Month: October 2011

Ballyea 2-18 – Clarecastle 1-06 at Fr Murphy Memorial Park, Newmarket-on-Fergus

IT ALL went according to the form book on Saturday as championship favourites powered their way to the final, following an convincing victory over their nearest neighbours.

It was always going to be a tough ask for the Magpies who were the only side in the semi-finals not to have had a player on the Munster minor winning panel this year.

Ballyea had more than enough county experience at that level with Jack Browne, Gearoid O’Connell, Niall Deasy and Tony Kelly in particular proving too hot to handle for the Magpies.

Under 16 Bobby Duggan was Clarecastle’s main scoring threat throughout and it was his 17th minute goal from a 20 metre free that provided a glimmer of hope for the Magpie supporters.

However, they failed to build on it and the revolution was soon quashed as Ballyea finished the half strongly with Kelly and Deasy doing the main damage on their way to a 0-12 to 103 half-time lead.

Ballyea’s focus on the final strengthened significantly after the break when Tadgh Lynch punished a defensive error to give his side a nine point advantage.

And when Niall Deasy struck a second major at the turn of the final quarter, there was only going to be one outcome, a comfortable success as was the case when these two met in the group stage.

From that juncture to the finish, it was damage limitation for the young Magpies who were predominantly made up of 16 and 17 year olds.

However, that was no concern of Ballyea’s as they ruthlessly closed out the game to put themselves to within touching distance of a historic title.

Waiting for them in the final will be the all conquering Sixmilebridge and a clash of epic proportions is expected. With stars of Clare underage hurling on show like Tony Kely and Jamie Shanahan, a large crowd can be expected for this contest.

Clarecastle
Jamie Coughlan,Tommy Howard, Mark McGuane, Dylan Broderick, Pat Tuohy, Gearoid Ryan, Padraig Callinan, StephenWard, Joseph Barry, Robert Duggan (1-5), Michael Casey (0-1),Aaron Green, Mark Foley, Conor Galvin, Kevin Scanlon.

Subs
Shane Galvin, Seanie Lynch, Johnathan Griffey,AdamCrowe, Eanna Cooney, John McInerney, Justin Neville, Brian Gilroy, Conor

Ballyea
Conor Harkins, Darragh Crowe, Jack Browne (0-2), Eoghan Donnellan,Aonghus Keane, Gearoid O’Connell, Joe Nylon, Stan Lineen,Tony Kelly (0-08) (right), Michael Nagle, Martin O’Leary, Tadgh Lynch (1-2), Lee Brady (0-1), Niall Deasy (1-5), Martin Quigley,

Subs
Shane Harkins, Ryan Griffin, Stephen Longe,Aaron Nugent, David Brassil, Niall Lynch, Lee Sherlock, Diarmuid Lorigan, Eoghan O’Leary

Referee
KevinWalsh (WolfeTones)

Sixmilebridge 2-15 – Clonlara 1-13 at Knockalisheen Park, Meelick

SIXMILEBRIDGE qualified for their fourth successive minor final on Saturday after eventually seeing off a stubborn Clonlara side. Don’t be misled, they were ahead from start to finish and after building up a 2-6 to 0-2 advantage with the aid of the breeze by the 24th minute, Clonlara would never get to within four points of the winners but equally had the underdogs taken their goal chances, this game might have developed in a different path.

The Bridge deserved their victory though, mainly because they had the better balance overall with Brian Carey keeping a watchful eye on Cathal O’Connell, Dylan Fleming also rising to the occasion while county minors Jamie Shanahan, Seadna Morey and Alan Mulready controlled the attacking sector, aided intermittently by Brian Corry and Conor Deasy.

Clonlara too depended on their Munster minor winners for inspiration, with Colm Galvin, Cathal O’Connell and Shane and Oisin O’Brien to the fore but they didn’t have enough strength on the flanks to keep Sixmilebridge on their toes.

