Category: Sport

DAVID Fitzgerald could be taken from under the noses of the county senior hurling team and appointed manager of either Limerick or Galway, while the Clare County Board embarks on an elaborate selection process to find a successor to Ger O’Loughlin as Clare boss.

That warning was sounded by a number of delegates at Thursday night’s county board meeting, with Doonbeg representative Michael Neenan leading the charge to have this threat headed off by appointing Fitzgerald to the top job in hurling immediately.

“Two weeks is a long time,” said Neenan. “A lot will happen in Libya and Syria in two weeks. Men can disappear. They can be taken by other counties. If Limerick or Galway want to get a manager, I have a feeling they will move fairly fast. Now we are going hanging around? Are we going to let him go?,” he added.

“I think we should come back here next Tuesday with names,” said Killanena delegate Colman Holahan, while another delegate said “there is a danger that if we drag things out, other counties who are looking for managers could move”.

“We are the Clare GAA,” said chairman Michael O’Neill. “We are not concerned with other counties and what other counties do. We are just concerned with ourselves,” he added.

“We don’t want to go down the road of a media circus,” continued Michael Neenan. “Clare hurling has suffered in the last few years because of it. I think we should pick a manager for the team going forward now. There is a manager that tasted success outside the county and I would be proposing tonight that that man would bring the best with him to manage the county. I would propose that David Fitzgerald would be that man.

“There should be no personality clashes. We have suffered from that in the past. We are all in it for the good of the game. I think going away tonight, setting up a committee, coming back here, shouting and roaring at each other and personalities come into it.

“If we want Clare hurling to go forward, we have to stop that. We have a man that’s fully committed to this county and will take us forward if he gets the backing, but he has to get the whole backing of this committee here tonight. We are the committee, not two or three selected people. David Fitzgerald would be the best man for the good of Clare hurling and we should appoint him now,” added Neenan.

“I am taking no proposals here tonight on anyone to become county manager,” said Michael O’Neill. “I don’t think the clubs have been mandated to do that. I don’t think that’s the way to go about it. We are not in a major hurry to fill the vacancy. If we have a manager by the end of October, that’s fine,” he added.

Ruan 2-12 – Parteen 1-10 at Fr Murphy Memorial Park, Newmarket-on-Fergus

THE MOST significant mark of intent in the group was saved until last as Ruan maintained their perfect record at the expense of Parteen’s.

In the lead up to the game, there were murmurings of tactical positioning as both sides were already through to the last four. However there was no apparent evidence of that on Saturday. Instead, Ruan’s experience of reaching last year’s final certainly had a significant bearing on the outcome of the game as they went about their business in a cool, professional manner.

On the flip side, despite their best efforts, Parteen never reached the heights of previous performances and have a lot of work to do ahead of their semi-final clash with Éire Óg. They were second best for the majority of the tie, emphasised by the fact that they only scored 1-2 from play and only showed some urgency after being handed a fortunate lifeline with Brian McSweeney’s major at the turn of the final quarter.

In particular, Parteen’s decision to move vital players from their more established positions backfired. The old adage that ‘if it isn’t broke, why fix it’ came to mind as normal centre-back Colm Quinn got a new role in midfield while midfielder Joe O’Connor was pushed up to centreforward and it seemed to offset the balance of the side. However, with the safety net of a semi-final place remaining, there was no detrimental harm in experimenting with the side.

In typical fashion, Ruan took full advantage of any such frailties and with the wind at their backs, opened up a 1-5 to 0-1 lead by the turn of the opening quarter. They opened the scoring with a bang after only two minutes when Killian Ryan gathered a Parteen puck-out before delivering an inch perfect pass over the top to the unmarked Brendan Lyons to hit to the net from close range.

And sandwiching two John Punch frees, Ruan continued that pattern with points from Robbie O’Loughlin, Brendan Lyons and Tadgh Hanrahan to move seven points clear after 17 minutes with only an Ivan Conway free in riposte.

In a rare attack, Daragh Yelverton played in Brian McSweeney who was well smothered by the Ruan defence as he was about to pull the trigger. However, it only seemed to anger the beast as Ruan stepped up another gear amidst seven first half wides with Lyons, Punch and Dara Roughan pushing them 1-8 to 0-2 clear by the 28th minute.

