Category: Sport

CLONDEGAD captain Gary Brennan summed it up best in his speech by stating that he had to take a second look at the cup to make sure it wasn’t all a dream. It wasn’t a dream, it was finally reality for Clondegad after the nightmare of recent finals and for Brennan, it was difficult to put his feelings into words.

“It’s hard to to be honest because it hasn’t really sunk in yet. I’m just absolutely delighted. We’ve put a lot of work into it and I suppose it’s relief more than anything because we really felt we had a chance and if we had been beaten today, I suppose it would have been really hard to come back again. So I suppose we are relieved but also absolutely delighted.”

Relief because they never really put Kilmurry Ibrickane away at any stage despite holding the larger share of possession and chances.

“I wouldn’t say we were nervous coming into the game. We felt quite calm and confident, and not over confident at the same time, but look games go that way. Kilmurry are a fantastic club with a great pedigree and a lot of those players have won county championships and Munster championships so they don’t give up easy and were never going to give in.

“We were coming under severe pressure but the goal just pushed us ahead again and made it that bit harder for them to come back.”

And with Brennan leading a very young squad into top flight action next year, did he feel that this maturing crop could blossom at senior level?

“We won’t worry about blossoming yet,” he says with a smile, “we will worry about surviving to start with and we’ll see where we go from there. But look, there is great work going on in the club, a lot of good young players coming through and hopefully we can start building ourselves as a senior club but it will be all about survival to start with.”

CLUB commitments and championship structures are a barrier between Clare and success at senior intercounty hurling, outgoing manger Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin told club delegates when giving a detailed report on his two-year as county senior manager.

In his wide-ranging comments on the state of Clare senior hurling as he hands over the management reins to fellow All-Ireland winner Davy Fitzgerald, O’Loughlin urged clubs to “look at the bigger picture” to help the flagship hurling team in the county prepare properly for the Munster championship and All-Ireland.

This, said O’Loughlin, demands a more streamlined and smaller county senior championship, while he also hammered home the need for the county senior manager to be given a two-month lead-in to the Munster championship, which would be free of county championship fixtures.

The two-time All-Ireland winner said that progress could can only be achieved as senior inter-county level “if we continue to work hard at all levels and the co-operation of clubs will have a significant bearing on this.

“I cannot stress loud enough that the incoming management must be given the most important months of May and June to prepare the team for what is their most important time at championship,” said O’Loughlin.

“We cannot have a situation that I faced this year when two rounds of the senior hurling championship was played in mid-May, which ultimately brought the Clare preparation to a halt and out of these two games we got four injuries, whereby we lost two players for the rest of the season and the other two could hardly train up to the week before the Tipperary game,” he added.

And, O’Loughlin said that a restructuring of the county championship by way culling eight clubs from the senior grade – a figure that represents 40 per cent of senior clubs – and re-grading them intermediate was his radical blueprint to benefit club and county hurling.

“I firmly believe we need to reduce the number of senior teams in Clare from 20 down to 12 and start playing mid-week championship matches over a shorter period of time,” he said.

“There is no doubt that we have not got 20 senior teams capable of playing to a decent senior level and we would be best served with a more competitive senior championship. We need to look at the bigger picture for once and for all to see what’s best going forward for Clare hurling,” he added.

THE old ‘if you enlist, you must drill’ quote sprang to mind on Sunday as Clondegad manager Dermot Coughlan was placed in the unenviable position of having to face his native side in the intermediate final. On any other day, he would have been roaring on Kilmurry Ibrickane but after four years in charge of Clondegad that had seen the club come so close, no more so than last year’s final defeat to St Breckan’s, Coughlan had to prioritise head over heart to get his side over the line.

“To be honest we are delighted. There were a lot of near misses down through the years and I suppose you wonder is your day ever going to come. I knew playing Kilmurry Ibrickane, my own club, that they had experience and they knew how to win. I knew it would go down to the wire and I said during the week that whoever got the breaks on the day would take it and I suppose we got the breaks today and maybe that was the difference in the end.

“The thing about is that we were creating. Against St Breckan’s last year, we didn’t create and I felt that today we were creating enough chances but never putting them away. But you always feel that some of those chances would eventually go your way and it duly did when Tony Kelly got onto the end of the move to stick it in the back of the net and give the breathing space to bring us home.”

They needed all that breathing space against an obstinate Kilmurry Ibrickane second string that never said die over the hour and who better than Coughlan to sum up the spirit of his own club.