The Bridge started in impressive fashion, picking off the first four points of the game in as many minutes through Jamie Shanahan (2), Seadna Morey and Brian Corry. Clonlara finally settled with a brace of their own courtesy of Oisin O’Brien and Tots O’Connell but they were to be the exception to the rule as the Bridge hit the front once more.

They cemented their authority with two quickfire goals from Seadna Morey, who completed a flowing move in the 20th minute, followed soon afterwards by a superb solo goal from Conor Deasy who arrowed an unstoppable shot past goalkeeper Ryan Morris from 30 metres.

Clonlara did recover briefly to cut the deficit to nine by the break at 28 to 0-5 but Sixmilebridge still ap- peared more than comfortable at that stage, despite hitting ten first half wides.

Their supporters did begin to shift nervously as the second half developed as a momentum filled Clonlara hit the first five points of the half to slash the lead to just four. But they required a goal to really make the ‘Bridge anxious.

That chance fell to Cathal O’Connell in the 40th minute but his effort was crucially saved by Pa Freeman while Tom O’Neill also hit the side-netting soon afterwards.

In all, Clonlara would hit seven second half wides and you would have to feel that they needed a near perfect strikerate if they were to upset the favourites.

Instead, Sixmilebridge got themselves off the ropes and with Alan Mulready coming into the game at centre-forward and Jamie Shanahan converting frees, they soon reopened an eight point advantage by the hour mark.

Oisin O’Brien did wreck Sixmilebridge’s hopes of a clean sheet in the 61st minute but it was to be the last puck of the game as the ‘Bridge set up an expected final showdown with Ballyea.

This game should stand to the Bridge as they line up the Ballyea boys in what should be a very hotly contested final. Of course minors like Jamie Shanahan and Seadna Morey will have another county final to think of before knuckling down to concentrate on the U-18 decider.

Sixmilebridge
Pa Freeman, Brian Carey (0-2), Darragh McNamara, Evan McInerney, Eoin Hogan, Conlith Agnew, Dylan Fleming, Seadna Morey (Capt.) (1-1), John Mulready,Alex Morey, Jamie Shanahan (left) (0-7f), Brian Corry (0-2), Sean Lynch,Alan Mulready (0-2), Conor Deasy (1-1)

Subs
Darragh Fitzgerald for Ltnch (41 mins)

AS Éire Óg prepared for their biggest hurling game since they contested the millennium county senior final against Sixmilebridge, they are mourning a stalwart of the club this week after the hugely popular Francie McMahon passed away after illness.

McMahon was part of the great Éire Óg squad that contested three county finals in the early 1980s, winning senior medals in 1980 with the Éire Óg Dalcassians that beat Newmar- ket-on-Fergus and then another in 1982 when the Townies beat Sixmilebridge after two epic encounters.

Away from his involvement with Éire Óg over many years, McMahon was also a stalwart of Clare Camogie. McMahon had a long involvement with Clare Camogie at club and county level since the late ‘60s, coaching teams at all levels and most recently at Minor level.

He was part of the management team that led Clare to the Junior All Ireland Finals in 2003 and 2005. He managed the Clare U16s in ‘08 and ‘09, when they won the Munster U6A title. More recently, Francie was the Manager of the Minor team that in 2010 won the Munster Minor title and went on to contest the All Ireland Minor Final.

“Clare Camogie Board was deeply saddened on hearing the sad news of the death of Francie McMahon on Monday,” Clare camogie PRO Brid MacNamara said. “His passing will be felt deeply throughout Camogie circles,” she added.

IT’S ALL minor action again this weekend as the Division two cup final and Division three shield and cup finals take place. All matches are dependent on weather conditions of course.

At 2.30pm on Saturday, Miltown Malbay hosts the Division three shield final between riversiders Coolmeen and Shannon Gaels followed at 4pm by the Division two cup final between seasiders West Clare Gaels and Liscannor. Coolmeen will want to finish this competition on a high but Shannon Gaels did have two big wins in the campaign already. Both teams will have something to prove.

