Category: Sport

CLARE begin their Oscar Traynor campaign with a tricky looking first round tie against the Limerick League in Jackman Park, Limerick tomorrow night (kickoff 7.30pm)

Clare have been pitted in the same group as last year and after their game against Limerick will face a home tie against Galway. Former Rineanna Rovers, Shannon Olympic and Bunratty manager Colm Ryan is the man tasked with guiding Clare into the knockout stages. Ryan is joined on the coaching ticket by Avenue United stalwart John O’Malley and CDSL Munster delegate, Thomas Leahy.

Avenue United’s David Russell will captain a Clare side that will be hoping to avoid a repeat of the outcome of last year’s game between the same sides at the County Grounds. On that occasion, Limerick eased to a 3-2 victory. The visitors took the lead through Pike Rovers’ prolific marksman Alan Barry. Stephen Hickey equalized for Clare but Limerick gradually asserted their authority with goals from Barry and former League of Ireland player Brian Cleary. Damien O’Rourke bagged a late consolation goal for Clare.

Going by the quality of Limerick’s squad alone, Clare face a formidable task. Manager Aidan Ryan has assembled a panel again sprinkled with the heavyweights of the club scene in Limerick. Former Limerick FC striker John Tierney will offer a serious threat to Clare alongside Pike Rovers clubmates Alan Barry and Jonathon Grant. Janesboro, who currently occupy third place in the KBO Premier League provide four players while there is also a strong presence from Fairview Rangers and Carew Park.

Clare warmed up for the Oscar Traynor with a 1-1 challenge game against Hermitage while a side that featured numerous changes at half time eventually went down 4-1 in a friendly tie against the Limerick Desmond league.

CDSL Chairman and former Oscar Traynor manager Donie Garrihy, oversaw a the final training session in Lees Road on Sunday.

Organisation and concentration will be key to Clare’s chances in Limerick tomorrow night. If the visitors can limit their opponent’s ability to engineer chances from wide areas then the creative abilities and pace of Eoin Glynn, Colin Ryan and David McCarthy could cause plenty of problems for Limerick. The Clare squad selected for the Limerick game is as follows: John Healy (Avenue Utd) Joe Burke (Hermitage) David Russell (Avenue Utd) (Capt) Matty Nugent (Avenue Utd) Simon Cuddy (Avenue Utd) Darren Murphy (Bridge Utd) Darren Cullinan (Newmarket Celtic) Ritchie Fitzgerald (Hermitage) Shane Daniels (EnnisTown Rock) Con Collins (Avenue Utd) Packie Darcy (Lifford) Daryl Eade (EnnisTown Rock) Eoin Glynn (EnnisTown Rock) Eoin Hayes (Newmarket Celtic) Colin Ryan (Newmarket Celtic) Jay Regan (Shannon Olympic) Lunga Balman (Lifford) David McCarthy (Avenue Utd) Gary Collins (Newmarket Celtic) Ryan Boyle (Lifford)

Tubber 0-11 – Crusheen 0-06 at Cusack Park, Ennis

A BETTER balanced and physically stronger Tubber side overcame a spirited challenge from Crusheen’s third string side to secure the Junior B hurling league title. Both sides who lost at the semi final stage of the championship met in Corofin on Saturday with Tubber strongly fancied to take the laurels.

Crusheen started without the services of three key players Conor O Brien, Paul O Donnell and Keith Lenihan due to injury as Padraic O Malley opened the scoring in the 3rd minute. Declan Ryan who ended the game with six points, two from play opened Tubber’s account after five minutes. Over the course of the hour each score was hard won with Tubber benefitting from continuous Crusheen fouling and poor shot selection.

Niall Kearney and Edward Fogarty (free) responded for Crusheen as Ryan did likewise for Tubber. Ger Brohan and Damian Quinn was also on target with a point each to leave the winners (0-7) to (0-5) ahead at the break. Crusheen brought on two substitutes for the second half restart and Tubber were most fortunate not to concede at least one goal in the opening five minutes of the new half as Crusheen had three clear goal opportunities through the efforts of Ni- all Kearney, Alan Griffin and Philip O Donnell but spurned each chance.

