Month: April 2009

AN ALLEGED burglary of a house in west Clare centered on a finger- print found at the scene, a court has heard.

Bartosz Ksiazkiewicz (24), of Cui- snace, Cappagh, Kilrush, denies a charge of burgling a house at Clo- verhill, Moyadda, Kilrush, in June 2008.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told Kil- rush District Court that the case cen- tered around “a fingerprint that was found at the scene of the burglary”.

A woman told the court that when she returned to her home at Moyadda, Kilrush, on the date in question, she initially did not realise the house had been burgled, “‘as there were no visu- al signs at the time.”

However, she later realised that a computer, camera and mobile phone were missing. No damage had been caused.

She said the defendant was known to her husband and he had been in her house previously.

Defending solicitor Michael Ryan put it to her that it would have been difficult for an average-sized per- son to fit in the rear window — be- lieved to have been the point of entry – which was quite small. “I would,” she replied. Mr Ryan said, “A rea- sonably grown man would find it dif- ficult to.”

Garda Lorraine Mongan, a scenes of crime examiner, told the court she carried out a technical examination at the house.

She said she placed magnetic ink on the glass frame and on the window frame and marks developed on those frames. She lifted them onto cards, using adhesive tape and they were then sent to the fingerprints section of garda headquarters for analysis.

She said that one of the fingermarks “would be consistent with someone putting their hand on the interior frame and pulling themselves in.”

However, Mr Ryan said that no

palm print was found. “What was found by the State was one forefin- ger mark and that doesn’t constitute to me as a man pulling himself in,” he said.

Detective Garda Raymond Kane, of the fingerprints section at garda headquarters, examined the finger- prints from the lift cards.

He said there were four lifts. Marks on two of them were not belonging to the accused; the third was conclu- sively identified but did not reach the standard for presentation of evidence in court and the fourth matched a fin- gerprint taken from the accused.

“T have found the minimum of 12 characteristics between the finger- print on the left forefinger of Bartosz and the fingermark found on the lift

card from Cloverhill, Kilrush. I’m satisfied beyond all doubt that finger- print was made by the same person,” said the garda.

Mr Ryan said that his client had been “in and out of that house, was in the kitchen, sat there and opened the window.”

The solicitor said that the items that were stolen were never recovered and were never connected to his client.

He said the presence of “a finger- print is not wholly convincing. It would be different if fingerprints were found on the outside or other rooms.”

The defendant, who has lived in Ire- land for the past year, told the court he had visited the house in question CLIK ato

Asked how his fingerprint was found on the window frame, he said he did not know, but that it may be because he had opened the window. He said he did not break into the Te) b ister

Mr Ryan said, “I don’t think the State has established a case beyond reasonable doubt. There has to be some niggling littl doubt. There wouldn’t be if he had never visited the house or if he had never been in the kitchen, but he was on a number of occasions.”

Judge Joseph Mangan adjourned ruling on the case until next month.

AN TAISCE has been told to come into the real world if it didn’t want the return of hares on the runway at Shannon Airport.

Shannon-based independent coun- cillor, Cllr Patricia McCarthy was responding to a call from An Taisce for a policy based on lower usage of Shannon Airport as part of a decar- bonisation strategy for the region.

In a submission to the Mid West Regional Authority, An Taisce stated that “the promotion of the mid-west region as a business and investment location as well as for tourism, 1s unsustainably dependent on Shan- non Airport and the continuation of cheap air fares.”

An Taisce’s Heritage Officer, Ian Lumley said, “Any strategic plan- ning of the mid-west region needs to be based on the reduction of current levels of aviation use for business travel and tourism as part of a wider decarbonisation strategy which is set out in this submission. Future tour- ism will be dependent on attracting longer-stay visitors and less on short- stay visitors arriving by air.

“The explosion in air travel over the last two decades is no longer tenable because of its impact on climate pol- lution, while the approaching peak of fossil fuel production is creating an immediate future where the price and supply of fuel will become vari- able and uncertain, with massive 1m- pact on air travel cost.”

The submission comes against

the background of a decline in the number of passengers using Shan- non. Last year the airport sustained a drop of 500,000 passengers, from 3.6 million to 3.1 million.