“You don’t win two Munster clubs, six Under 21’s, four minor and five county senior championships in the last nine or ten years by giving in and they brought that philosophy onto the field today. You could see the five or six very experienced players they had. But look it, a two point lead or a 12 point lead for us made no difference because they [Kilmurry Ibrickane] were always going to fight it out to the finish.”

However, Coughlan’s highly emotional week was not just confided to football matters.

“I have to say on a personal note, it was a tough week. I lost a fatherin-law, a good friend of mine, Tom Mc [Namara] so I was delighted we could do it today down in his home club. It was an emotional week I suppose and I’m just delighted it worked out for us in the finish.”

So after making the breakthrough, what will senior football hold for Clondegad according to their manager.

“I always said it is harder to come up out of intermediate than it is to survive at senior. Any team that has gone down have never gone straight back up. Some have taken seven or eight years so if it was that easy, why aren’t the senior teams going straight back up?

“It’s a dogfight down there and you probably have a bit more breathing space and play with a bit more freedom in your football at senior.”

With the shackles of intermediate football finally broken off, Clondegad and Coughlan will relish the prospect of pitting their wits against the very best in Clare for 2012.

HEATED exchanges erupted at Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the county’s Gaels with chairman Michael O’Neill accused by one delegate of getting “personal” when issuing a trenchant challenge to anyone who questioned his commitment to confronting the football crisis within the county.

The fires of controversy were stoked by Doonbeg delegate Michael Neenan, who called on Michael O’Neill – who admitted that Clare football was “at rock bottom” – to lead the way by giving a commitment to institute a Director of Football post within Clare.

“You have to front it Mr Chairman,” said Neenan. “What has happened over the last ten years is not working. I think we should be putting in place a Director of Football and starting at the ground level up and doing proper coaching,” blasted the outspoken delegate. “We should take lead from the Tipperarys in football and the Dublins in hurling and look at it from that point. We have to take it seriously. A Director of Football should be immediately set up to look at the standard of football. We have too look at it more deeply. “We need proper coaching at ground level up and full backing from the county board. We have to over the next four to five years put a plan in place and working with a plan and everybody working together and people who are genuine about bringing Clare football to the top again. “Chairman, are you going to look into and put in place a Director of Football, putting proper structures in place at ground level, proper coaching done. It’s going to cost money and the clubs will have to raise money for that.

“Unless we do that we are fooling ourselves. We will be here next year talking about the same thing. If this is not addressed we are going to go further down the ladder. I am proposing that,” added Neenan.

“I honestly believe because of the financial implications it’s not a proposal we can take,” the county chairman responded.

“If you’re not serious about if Mr Chairman, we are not going to get off the ground,” responded Neenan. “Will you put a Director of Football in place? he added.

“No. I will work towards it. I’m not giving a commitment here tonight that I would put a Director of Football in place,” said O’Neill.

“Will you outline to the meeting here tonight how you’re going to go about it?” said Neenan hitting back.

“No. I won’t outline it,” responded O’Neill before saying “I want to tease it out to see what we can do”.

“But Mr Chairman we’re at rock bottom,” said Neenan.

“I couldn’t agree with you more,” said O’Neill, “but have I all the answers tonight? I don’t think so”.

“What are you afraid of about putting a Director of Football in place,” said Neenan.

“I’m not one bit afraid of anything, until we have the groundwork done and to make sure it’s the way to go and that we have the funding in place to pay that person. You can’t come in here blandly and say that we put a Director of Football in place. End of story. Michael O’Neill as chairman cannot do that.”

“This is where it can be put in place,” retorted Neenan.

“It can be discussed here tonight and can work towards it over the next couple of months. If we can come up with the finance and if it’s the right thing to do, it is part of the way forward,” admitted O’Neill.

“There is a better structure in place for the hurling,” said Neenan , “and it annoys me and it sickens me to think, why are we afraid to go down that road for the football. You have to take it seriously,” he added.

“I take exception to you saying I’m not taking it seriously,” said a visibly angry O’Neill. “If I’m not taking it seriously get me to hell out of here at the December meeting and come up to this table yourself, but you’ll have a job to get up here. I can assure you that.”

“There’s no need to get personal about it,” said Neenan, before the chairman claimed that the work is being done with football in the county. “We have worked very hard,” he said. “A lot of work has gone on on the ground. It won’t reap rewards for some years to come. There is an awful lot of good working going on in the county with football.