Tubber rallied with points from Ryan and Paddy O Connor as Crusheen despite ample possession could not create scores thanks to a strong Tubber rearguard. Evan O Donoghue and Ryan rounded off the winners scoring as Niall Griffin managed a late consolation point for Crusheen whose third team has been promoted in the junior b league in the last two years. Tubber, will for their successful efforts be plying their trade in the junior A league next season.

Best for Tubber were Cathal O Grady, Oliver Taaffe, Francis McCormack, Mark Waters, Shane Mc- Mahon, Micheal Kelly, Declan Ryan, Ger Brohan and Damian Quinn. Crusheen had strong displays from the excellent Darren O Connor at corner back, John Hanrahan, Emmet O Connor, Ethan O Donnell, Edward Fogarty, Niall Griffin and Youen Horner.

After the game Irish officer of clare county board Tom Burke presented the Junior B league hurling cup to Tubber captain Cyril Cunningham.

Tubber
Cathal OGrady, Dermot Taaffe, Oliver Taaffe, Mark

Waters, Micheal Kelly, Shane McMahon, Kevin Conroy, Francis McCormack, Cyril Cunningham, Declan Ryan (0-6), David Fogarty, Damian Quinn (0-1), Ger Brohan (0-2), David Conroy, Nigel Naughton.

Subs
Paddy OConnor (0-1) for Conroy, Evan O Donoghue (0-1) for Nigel Naughton.

Crusheen
John Hanrahan, Darren OConnor, Emmet O Connor, Eoin Ryan, Enda OBrien, Damian Murphy, Edward Fogarty (0-2), Ethan ODonnell, Philip O Donnell, Padraic OMalley (0-1), Niall Griffin (0-1), Alan Griffin, Niall Kearney (0-1), SeanWeir (0-1), Brendan Keehan.

Subs
Youen Horner for Alan Griffin, Paul O Donnell for Keehan, Raymond Hassett for Murphy, Damian OConnor for Kearney Anthony Rodgers for OBrien.

Referee
John Dolan (Clarecastle)

Lifford 6 – Newmarket Celtic 2 at The County Grounds, Doora

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St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield 2-7 – Wolfe Tones 0-7 at Cusack Park, Ennis

WHEN Faughs ended 40 years of western rule when bringing Jack Daly east in 1994, a feature of that landmark campaign was Kieran O’Neill’s gut-wrenching runs from midfield.

If ever there was a case for like father like son, it was on Sunday as Alan O’Neill was his old man incarnate as he ran and kicked a standalone team from The Parish into their first county football final in 113 years.

Back then it was the Doora Raparees – on this day it was two raps of O’Neill’s right boot that produced wonder goals and completed St Josephs’ remarkable journey from relegation candidates to county finalists.

The first came 14 minutes into the game that put The Parish 1-1 to 0-1 ahead and in control, the second with nine minutes of normal time left killed the game and catapulted them into dreamland.

And, thoroughly deserved was this triumph too, because it was St Joseph’s who rose to the challenge on this penultimate round tie in a big way, while the Shannon men flopped – the second time in four years they’ve failed to take their quarterfinal form into a semi-final clash in Cusack Park.

Back then it was a driven Lissycasey who ended their hopes – St Joseph’s were certainly cut from the same cloth on this day because the combination of O’Neill’s goals and their point-taking ability from play elevated them onto a different class and proved far too much for a Tones side that miss-fired badly in front of goal.

Proof of the Tones’ problems came with the substitution of frontline forwards Gary Leahy and Kevin Cahill in the second half. Stephen Mona- ghan and Daniel Gallery also failed to score from play, as other than Chris Dunning’s 23rd minute effort all their scores came from frees.

Measured against St Josephs’ 2-5 from play, this was a miss-match, with The Parish cruising to the final frontier in a canter not seen in the club since the hurlers were in their pomp from 1998 to 2001.