To their credit, Parteen did make a late burst when frees from Ivan Conway and Colm Quinn were aided by their first score from play in injurytime as a good move unleashed Joe O’Connor on goal but his shot just cleared the top of the crossbar.

That recovery was soon quashed when Ruan re-emerged to hit them for 1-1 in the first four minutes of the second period. A Jonathan Clohessy free was followed by a John Punch opportunist goal when kicking the ball to the net after a break from a Dara Roughan delivery.

Now ten clear, it appeared to be game over but a stroke of fortune in the 43rd minute ensured that Parteen had something to fight for in the runin. It stemmed from an Ivan Conway free that rebounded off the upright into the path of Brian McSweeney who finished over the line. It certainly lifted the intensity but despite their best efforts, Parteen were unable to pull in Ruan before time and will now have to contend with a clash against group two winners Éíre Óg in the last four. Meanwhile, victorious Ruan have a grudge local derby against Corofin to plan for in a fortnight’s time, with momentum now firmly on their side.

Ruan
Pakie Roughan, Gary Bell, Niall O’Connor, Leon Quirke, Killian Ryan, Jonathan Clohessy, Dara Roughan (0-1),Tadgh Hanrahan (0-2), Eoin Hanrahan,Aidan Lynch, Colin O’Donoghue, Mikey Vaughan, Robbie O’Loughlin (0-1), John Punch (1-6 5f), Brendan Lyons (1-2)

Subs
Patrick Keegan for Lyons (48 mins), Caimin Howard for O’Loughlin (50 mins), Sean Cullinan for Punch (57 mins)

Parteen
Alan Murnane, Mark Cunningham, Paul O’Dwyer, David O’Sullivan, Martin Moroney, Colm O’Connell, Philip Lavin,AndrewBeatty, Colm Quinn (0-3 2f, 1’65), Mark Boland, Joe O’Connor (0-2), Ronan Conlon, Brian McSweeney (1-0), Ivan Conway (0-5f), DaraghYelverton

Éire Óg 3-17 – Corofin 2-08 at Gurteen

SHADOW boxing or no shadow boxing, that is the question that surrounded this group decider. Éire Óg’s 12 point victory against their biggest rivals in the group either suggests that the Townies are justified favourites for the intermediate crown after two successive quarter-final exits and that Corofin are as of yet short of the mark. Or else perhaps that Corofin didn’t give it their all and Éire Óg are lulling themselves into a false sense of security.

Only time will tell but if the former is actually the case, then it was a worthwhile evaluation for both sides ahead of the semi-finals. Éíre Óg have undoubtedly the best forward division in the division and will take stopping after this blistering second half display that saw them ease up in the final quarter. Corofin, meanwhile have got the perfect wake-up call ahead of their clash with Ruan in the last four and if they are not up for that game, some serious questions must be asked of them.

Corofin played with the aid of the breeze in the opening period but were on the backfoot for the majority as a Barry Nugent goal and four Danny Russell points helped them to a 1-6 to 0-3 advantage. Nugent’s goal inadvertently sparked Corofin into action as in the next passage of play, Stephen Heagney had exacted full revenge at the other end. It was enough to initiate a mini revival as Éire Óg only held a 1-7 to 1-5 advantage by the break.

The Éíre Óg machine churned back into action on the resumption to build up a 1-12 to 1-08 lead and once Barry Nugent grabbed a second goal midway through the half, it appeared as if the Ennis side would pull clear. However, just as in the first half, Corofin responded in kind, this time from the other Heagney, Kevin, to halt their charge.

It wasn’t sufficient to trouble the Townies however who just dusted themselves down and hit the front once more, capped off by Shane O’Donnell’s 52nd minute goal that crowned off a decisive win.

Éire Óg
Kevin Brennan, Cathal Whelan, Noel Whelan, Ronan Cooney,Tadgh McNamara, Fergus Flynn (0-1 1’65), Ciaran Hanna, Mark Fitzgerald, Kevin Moynihan (0-1), Danny Russell (0-7 4f), David Ryan (0-2), Marc O’Donnell (0-2), Davy O’Halloran (0-1, lineball), Barry Nugent (2-1), Shane O’Donnell (1-2)

Subs
Kevin Hally for Hanna (inj), Stephen Guilfoyle for Moynihan (inj)