“Maybe a Director of Football is the way to go. I don’t disagree with you on that, but I’m not going to say blandly here that we are going down that route until we tease it our properly. What ever will be changed will be changed here by the clubs. It won’t be changed by me,” the chairman concluded.

MICHÉAL McDermott is prepared to walk away from Clare football if county board delegates feel that he’s not the man to lead the county senior team into the 2012 season.

McDermott first became involved with Clare teams in 1996 under John O’Keeffe’s senior management reign and has now put it up to delegates to decide if he’s still the right man for the senior job.

“Is it time for change?,” he asked delegates. “That’s for people in the room here tonight. If you feel there’s change needed, so be it. If I’m not the man to bring forward Clare football for one more year, so be it.

“I will walk away with my hand held high and say that I’ve given it everything and I couldn’t have given it anymore. The long and short of it is that it’s up to you guys to decide. Is Michéal McDermott the man to bring Clare forward? If I am, I would be proud to do it and would give 100 per cent.

“If it’s decided that Michéal McDermott isn’t the man to bring Clare forward, I have no problem in walking away and saying fine, so be it. I’ll say I gave it my best shot. I’ll say I thought I did what was right and I’m never going to fall out with anybody over football.

“I’m living in Clare for 15 years. I have given time for Clare juniors, to Clare under 21s and seniors. What I do is I love football. Without football I don’t know what I’d be doing.

“For my two years with the Clare football team, I’ve done everything in my power to try and bring success, not for Michéal McDermott, not for these men at the top table, but for the players,” McDermott added in his impassioned appeal to win the backing of county board delegates.

And, in making his case for a third year in charge, McDermott has forecast that success is around the corner for Clare – citing the DNA of current Clare players, their commitment to the cause and the ageing profile of the Kerry team as rays of hope for the future.

“People will say league was a disaster for Clare this year,” said McDermott, “but if anything I think we played better football this year in the league than we did the previous year but we didn’t get results.

“What ever people say about Clare football, it’s not as bad, if the breaks would only come our way. If we had every player out there of the quality that’s out there, willing to give everything to Clare, it would be brilliant.

“Most of all you want to have 25 or 26 players who have the DNA to give everything for Clare football. That’s what it’s all about. It’s about the players, to have a bit of pride.

“There is no given right to come out of Division 4. Every game is like an All-Ireland final. It’s a rat-race to get out. They are so close to coming out of Division 4, if a couple of breaks go our way. That’s what we need. We are not far off the mark.

“At the present moment Cork and Kerry are strong but things could level out. Look at the Kerry team this year – five of their six backs are over 30 years of age.

“There is not the same conveyor belt of talent coming through in Kerry. They could be coming down to a level.”

MONALEEN! To be or not to be? That is the question.

To be manager of the Limerick City club in 2011 as they chase down their fourth county senior football title since 2002?

Or not to be manager of the Limerick City club in 2011 in tandem with being manager of the Clare football team?

This elephant in a room full of county board delegates was broached towards the end of last Tuesday’s September monthly meeting of Clare GAA by Kilrush Shamrocks representative Colm Browne.

“Do you think it is appropriate that the manager of the Clare team should be managing a club team in a neighbouring county,” asked Browne of outgoing manager Michéal McDermott.

“I take your point on board,” responded McDermott, “but number one I was never manager of Monaleen. When I was appointed manager of Clare back in October 2009 and was ratified by the delegates in this room, at that time I was manager of Kilmurry Ibrickane and it wasn’t an issue then.

“As regards as where my commit- ments lie. Kilmurry Ibrickane had an All-Ireland final on March 17 (2010), the first in their history. On that Wednesday we played in an All-Ireland final, the previous weekend we played in a Division 4 match against London in Ruislip.

“When I was manager of Kilmurry Ibrickane it wasn’t an issue. During the year when I was manager of Clare I was asked to help out Monaleen, because they had lost their manager. I said I would because a good friend of mine was involved. I ended up doing a favour for a fella and I don’t have it in my heart to say no. That’s me. I enjoy football six, seven nights a week. Should that be taken away from me?, he asked.

However, Browne responded by saying “it’s different, you were actually the incumbent (with Clare) when you were appointed to Monaleen.”

“My commitment never waned when I was involved in Monaleen,” retorted McDermott. “When I was appointed day one I was with Kilmurry Ibrickane and it never affected my performance with Clare.