A tense opening saw the sides miss chances before Daniel Gallery landed a 45 in the third minute, but St Josephs’ ability to score from play was showcased in the tenth minute when Enda Lyons and Cathal O’Sullivan teed up Cathal Duggan for a point.

There was more to come, with Alan O’Neill’s 60-yard run through the heart of a retreating Tones defence the stuff of legend, especially when he finished it off by drilling low to the net from 14 yards.

St Joseph’s never looked back with Cathal O’Sullivan, David O’Brien and Kevin Dilleen landing fine points from play, while O’Brien also stroked over a free from the hands to give his side a double-scores lead of 1-5 to 0-4 at the interval.

The Tones were lethargic – despite Patsy Keyes’ best efforts at midfield – and just about stayed afloat when Stephen Monaghan landed two frees either side of a fine point from play by Chris Dunning.

The introduction of Aaron Cunningham at half-time did give them some impetus, but still, two Mona- ghan frees was all they had to show for the first 15 minutes of the half, while the difference in class between the sides was personified in the 37th minute when mercurial play-maker Colm Mullen ghosted up the shed side and arced a great point over the bar at the Stamer Park end of the field.

The Tones did have a chance to peg it back to a two-point game in the 50th minute but Monaghan missed an easy free, while inside a minute another surge by O’Neill settled the game. This time he thundered forward, latched on to a Paul Dullaghan pass and blasted low to the net once more.

You could say it was exhibition stuff when Enda Lyons floated over a great point in the 52nd minute to but St Joseph’s 2-7 to 0-6 clear and on the high road to the most significant win in their football history.

Hurling bluebloods in the stand and shed were even bellowing as The Parish navigated through seven minutes of injury time to reach the Promised Land of a county final.

Football GUBU you could call it, given where they were after their opening two championship games and four points down 25 minutes into their third game.

Back from the dead, you could say.

Richly deserved though.

Avenue United 2 – Moher Celtic 0 at The County Grounds, Doora

IT was a magnificent achievement for this Moher Celtic team to reach the final frontier of the under 13 cup for the first time. In three seasons they’ve come from Division 4 to the top flight and in this final against the bluebloods of Avenue Utd they put up a titanic struggle before bowing out by a couple of goals in the second half.

There was nothing between the sides in the first half with both defences coping with any attacks that came their way, with Avenue coming closest to breaking the deadlock just before the interval when Anthony Lacey stretched to tip Patrick McDaid’s effort over the bar.

The second half followed a similar pattern before Tomás Hehir broke the deadlock 14 minutes from time with a free kick, while Avenue sealed their victory with a second from Mark McAuliffe six minutes from time.

Moher Celtic kept trying to the end though, forcing Paddy Honan into making a brilliant save from a goalbound effort from midfielder Ciaran Buckley.

TO say that St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield have navigated under the radar to reach a county final is putting it mildly, but their cover was well and truly blown by this command performance.

Underdogs beforehand they swept to a comprehensive victory that some afficionados in maroon could scarcely believe – those on the outside that is, because within the lair of the team they felt it coming as selector Kieran Kelleher explained afterwards.

“Even after losing the first two games in the championship there was ambition in this team,” he revealed seconds after their six-point win. “Before the Shannon Gaels game we had a challenge against Monaleen and the lads played well on that day and seemed to get more focused and get more of a drive in them.

“We knuckled down against Shan- non Gaels and got a good win. The lads have worked hard over the last month – they are a great bunch of lads and the just rewards are here today. We told them there was no point coming into a semi-final and not playing well. We had to go the whole way,” he added.

They were listening, especially Alan O’Neill, whose addition to the team in recent games has been one of the catalysts for a football uprising in The Parish not seen since the Doora Rapparees marked the cententary of the 1798 Rebellion by beating the storied Ennis Dals in the final.

“Alan came into us late, the fact that he’s involved in hurling and football in the parish and with the county, we didn’t want to bring him in too early. He came in very fresh and he has been a real driving force for us,” revealed Kelleher.

“The two goals were top class. He carried the ball 80 yards for that goal – the determination in him was something his father used to do, to inspired those around him and drag people into the game. It showed that if we ran at them we could open them up. The second goal was huge too because it came at a time when we were making a few mistakes and needed it to get over the line.