In the Division 2 final, West Clare Gaels had victories over Kilmihil and Wolfe Tones and overcame Cooraclare in the semi-final by 5-11 to 3-05 while Liscannor despatched Cooraclare and Clooney/Quin before putting paid to Kilmihil by 3-13 to 1-07 to reach the decider.

The Gaels will be leading a strong defensive section onto the field including the up and coming Brid Foran and sister Maria, Grainne Harvey, Lauren Keane and Emma McMahon while sister and captain Lauren will be assisted by the indefatigable Shauna Harvey, Collette Keniry, Ailish Brew, Shauna Melican and Ciara Lynch in the attack.

However, Liscannor are used to winning big, thanks to major contributions from county regulars Roisin Rouine, Fiona Considine, Aisling Torpey, Therese Shannon, Roisin Considine, Emer Hillary, Therese Shannon and exciting prospect Katie Considine. This will be the deserved highlight of the day and should serve up a thrilling encounter.

The following day at 1.45pm also in Miltown, Fergus Rovers and Éire Óg go head to head in the Division three final. Éire Óg overcame Kilrush, Shannon Gaels and Doonbeg in the semi-final and were ruthless in their handling of the Doonbeg chal- lengers.

Captain Tara Sheehan will be happy to have the likes of top keeper Aoife O’Neill and Sophie Hanna, Rae Wall, Loren O’Mahony and Aoife Sheehan in defence. Up front Katie Malone and Amy Hayes did well in the semifinal but the Ennis side have vigour and tenacity in abundance with the lethal Orla Devitt and double trouble Alannah and Shauna O’Brien, all three outstanding in their penultimate stage clash.

However, Fergus Rovers have already beaten Éire Óg in the opening rounds. Add in the fact that the opposing teams are each managed by husband and wife team Alan (Éire Óg) and Edel (Fergus Rovers) Malone and it makes this encounter one not to miss. Rovers fell heavily to Shannon Gaels in the opening round but overturned that result in their second meeting later in the campaign but they have since had big wins over Kilrush, Éire Óg and Doora/Barefield. Aoife Clohessey, Emer O’Shea, Aine McSweeney and Ciara and Eva O’Malley are the core of a formidable defence while captain Grainne McCarthy pushes a dymanic attack in the shape of Jackie Coughlan, Jenny Maher and Lauren and Louise Griffin.

Hard to call this one but would you want to?

THE bottom line for Michéal McDermott and his management team after they won a year’s extension to their term in charge of the county senior team is that Clare wins promotion to Division 3 and reaches the Munster final.

That’s according to former Clare selector of 25 years Noel Walsh, who was part of John Maughan’s backroom team in 1991 to ’94 when the county won All-Ireland B honours, the Munster senior title and reached the semi-final of the National League.

“He should get one year,” said Walsh in backing the nomination of McDermott’s ratification, which was proposed by county chairman Michael O’Neill and seconded by Irish Officer Tom Burke.

“And if it’s successful it should be reviewed – if he does a good job there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be extended.There’s no doubt they gave everything over the past two years.

“I believe they have a great chance this year because they have five games at home in the league, which should obviously give them an advantage and the open draw in Munster favours them – playing either Limerick or Waterford, who we would be our equals, so we would this year be hopeful of going to a Munster senior football final.

“Who knows what will happen there – we know what happened in ’92.

“Those two objectives are reasonable – promotion from Division 4 and an appearance at least in a Munster football final,” added Walsh.

The chairman revealed that McDermott is still hopeful of adding another member to the backroom, something he intimated would be the case back in September when saying “

“It’s three at the minute – he hopes to get another selector as well. He hasn’t been earmarked officially yet,” said O’Neill.

“I would suggest that he would get a local man,” said Walsh.