“Anthony Cunningham managed Galway under 21 hurlers to an AllIreland final and won. On Sunday he’s manager of Garrycastle in the Westmeath senior football championship. Pat Flanagan is manager of Westmeath football team, he is also manager of Clara who are in the Offaly football final.

“If I had felt my responsibility with Clare and not given 100 per cent I would be the first to put my hands up. My involvement with Monaleen did not detract whatsoever from my commitment to Clare.

“I was never manager and despite being quoted in media circles I am not manager – I’m there helping out, but I never missed a training session with Clare, I never missed a gym session with Clare. I give 100 per cent to Clare. It wasn’t an issue when I was appointed day one.”

COUNTY Board chief Michael O’Neill led the tributes to Michéal McDermott at Tuesday’s meeting of Clare GAA, saying that his commitment to Clare football was second to none.

His comments came at the end of McDermott’s lengthy address when he reviewed his two years in charge of the team, in which he parsed Clare league and championship displays in 2010 and 2011.

“As someone who has worked with Michéal McDermott over the past two years, his commitment has been second to none,” said O’Neill.

“The player he had on the panel gave it their all. His commitment, his knowledge of football is very good and I wouldn’t fault Michéal in any way.

“If there was an issue during the year we sat down and discussed it. We didn’t always agree but we worked for the betterment of Clare football,” added the county board chairman.

St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield delegate Joe McNamara also gave an insight into McDermott’s passion for football.

“Last Saturday I was in Gurteen – two mothers came up to me and said there is a seriously long session going on down there. Who was it who was training a group of girls? It was Michéal McDermott,” revealed McNamara. CLARE HURLING REVIEW

Ruan 2-7 – Crusheen/Tubber 2-5 at Clarecastle

ONE OF the better hurling games played over the Under 15 championship saw two evenly matched sides pitted against each other in the Under 15C title decider in Clarecastle on Sunday morning. Many clashes between these clubs in various forms over the decades will have rarely more been keenly contested, with the impetus switching between the teams with regularity. Ruan were the strongly fancied side to win the laurels but would be first to admit that they were fortunate with a late rally to take the honours as Crusheen/Tubber were the better side for most of the game.

The opening score fell to Ronan Monahan after two minutes and in- deed he was one of the better players on view over the hour and was top scorer for the defeated having been used in a number of positions. Liam O’Donovan opened Ruan’s account before Crusheen/Tubber corner forward Ross Hayes scored his sides first goal in the sixth minute. At the interval Crusheen/Tubber held the advantage at 1-5 to 0-4.

Ruan failed to score a goal until the 40th minute when Lee O’Donovan hit the target and Crusheen responded positively with scores from Donal McMahon and Monahan. O Donovan’s second goal put Ruan ahead and from there they held out despite a late rally from the vanquished. The champions had sterling performances from Michael Lyons, Conal Ó hAiniféin, Lee O’Donovan, Liam O’Donovan, Colm Rice, Jason Courtney and Tim O Connor. Crusheen/Tubber were served well by Ronan Monahan, Colin Waters, Donal McMahon, Cillian Droney, Simon O’Donoghue, Brian McDonagh and Sean Culligan.

Ruan

Corofin 2-14 – Doonbeg 1-06 at Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown

HOT favourites Corofin justified those expectations on Saturday with a comprehensive victory to win their first Under 21B title in 17 years. A powerful finish that was sparked by Gearoid Kelly’s second goal saw the north Clare side ease to victory but in truth, they held the whip hand throughout.

A hattrick of Kelly points along with scores from Stephen (2) and Kevin Heagney pushed the winners 0-6 to 0-1 clear by the break and once Kelly scored the opening goal in the 43rd minute, Corofin appeared to have put paid to any hopes of a Magpie comeback.

However, a Jamie Russell goal gave Doonbeg a glimmer of hope to bring back the deficit to five in an impres – sive overall scoring display of 1-3 but that fightback was short-lived when Kelly raided for his second major in the final quarter. And with that, Doonbeg’s heads dropped as Corofin ease clear to secure the silverware.

St Joseph’s Miltown 1-15 – Kilmihil 0-11 at Pairc Naomh Mhuire, Quilty

MILTOWN Malbay will once again play senior football next season after securing their status in Clare’s club football premier division last Sunday afternoon. The prayers and novenas were all answered as Miltown finally located a performance worthy of the prize of survival.