“It’s great to be there. We haven’t looked at Kilmurry yet but record is second to none. What they’ve achieved over the last few years is remarkable. Apart from winning seniors, a Munster club and contesting an All-Ireland they were going for six-in-a-row in under 21 a few years back.”

Who stopped them? St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield of course.

Mountshannon Celtic 5 – Newmarket Celtic 0 at The County Grounds, Doora

MOUNTSHANNON Celtic confirmed their dominance of under 12 girls football in Clare on Saturday when scoring a comprehensive win over Newmarket Celtic in this onesided final.

One-sided in the second half that is, because the game was still delicately poised at the interval with Amy Barrett’s strike from a free kick that came mid-way through proceeding separating the sides.

However, the east Clare side really opened up on the turnover with Tania Azara putting in magnificent 30 minutes as she rattled the Newmarket net four times as Celtic cruised to victory.

It completed the league/cup double for Mountshannon – their second successive year to achieve this feat, while Newmarket had to be content with runners-up spot in both league and cup.

Mountshannon Celtic
Sorcha O’Donnell,Amy Solan, Katie Minogue, Caoimhe Grace, Rachel Minogue,Aisling Corry, Amy Barrett, Niamh Quirke, Fiona Hayes, Rebecca Burke,Tania Azara.

Kilmurry Ibrickane 1-7 – Cratloe 0-9 at Lissycasey

FOR a few fleeting minutes this had all the appearances of a changing of the guard. Out of the west, into the east, seismic shift and all that.

The young turks from Cratloe had hit five unanswered points to draw level by the 55th minute – they could smell something special.

The old dogs from the barony of Ibrickane were creaking as Cratloe had them on the run, more than that they had the legs on them and looked primed to close in on their biggest scalp in senior football since beating Ennis Thomas Davis at the same stage of the championship way back in 1887.

With Liam Markham and Martin ‘Ogie’ Murphy thundering forward from the half-back line, the Collins brothers humming and deadeye Cathal McInerney up front, the stage was set.

Everyone in Lissycasey could feel it, but it never happened because in the gap of danger and with perhaps the end of Kilmurry’s greatest ever era at hand, like the true champions they are, they bounced off the ropes to land the knockout blow through Johnnie Daly two and half minutes from time.

It was gripping stuff. Kilmurry had bossed this game for 40 minutes and had enough possession to kill the game early in the second half, but Cratloe’s derring-go, fitness and football helped tee up a titanic battle that has set the standard for this year’s championship.

And, it was Kilmurry who raised the bar highest in an impressive opening when they raced into a 1-3 to 0-1 lead after 15 minutes. With Noel Downes and Michael O’Dwyer revelling in the space of a two-man full-forward line, Enda Coughlan retreated to the third midfielder’s role he played so effectively in those two epic county finals against Éire Óg in 2004.

It worked with Downes opening the scoring on three minutes, while five minutes later a long ball from Coughlan miss-judged by Barry Duggan was brilliantly flicked by Downes into O’Dwyer who slammed to the net beyond Jamie Joyce.

It was vintage Kilmurry – they were tight at the back, 30-somethings Peter O’Dwyer and Paul O’Connor were shading the midfield war against Brendan Bugler and Conor Ryan and the forwards were dangerous in front of goal.

Cratloe, meanwhile, were ponderous in their approach and if anything suffering from stage fright in the club’s first county semi-final in 124 years.

When Kilmurry followed up O’Dwyer’s goal with an Ian McInerney free and a brilliant Enda Coughlan point on 15 minutes after good work in the build-up by Ian McIn- erney, Noel Downes and Michael O’Dwyer, it looked a case of men against boys.

But whether it’s small ball or big, Cratloe are nothing if not resilient and two Cathal McInerney frees by the 24th minute – to add to Liam Markham’s opener in the eighth – raised their spirits before McCarthy’s fine effort from play eased Kilmurry 1-4 to 0-3 clear at the break.