IN hurling, as in life, there are no guarantees – that was the resounding message sent ringing out to underage or former underage championship winners within the county by Davy Fitzgerald when speaking to the grassroots of Clare GAA in the West County Hotel last Tuesday night.

Pointing ot the senior experiences and travails endured by both Galway and Limerick after their raft of under age successes in the new millennium, Fitzgerald warned Clare’s rising stars that it doesn’t follow that senior suc- cess is a given after minor and under 21 victories in recent years.

“We are going to have a lot of young players in,” said Fitzgerald, “but it has bothered me over the last two or three years. We have had a lot of (underage) success.

“The thing that’s bothering me is that success leads to success at senior level. I put it to you, did it lead to success for Limerick and Galway for last couple of years?

“We have got to be careful that we don’t put our players up on a pedestal. I believe we have to remain grounded, even after we achieve stuff at minor and under 21. We have to make sure we keep these lads’ feet on the ground and get them working hard for senior.

“That’s what I would encourage,” he added.

“We all know the last few years haven’t been fruitful for Clare. I can’t promise you. I can’t tell you we are going to turn things around and we are going to go back to the glory days, but the one thing I can tell you is that I am going to work as hard as I possibly can and I mean that,” continued Fitzgerald.

“My own personal view is that the rebuilding is still far from finished. I’m going to be straight about it. I think there’s more players that need to be brought in. They are going to get a go.

“The one thing I’m going to encourage ye and the people watching – the way I’ve worked over the last few years is that I have a tendency to play players and give them games. They mightn’t be flying it at the time but it’s important to give them their chance.

“Giving a fella 20 minutes here and a game there doesn’t always work. You need them to get their confi- dence, which is very important. You have to be patient for a small bit, we all want the same thing, but we’ve got to find out what’s what. Character is very important.

“I think Sparrow did a great job in the last two years. It wasn’t an easy job to come into after what had happened.

“He came in, he rejigged it, he started to build. I don’t think our strength and conditioning is good enough, something I’ve done a lot of homework on in the last couple of years. I’m going to work hard on that,” he added.

DAVY Fitzgerald doesn’t expect to get preferential treatment from the Clare County Board, just because he happens to be Pat Fitzgerald’s son. And he doesn’t want preferential treatment either.

That’s the gospel according to himself, something he told county board delegates in no uncertain terms as the outlined his vision for the working relationship between his county senior management team and the top table of Clare GAA during his threeyear term in charge.

“I know my relationship with the county board is going to be very open,” said Fitzgerald. “A lot people will say ‘because he’s Pat Fitz’s son he’ll get what he wants’, this that and the other. I have made it clear to Mike (O’Neill) that I’m prepared to work to the same parameters as any other team management over the last few years. I say that to Mike (O’Neill). He’s a guy I hope to work very closely with myself. As for my own Dad, the amount of respect I have for him is unreal.

“I know he mightn’t be all ye’re cup of tea at times, he has his ways, he’s very dogmatic, trust me I’ve fought with him enough myself. But, I will say one thing, I am very proud of him, so I am – that’s for definite, whether ye like him or don’t like him.

“That doesn’t bother me. He’s very honest and straight and the one thing he has in his head is Clare GAA. There’s no favour. I look forward to working with him. The relationship with the county board will be right across the board, with the whole lot of them we’ll work together,” added Fitzgerald.

“NO man is an island” was John Donne’s line, but it was also Davy Fitzgerald line at Tuesday night as he made his inaugural address as manager of the Clare senior hurling team.

In a wide-ranging speech to club delegates from around the county, Fitzgerald called for everyone in the Clare GAA family to work on the “same wavelength” as the county bid to scale the hurling ladder once more.

Fitzgerald was quick to rubbish the notion that he was going “to try and run this team and that team” and pointed out there should be “communication between all teams” in the county.

“I would never tell a 21 manager or minor manager how to run his team. That’s his job. I think it’s good that we all have communication and that we’re all on the same wavelength about what we do. That’s the one thing I’m asked for, that we’re all working together.