However, Cllr McCarthy said yes- terday, “An Taisce needs to come into the real world — and fast.

“Does An Taisce want to go back to the stage where there are hares on the runway at Shannon and to stop people travelling completely? Shan-

non Airport is an integral and essen- tial part of the region’s development, but not the only part.”

However, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said An Taisce were clearly stating what a lot of other regions are con- sidering. For example, business in- trests in Cork had grouped together to re-establish the Cork Swansea KU MANO Ms (Gor

Is Clare to lose its minister?

, Do- herty cut loose on stay-away players over broken promises, lack of com- mitment, turning up for gear and then saying “good luck” by walking away from the team.

“We have brought people in — I’ve spoken to people that have promised me that they’ll come in and they’ve turned around and walked away, for what reason I have no idea,’ Doherty revealed.

“ve tried to ring them, players have tried to get in touch with them.

It’s crazy stuff. Some players have got the gear, the boots and then said good luck.

“T’m disillusioned with it. I asked an under 21 player this year to come into our set-up. He said yes to me. I rang him afterwards to say where training was on — the same lad was in a pub and he cut the phone off. I know that for a fact,” he added.

He launched his broadside at the close of Clare’s National League campaign in Cusack Park on Satur- day – winning outing by 3-21 to I-7, but a game that served to expose a lack of numbers at the disposal of the Doherty and his fellow selectors Ki- eran Kelleher and James Hanrahan.

Only 19 players were togged for the game – a Shortage of players owing

to injuries, players who have walked away or declined repeated offers to join the panel.

Clare used 33 players during their eight-match National League pro- gramme, but a host of those play- ers are no longer part of the panel. These include Stephen Monaghan (Wolfe Tones), Keith Whelan (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield, Stephen Moloney and Ian McInerney (Kil- murry Ibrickane).

Meanwhile, other high profile play- ers from the county champions’ side like Mark Killeen, Michael Hogan and Brendan Moloney were invited on to the panel but declined.

“What is it with some people? Ok we re in Division 4 but we want to get out of Division 4. We need help,”

said Doherty. “Within the county we need the players who are playing for clubs to stand up and say ‘let’s get Clare out of Division 4, let’s give the management team a chance of get- ting Clare out of Division 4’,” said Die) oua

“If we had options on the bench and had a full deck to play, then you’d have a shout. Then if we didn’t suc- ceed you could say the management aren’t up to it.

“Players should be putting them- selves forward and saying ‘yes I’m available for Clare’. They’re not do- ing it and I’m scratching my head wondering why. We’re well short of a full deck at the moment,’ he added.

CLARE hurlers will be a very differ- ent proposition when they play either Cork or Tipperary in the Munster Semi-Final on June 21st.

This verdict was delivered by man- ager Mike McNamara and his Gal- way counterpart John McIntyre after Clare’s depressing National League campaign ended with a 4-16 to 0-19 defeat to the Tribesmen in Cusack Park.

‘There is a passion about hurling in Clare and it’s up to the players that are there to lift it and ignite it and to come out with all guns blazing in June,” said McNamara.

“I don’t think it will be hard to rise a Clare team for championship. When we do well in the league, we don’t do well in championship and vice versa. If that trend continues we ll be smiling,” he added.

‘The one county that seem to be able to put a bad league campaign behind them and get ready for the championship are Clare,” said McIn- tyre. “Clare are always dangerous against that background,” he added.

JOHN McIntyre has been known for his straight talking — whether as an analyst looking in or a manager on the sideline he calls it as it is.

Cue his remarks after the Dub- lin game when his side were on the wrong end of a comprehensive beat- ing.

Same when he was a staunch admir- er of Clare in different times — those days when they won Munster and All-Ireland titles and even in recent years when they put it up to Cork and Kilkenny in Croke Park.

It’s why MclIntyre’s verdict on Clare was important to hear in the after- math of Galway’s second half demo- lition job on Sunday. There was al- ways the chance that McIntyre might offer some crumb of comfort for the championship summer ahead.

He did.

“Clare will just write off the league,” he said. ““The one county that seem to be able to put a bad league cam- paign behind them and get ready for the championship is Clare. Clare are always dangerous against that back- ground, but have a lot of work to do, like Galway,” he added.