For Kilmihil however sheer and utter despondency is a mere understatement in describing the brutal reality of relegation that they now have to live with. Their new life as intermediate footballers has now begun and who knows when such a curse will be lifted off again if ever.

This clash proved to be the hard fought battle that both sets of supporters would have expected and demanded from their players. Every single player who took part in this struggle for survival have to be commended for their mammoth efforts and the pride they maintained in their club jersey even those brave football soldiers who fell at the hands of an unfortunate seven point footballing defeat.

It was those very same eventual heartbroken losers who found the ideal start to this game after forty five seconds on the clock. Shane Mangan displayed no early nerves before dispatching a terrific point thirty metres out from goal to nudge Kilmihil into an initial lead.

Miltown however quickly responded. Micheal Malone was allowed far too much space without being challenged by a Kilmihil defender and he also immediately levelled this encounter with the first of his three very impressive scores from play.

Miltown’s momentum now began to roll into motion. Kevin Keavy soon pointed to steal the lead for the first time while Seanie Malone and David Talty also added their names to an ever increasing St Joseph’s score sheet. Paul Reidy Kilmihil’s primary marksman kicked two frees in the space of a minute to keep his side in touch on a score of 0-5 to 0-3 after the opening quarter of this match.

The next score in this game was probably the most crucial of all. A powerful bursting run by Graham Kelly through the heart of the Kilmi- hil defence caused panic and chaos around the scoreboard side goalmouth which culminated in Kilmihil’s worst fears materialising with the awarding of a penalty kick to Miltown. Corner forward Eoin Curtin was given the responsibility of converting this crucial chance and he certainly did not let his side down.

Any soccer play in the world from the past or present would have admired his net bursting top right hand corner drive which left the helpless Keith Considine with no chance. This was now a five point game and an early fear for the worst encircled the Kilmihil Kop in the stand at Quilty. This anxiety proved to be a little premature as a Reidy inspired Kilmihil amazingly regained a foothold in this tie. Point after point was converted by this classy full forward.

Whether from a placed ball or free it did not matter as the newly promoted vice principal of Spanish Point Secondary school taught some of his former students a lesson on the field of play.

Incredibly they entered at the break trailing only by the minimum and with the absences of even a gust of wind everything was still to play for in the second half.

Or so everyone thought! Miltown in truth found another gear after the restart that their Kilmihil rivals could not match.

The commitment of Kilmihil did not decrease but Miltown’s extra class began to shine through the more this match progressed. Dessie Molohan and Curtin took their frees with ease. Gordon Kelly captain fantastic as always even managed one after a rare scramble into attack from the defence he marshaled so well throughout.

Their skills levels were equal to their hunger for success and this lead ultimately to victory on a score of 115 to 0-11 with Micheal Meade finding the final point of the game.

A seven point margin was harsh on Kilmihil but Miltown conveyed no mercy and the celebrations at the sound of the referee’s final whistle were well deserved.

They will now be hoping for a 2012 free of anymore relegation finals but before the thoughts of next season really intensify a celebratory “miniWilly fest” will probably occupy the players’ minds.

St Joseph’s Miltown
Miltown Niall Quinn (7), Brendan O’Brien (7), Michael Talty (7), Enda Malone (7), Conor McKenna (7), Gordon Kelly (8) (0-1), Darragh McDonagh (7), Sean Meade (7), Kevin Keavey (8) (0-2), DavidTalty (7) (0-1), Dessie Molohan (7) (0-3 2f), Micheal Malone (8) (0-3), Seanie Malone (7) (0-2), GrahamKelly (7) (0-1), Eoin Curtin (7) (1-2, Pen. 2f)

Subs
Gearoid Curtin (6) for Talty, Enda O’Gorman (6) for McKenna, John Meade (6) for Talty, Kevin Burke (6) for Malone

Kilmihil
Keith Considine (7), Laurence Murray (7), Declan O’Shea (7), Derek O’Connell (7), Stan Lineen (7), Mark Coughlin (7) (0-1), Eamonn Ryan (7) (0-1), Timmy Ryan (7), David Ryan (7), Enda O’Halloran (6), Shane Mangan (7) (0-1),Anthony Downes (6), Noel Downes (6), Paul Reidy (9) (0-8, 6f), Mark O’Connell (6)

Subs
Shane Egan (6) for Downes, Martin O’Leary (6) for Downes, ColmCallinan (6) for O’Connell

Man of the Match
Paul Reidy (Kilmihil) Referee Pat Cosgrove (Corofin)