“There is no one man who is going to make Clare a success. It is going to take a team that’s working together and a team working in different areas. We will work very hard. Anything I can do for Clare to make them successful, I going to try and do to get back up to where we need to be. That’s all I can promise on that.

“The one thing I will say, if any club has anything they want to talk to me about, anything with regard to their players, my phone is there. They’ll be able to get my number. I am willing to talk to anyone.

“I don’t believe in talking behind people’s backs or anything like that. I would prefer a situation if a club has a problem with something they would come and sit down face to face. I’ll have my opinion, you’ll have yours and we’ll come to a compromise.

“I’d ask ye to have a bit of patience. There will be no grudges, no any thing, no reaction to any media criticism I get, or anything. I’m going to do my job to the best of my ability and all I’d ask for is ye’re support as much as possible.

“All of us working together, that’s the most important thing. Thanks very much for having the faith in me.

“I will do my absolute to make you as proud as possible going forward and we will work very hard,” he added.

YOU SIMPLY cannot argue with Brian Enright’s championship record as Newmarket manager. A perfect accomplishment of two successive county titles has wrestled back control of championship matters from Kilmaley, who were contesting their sixth successive decider on Sunday and he couldn’t speak highly enough of his players.

“It’s absolutely fantastic. They are a great bunch of girls and have been training since January. We went down to Brian Barron’s place in Sixmilebridge and he is a staunch ‘Bridge man in fairness but he opened up his doors for us and we spent eight weeks doing some strength and conditioning, and core work with him.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank him very much because I feel it stood to us as the year went on. We have a great panel of girls that the harder you train them, the more they want it. We took a knock again in the league final against Kilmaley but as it turned out, we met again in today’s final and it was nip and tuck right through to the end. But thankfully we held out by a goal.

“Kilmaley are a fantastic team and are the standard bearers for camogie in Clare and we find it very hard to beat them. There is never anything between us but today was our day and I’m sure Kilmaley will be back to meet us again next year.”

And while he was immensely proud of all his players, he did save special mention for Player-of-the-Game award winner Erica Minogue whose brace of goals immediately after half-time gave her side the cushion to prevail.

“Erica is an absolutely gifted camogie player to be fair to her. She has been talking about retiring for the last two or three years and there is still no sign of her going yet thankfully. She is, I’d say, the only player in the county that could have scored those goals and they stood to us because they were the difference in the end.”

Enright’s only championship blip came in last year’s provincial Intermediate final when going down to a near inter-county Lismore side by 5-15 to 0-11 and he is hoping to go one better this year, starting with the Limerick champions on Saturday, October 29.

“We were disappointed last year. We got to the Munster final and in fairness, we were beaten by a very good Lismore team on the day and I don’t have any arguments about that one. It’s Limerick champions Ballyagran in the first round and we have played them already in a challenge match this year already as well as a couple of times last year and they were tough matches. So that will be an interesting one and we won’t be looking any further than that game.”

Newmarket-on-Fergus 3-08 – Kilmaley 1-10 at Clarecastle

NEWMARKET-ON-FERGUS rubberstamped their authority over Clare camogie when fending off their fiercest rivals Kilmaley for the second year running on Sunday.

With the blustery conditions to the fore, the defending champions blitzed their opponents with two Erica Minogue goals against the gale early in the second half and in the end, it was the sufficient lift they required to get them over the line.

In fact, those goals were crucial to Newmarket’s cause after not taking full advantage when the breeze was at their backs in the opening half. Some dogged defending from Kilmaley ensured that the holders would only carry a four point advantage at the break which didn’t seem enough, a view that was further emphasised when substitute Ashling Darcy split the posts in the opening minute of the restart.

However, Newmarket were able to do what Kilmaley simply failed to in the opening half – score a goal against the breeze. And in fact, they would grab two in close succession with Roisin McMahon supplying Erica Minogue on both occasions, each one a dagger to Kilmaley’s hopes.