Ian McInerney and Cathal McInerney swapped pointed frees inside four minutes of the re-start, before an exquisite crossfield ball from Stephen Moloney teed up Mark McCarthy for his second point to put five between the sides.

Kilmurry were in control, but as their wides started to mount Cratloe gradually played their way back into the game with pointed frees from Cathal McInerney and Liam Markham by the three quarter stage, pegging it back to a three-point game.

From there Cratloe took complete control – Conor Ryan and Brendan Bugler took a stranglehold of midfield as the Blues gradually turned the screw only to lack the killer instinct to win the game.

Two more Markham frees by the 50th minute left only a point between the sides, while Cathal McInerney levelled matters in the 54th, only for a couple of glaring misses to cost Cratloe their slice of history.

Padraigh Chaplin should have put Conor McGrath through on goal in the 53rd minute, but in electing to go for a point drove the ball wide from 18 yards, while McGrath, who was brilliantly policed by Shane Hickey throughout, should have pointed in the 56th minute only to be foiled by a brilliant Peter O’Dwyer block.

These misses effectively saved Kilmurry, who then showed nerves of steel in lifting the siege, with substitutes Niall Hickey and Johnnie Daly combining to seal their great escape.

Daly gathered the ball 35 yards from goal, turned and showed his enduring class when thumping the ball between the sticks for a great point.

Cratloe were crestfallen – their day will mostly definitely come but it was Kilmurry’s day as they close in on a third county title in four years.

Avenue United 7 – Coole FC 0 at The County Grounds, Doora

AVENUE United reigned supreme in this one-sided cup decider on Sunday afternoon – cruising to victory over their Galway opposition when rattling home seven goals to take home the silverware.

It was a stroll for the Ennis side as they led 5-0 at half-time, with Evan Courtney leading the way with a brace, while he then crowned his brilliant afternoon’s work by grabbing another in the second half to claim his hat-trick.

It was the other Evan in the Avenue starting line-up that opened the scoring – defender Evan McNamara getting the all-important goal to set his side on their way in the tenth minute.

From there the floodgates opened with Evan Courtney adding a second five minutes later before Barry and Brian Guilfoyle added to Avenue’s total, while Evan Courtney had the final say of the half with his second. Courtney notched his third early in the second half while Cian Crim- mins completed the scoring.

Coole kept trying though with Stephen McCarthy putting in a great display despite the tidal wave of goals against his side, while Calvin Finn was also prominent throughout.

The win keeps alive Avenue’s hopes of a league/cup double for 2011. The league is still up for grabs as they chase down their county capital rivals Ennis Town as the campaign enters its concluding stages.

MANAGER Patrick Murrihy was speechless at the end of it all, words failing him after the tumult of the final minutes when his charges looked to be staring defeat in the face only for Johnnie Daly to save the day with a brilliant point.

It was no wonder – he was as breathless as his players, still gathering himself in the minutes after the game as he deferred to trainer/coach John Kennedy.

“It wasn’t anything less than we ex- pected. We knew that Cratloe were a serious team and they proved that,” said Kennedy. “When we were five or six points up we could have kicked on and we didn’t. Cratloe never give up and it was very close.

“Football can be cruel and it went to the wire right a the end. It was a real intense game and scores were very hard to come by.

“No better man to get a chance at the end than Johnnie Daly who had just come on and kicked a great point. An old head and experience is what was needed at that stage and he did it and it was a score worthy of winning the game,” he added.

It was enough to book Daly’s sixth county final day out and Kilmur ry’s third in four years, but already Kennedy was looking for more.

“We have a lot of work to do with our forwards because we didn’t turn out superiority into scores,” he said. “The aim at the start of the year was to get to a county final and we’re there.

“You couldn’t be happy with the display of our forwards today. We showed well for the ball and won a lot of good possession but we didn’t translate it. We could have been comfortable with ten minutes to go if we had transferred it into scores but we didn’t.

“We’ll be favourites because Kilmurry are favourites going into most games. You have to take that. They have great experience and we’ll be hoping that we can bring home the Jack Daly,” he added.