former with a spectacular late three goal blitz in Clarecastle on Saturday afternoon. Considering the transformation of playing non-competitive Under 12 ties in a reduced field twelve months previously to being thrown in at the deep end of an Under 13 competition installed as the first major championship title, the standard of play and quality of personnel was admirable in a final that pitted the best two sides in the county against one another for the ultimate showdown. After all, a combined tally of twenty previous championship matches only yielded one defeat, ironically an opening reverse for the Parish against Ballyea. However, while Ballyea had remained unbeaten up to Saturday’s final, St Joseph’s only seemed to grow in confidence and understanding as the championship developed. The rivalry was enhanced by the fact …

Senior Hurling Championship Quarter-Finals Newmarket-on-Fergus v Wolfe Tones @ Cusack Park, Saturday 1.30pm A golden opportunity to return to a semi-final that neither side can afford to pass up in what is a unique derby showdown in Ennis on Saturday. It’s novel because at certain stages of their final group matches, the thoughts of staring the relegation play-offs in the face seemed a distinct reality so this is essentially bonus territory particularly after drawing each other in the last eight. Newmarket-on-Fergus’ late smash-and-grab victory over another neighbour Clooney-Quin will have injected a new lease of life into the Blues while Wolfe Tones, despite coming off the back of back-to-back defeats, equally have nothing to lose on Saturday. That Wolfe Tones’ form has fallen off a cliff will be alarming as the first half of their group campaign up to half-time in the Sixmilebridge match, the Shannon side looked like Canon Hamilton contenders only conceding 1-18. However, since then, they have …

A battle of the senior and intermediate champions tops the billing for Round 2 of the Senior Ladies Football Championship when Banner Ladies host Kilmurry Ibrickane in Banner GAA on Sunday at 2pm. In a repeat of last year’s senior decider, the Ennis side repeated the dose against West Clare Gaels last weekend while Kilmurry Ibrickane were edged out by 2019 winners Kilmihil in contrasting opening bouts, with anything the ‘Bricks could get out of Sunday’s fixture being a major bonus. Also determined to get off the mark will be Cooraclare and West Clare Gaels who meet in Cooraclare on Saturday evening at 6pm. The sides famously last met in last September’s semi-final that saw the 2010 winners finally end Cooraclare’s superb return to senior level despite a rousing second half fightback by 3-9 to 1-10. The tie of Round 2 however is the intriguing wrestle for supremacy between Kilmihil and St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield in Kilmihil on Sunday evening (6pm) …

Revenge is a dish best served cold when a title is on the line and Lissycasey used the Under 15A final defeat as a motivator to take the Féile A title at the expense of the county final conquerors St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield in perfect conditions in Clareabbey on Saturday morning. The rerouting of Darragh Culligan who was nursing a slight injury, to deep into the Barefield backs did wonders for their challenge as it took the challenge directly to their opponents. The game was in its infancy when the talented Culligan skated through the Barefield defence and notched up the game’s only goal. Diarmuid McMahon who was to the fore for the winners throughout added a well taken score in the 3rd minute before Culligan stretched his sides lead to five points as Barefield had yet to raise a flag. This was remedied following a rare upfield foray by St Joseph’s that ended with Oige Fanning converting a free before …

Group 1, Round 3 Kilmurry Ibrickane v Cratloe at Cusack Park Ennis, Saturday There wasn’t even a debate surrounding the headline act for this week’s resumption of the Jack Daly race as this is not only a top-of-the-table clash and a repeat of last year’s final but more significantly a 13th championship meeting between these overly-familiar rivals in the last 12 seasons. Crucially however, holders Kilmurry Ibrickane have won the last four clashes, bookended by county final victories in 2016 and ’20. So while this Saturday’s result probably won’t hold any earth-shattering overall significance in terms of the group, there has never been any such thing as a half-blooded encounter between the pair. In typically seesaw fashion between the three group favourites, both Kilmurry Ibrickane and Cratloe have drawn with St Joseph’s Miltown so far, with the defending champions fortunate to grab a draw in the end whereas it was Cratloe that let slip their advantage last time out. It …

With no immediate pressure for the main protagonists, the Junior A Hurling Championship probably won’t kick into gear until the knock-out stages. After all, with only four sides exiting the competition following the group stages, it will be difficult to truly assess the main contenders for O’Callaghan’s Mills title. However, after a number of barren seasons, there is renewed hope that a first team can finally claim the Junior honours, with Ogonnelloe’s recent Division 3 League success putting the East Clare side in pole position to achieve that goal. Only three flagship sides have won this championship in the past two decades – Ennistymon (2004), Meelick (2007) and Bodyke (2017), with Ogonnelloe’s last title coming 33 years ago. They are expected to be vying for the crown with the Banner who after gaining promotion to the intermediate ranks in football, will be determined to do likewise in the hurling equivalent. Ennistymon still remain an unknown quantity while the best of …

Under 13 Hurling Academy A Round 1 Newmarket-on-Fergus 4-4 Clarecastle 2-7 Newmarket and Clarecastle derbies have never been dull affairs no matter what the age grade and this opening Under 13 battle of the neighbours’ second strings proved no different in Clarecastle on Saturday morning. With a strong wind blowing towards the national school, both sides took full advantage but in the end Ryan O’Leary’s electric 11 minute first half hat-trick proved sufficient for the Blues to prevail. Opting to have the conditions at their backs, Newmarket had to recover from an early set-back when chief threat Cathal Murphy raided for a Magpie goal after only five minutes. Points from Donal O’Callaghan (2), John Burke and the lively Dylan Routley eventually nudged the Blues back in front before stopping their authority on the tie with a goal either side of the water break for powerful poacher O’Leary at 2-4 to 1-0. Clarecastle responded with inspirational points from influential pair Eoghan …