Kilmaley fought back admirably and five successive points cut the deficit to four by the turn of the final quarter but a missed penalty was magnified only 11 minutes later when Iris Kaiser sealed their fate.

That ruthlessness in front of goal in contrast to Kilmaley’s missed opportunities was the difference in a game between Clare’s flagship sides that was always going to be decided by goals. In fact, the accuracy on both sides has to be commended as both sides only hit two wides each over the hour. However, below the crossbar, Kilmaley will point to a mishit shot by Ashling O’Halloran that drifted wide after an incisive run through the heart of the Newmarket defence while Denise Lynch’s 43rd minute penalty was expertly stopped following a foul on O’Halloran.

The opening half went along expected lines after Kilmaley won the toss and decided to play into the conditions. With the ball rarely passing half-way, the defending champions grabbed the first six points of the game through Erica Minogue (2), Niki Kaiser (2), Iris Kaiser and Deirdre Cassidy by the 19th minute. And they might have also grabbed a goal in the 11th minute when Iris Kaiser cut in from the right, only to see her stinging shot saved by goalkeeper Edel Griffey.

Kilmaley’s defence were under immense pressure but hunted in packs to ensure that they would not concede further and true to form, they held out until the break while also pouncing on the counter-attack.

Ashling O’Halloran’s chance came in the 22nd minute and they finally opened their account two minutes later when Claire McMahon converted a ’45. Again Newmarket piled on the pressure in search of a crucial goal that would give them a significant half-time cushion but full-back Sarah Reidy cleared a shot off the line in the 29th minute before Claire McMahon doubled her advantage with another placed ball to cut the deficit to only four at the break at 0-6 to 0-2.

So when Ashling Darcy cut the advantage to only a goal directly after the resumption, Kilmaley supporters could sense that the tide was turning. They didn’t account for Erica Minogue however who twice in the space of as many minutes gathered Roisin McMahon deliveries and successfully headed for goal to open up a nine point lead.

Kilmaley brushed off that set-back and after a Claire McMahon 20 metre free was deflected clear, they would hit the next five points, three from the stick of All-Star nominee McMahon.

They were frustrated with that penalty stop, even more so soon afterwards when Iris Kaiser bore down on goal and handpassed to the net in the 54th minute to restore her side’s eight point advantage.

To their credit, Kilmaley never threw in the towel and even grabbed a 60th minute goal through the hardworking Emma O’Driscoll but it was a mere consolation as time was not on their side and they had to yield to their perennial rivals for the second year in a row.

Newmarket- on- Fergus
Carol Toomey (Capt.) (7),Aoife Griffin (7), Jane O’Leary (7), Carol O’Leary (7),Aimee McInerney (8), Roisin McMahon (7), Carol Kaiser (8), Ruth Kaiser (7) (0-1), JoanneWalsh (7), Deirdre Cassidy (7) (0-1), Erica Minogue (8) (2-2), Niki Kaiser (7) (0-3 2f), Sharon McMahon (7), Iris Kaiser (7) (1-1), Jenny Kelly (6)

Sub
Aine O’Brien (7) for Kelly (HT)

Kilmaley
Edel Griffey (7), Niamh Cahill (7), Sarah Reidy (7), Sinead O’Halloran (7), Helen McMahon (7) (0-1), Katie Cahill (7), Eimear Considine (7),Aida Griffey (7), Eimear O’Connor (6), Shonagh Enright (7) (0-2), Emma O’Driscoll (8) (1-0), Claire McMahon (8) (0-6 2f, 3’45), Ailish Considine (6), Denise Lynch (6),Ashling O’Halloran (6)

Subs
Ashling Darcy (7) (0-1) for O’Connor (30 mins), Sinead O’Keeffe for O’Halloran (57 mins)

Player of the Game
Erica Minogue (Newmarket- on- Fergus) Referee Fintan McNamara (Killanena)