What he didn’t say is that Galway look to have more to work with. And, it’s work that made this victory important — that’s the gospel from McIntyre at any rate as he reflected on his side’s nine-point win.

“It doesn’t change anything in terms of our league position or in terms of trying to qualify for a league final, but anytime you win is a good day. We came up here today hoping to win and drove the message home to players that there’s nothing better for confidence than winning.

“You can train like dogs for ten weeks in a row and go home with a

spring in your step after every train- ing session and talk about unity and passion and pride and all that, but one win is nearly worth all that,’ he revealed.

“The bottom line is that we’re af- ter winning three out of our last four league games — lost a game against Tipperary that we maybe could have won, so it does give us a little bit of momentum going into the champion- ship, but that will be at a different level altogether and we have a lot of work to do.

“It’s going to an historic occasion for Galway going into Leinster — I would be hoping that the lads would be inspired by the sense of history. Hopefully it will help reinvogorate hurling as well. Not everyone in Gal- way is happy about participating in Leinster but we’ll get on with it — the players are looking forward to it,” he added.

that an extra ward had to be opened at the weekend to cater for the extra patients now descending on the Mid Western Regional Hospital Bits An increase of patients attending

the Dooradoyle Hospital’s A&E, even during the 12 hours Ennis A&E is open, have also been reported.

This number has increased sig- nificantly since the publication of the HIQA report last week, which deemed some services at the Ennis Hospital “unsafe”.

Since Thursday April 9, the day the

report was published the HSE report- ed an increase in the number of self referred “walk ins” to the emergency department in Limerick from the Clare area during the day between 8am and 8pm.

“It is important to emphasise that the local emergency centre in Ennis is Open seven days per week between

8am and 8pm and will deal with all minor injuries and acute emergen- cies. All trauma, paediatric and ob- stetric emergencies will go directly to the Mid Western Regional Hospital Limerick including the Regional Ma- ternity Unit,’ a spokesperson said. For the first seven days after Ennis A&E was reduced to 12-hours a day

five patients were admitted directly to Ennis General by their GPs and between two and six patients per night (total 27) were brought to the emergency department in the Mid- Western Regional Hospital Limerick by ambulance from the Clare area while the service was closed in En- Wah

A CONFIDENT Clare minor foot- ball side travel to Dungarvan to- morrow in the hopes of getting their Munster championship campaign off to a good start when they take on Waterford.

Should they advance this week, they will play the winners of Tipper- ary and Kerry in the provincial final on May.

A loss would see the Banner out later this month against another first round loser.

With a handful of last year’s panel still available, manager Colm Col- lins believes that Clare will enter Wednesday’s game with nothing but win on their minds.

“We’ve got our work done, so it’s just about transferring that and fol- lowing through on the day,’ he told

LADY Luck did not smile on Clare in Carrick-on-Shannon on Sunday when the Banner men’s determined second-half fightback fell short of forcing a draw after Frank Doher- ty’s side had whittled away Leitrim’s eight point half-time lead to three.

Aided by the breeze Clare out- scored Leitrim by 1-6 to O-4 in the second 35 minutes, but they also hit a number of bad wides which allowed the home team off the hook when they were on the rack for long peri- ods.

This victory edged Leitrim into third place on the Division Four NFL table behind promoted sides Antrim and Sligo.

For Clare a disappointing league continues, with only the lowly Car- low, London and Kilkenny beneath them in the basement division.

Goals by Colin Clarke in the 13th minute, and Shane Canning 15 min- utes later, were undoubtedly the turn- ing points in the game.

Two Leitrim players, Ray Cox and Gary McCloskey, and Clare’s David Russell were dismissed for yellow card offences in the first half.

The hosts took the lead in the fifth minute when Ray Cox shot over from play after Barry McWeeney sent a ball in from midfield.

James Glancy tapped over a free three minutes later to double the lead, after Cox had been fouled by Martin McMahon.

And the Clare defence was split wide open in the 13th minute, allow- ing Colin Clarke to solo through for 20 metres before firing to the net.

Leitrim’s Ray Cox was sent for an early shower two minutes later after he was yellow carded for a foul.

Shortly afterwards Clare finally opened their account when Frank O’Dea skilfully pointed a 20 metre sideline kick.

Gary Brennan then finished off a good Banner move by fisting over in the 17th minute.

Clare should have got on _ level terms two minutes later but unfortu- nately Michael O’Shea blazed a goal chance inches wide.

Leitrim’s advantage was cut to two points in the 20th minute when Enda Coughlan pointed after receiving a pass from Michael O’Shea.

That score was negated two min- utes later when Brendan Gallagher was fouled and James Glancy slotted over the resultant free.

Colin Clarke stretched Leitrim’s lead a minute later when pointing after being put through by Tomas Beirne.

And things got worse for Clare in the 25th minute, when David Rus- sell’s foul on James Glancy led to the Banner player’s dismissal on a yellow card and Clancy’s point from

the free.

A chink of light shone two minutes later when a second Leitrim player, Gary McCloskey, was given his marching orders for a foul.

Once more, though, the home team upped the ante for their opponents, Shane Canning firing home a second goal in the 28th minute after latching onto a free that came in over the top of the Clare defence.

It looked bleak for Clare as Leitrim led by 2-5 to O-3 at the break, and the situation worsened when Dermot Reynolds increased that advantage within 30 seconds of the restart with a point.

However, Clare signalled that a fightback could be on the cards over the next seven minutes as Timmy Ryan and Michael O’Shea notched a point each.

seroma nee VUN am encKenoemmmatsns lead to nine points by the 47th minute, James Glancy pointing after a pass from Dermot Reynolds and then turning provider for sub Declan Maxwell to do likewise.

But Clare then dominated the ex- changes for the remainder of the game.

A well-taken Garry Brennan goal in the 49th minute, after he eluded his marker Tomas Beirne, had the

Banner’s spirited comeback really motoring.

Over the next 14 minutes Clare bossed the match and closed the gap on their opponents to just three points after Timmy Ryan, Enda Coughlan and Brennan fired over in turn.

With just five minutes on the clock James Glancy pointed a free after be- ing fouled himself, for Leitrim’s first score in 18 minutes.

That steadied the nerves of a home crowd which had been displaying signs of anxiety for a considerable length of time.

Clare hit back within the space of a minute when David Tubridy split the Leitrim posts with a well-struck free from the 45 metre line.

Sadly, neither side managed to score in the five further minutes of play, and Clare were still a goal adrift as referee Declan Corcoran blew the final whistle, leaving Frank Doher- ty’s team mired near the bottom of Division 4.

A GOAL three minutes from time by Gearoid O’Brien proved the differ- ence between Kilrush and St Joseph’s and capped a thrilling afternoon of football on Saturday in Cooraclare.

Kilrush began like a dream, grab- bing the opening score and goal of the game after Cathal Carrig buried inside the opening minute.

They gained plenty of momentum from that and pushed on to stretch

the lead to seven points, scoring a second goal with barely five minutes on the clock.

But this didn’t halt the fight from St Joseph’s, who plugged away and be- gan to close the gap.

It would have happened faster only for a brilliant save from Mikey Shan- non in the Kilrush goal after Eoin Conroy blasted for the net.

Two minutes later, though, St Joseph’s did grab their first goal after Diarmuid Barron latched onto a long

dropping ball to steer to the net.

Shortly after Rory Brennan pointed to tie things up at 2-1 to 1-4.

With the game flowing nicely, St Joseph’s moved a step closer to win- ning after Ross McCarthy clinched their second goal, picking up a nice pass from David Conroy. Now, just before the break, St Joseph’s led for the first-time in the game.

But straight after the turn-around, Kilrush hit a serious purple patch and inside the first four minutes of the half, they had regained the lead after hitting 1-4: two points from O’Brien, one from John Kelliher and a goal from Conor Ellis.

They now led by four points, on a scoreline of 3-6 to 2-5, but it always felt like this one was going to go the distance.

And so it proved.

St Joseph’s, once more, showed great character to battle back into the game and with time ticking towards the hour mark, it looked like their second comeback was going to win WSO ENYA

It didn’t, though: O’Brien stepped up and rattled home to send Kilrush through after a game of huge tension ANIemorColraneonle