Corofin
Patrick Burke, MartinTierney, Luke O’Loughlin, Keith O’Loughlin, Darragh Shannon, Gerry Quinn, Damien Ryan, Eamon Dunne, MatthewShannon, Kevin Heagney, Paudie Barry, Neil Killeen, Stephen Heagney, Kieran Carkill, Killian Neylon

Subs
Donnacha Kelleher for K. O’Loughlin, Diarmuid Daly for M. Shannon, Declan Lee for Barry, Eamonn Malone for Carkill, Jamie Malone for Killeen

Referee
Johnny Healy (Smith O’Brien’s) IN the remaining games in the group, relegation worries were to the fore with Ennistymon, Meelick and Ogonnelloe all in the mix. Ogonnelloe were in control of their destiny, regardless of the other game and duly did enough to save themselves with a 2-15 to 3-12 draw with Feakle. With the wind at their backs, Ogonnelloe opened up a 1-12 to 0-06 half-time advantage with Peter O’Brien contributing the bulk of the scores including the goal. However, Feakle came storming back into the contest, predominantly through Gary Guilfoyle and Colin Nelson’s goals that saw them pull level by the 40th minute. Again a determined Ogonnelloe pulled clear when Rory Skelly goaled at the turn of the final quarter but parity was regained soon afterwards when Feakle grabbed a third

major, this time through Donal O’Grady. The last six or seven minutes proved nervy, with neither side adding to their total despite a late goal chance for Ogonnelloe but a point was sufficient to avoid the relegation lottery. And so it came down to the east meets west showdown of Meelick and Ennistymon to decide the relegation candidate from group two and it was the bottom side Ennistymon that guaranteed their safety with a 2-15 to 0-11 win, with Cathal Malone scoring 1-13 of that total.

The seeds of victory were sown in the first half when they built up a 2-8 to 0-7 point advantage, thanks to goals from Cathal Malone and Padraig Brennan.

From there, it was just a matter of seeing out the victory and they did so by means of a 0-7 to 0-4 second half display that put the east Clare side in the one-off relegation tie against Clarecastle. WHILE the remaining two games in the group were merely academic, newcomers Crusheen did make third spot their own by leapfrogging opponents Bodyke after their 2-16 to 2-10 final round victory on Saturday.

The contest appeared all but over at the halfway mark, with goals from Niall Fitzgibbon and Gearoid O’Doherty helping Crusheen to a comprehensive 2-12 to 0-04 lead. However, a resurgent Bodyke make a remarkable third quarter recovery to get to within four of the intermediate league champions, mainly through the goals of Kieran Walsh and John Fitzgerald before Crusheen steadied the ship and finished strongly, with Gearoid O’Doherty capping off a fine display to end the day with 1-5.

In the final tie, played last Wednesday, bottom side Clarecastle got a much needed lift ahead of their relegation playoff with Meelick when edging out Sixmilebridge by 0-16 to 015 to claim their first points of the championship.

An inch tight match throughout, Sixmilebridge were to the fore early in the second half, mainly through the scoring prowess of Tommy Liddy who secured eight points but it was the Magpies who finished stronger with top scorer Adam Healy laying off the final pass for Niall Dunne to grab the winning score in the 58th minute.

Braodford 1-12 – Killanena 0-09 at Cusack Park, Ennis

BROADFORD booked their passage into the quarter-final stage for the second time in three years thanks to this workmanlike victory over a Killanena on Saturday evening.

It was a turgid affair throughout, with Killanena’s fourth successive defeat ensuring that they go into their relegation battle on the back of a depressing campaign in their first year back in the senior ranks in over 100 years.

For Broadford, it’s a totally different hurling world as they can now look forward to trying to build on their 2009 performance when they so nearly reached a first county semifinal in 64 years.

That’s for another day – this was about getting over the line, something they did thanks in the main to a first half when they forged a 1-5 to 0-4 clear courtesy of a brilliant individual goal from Padraig Hickey.

The All-Ireland intermediate winner is the main plank of the Broadford attack, something he showcased when bursting into the game in the closing minutes of the half when putting daylight between the sides for the first time.

First he lofted over a great point into the Stamer Park goal from underneath the shed terrace in the 25th minute to edge his side 0-4 to 0-3 clear; two minutes later he showed his determination in bursting through two tackles before blasting to the net from 15 yards to change the complexion of this game completely.

Up until then a brave, however, limited Killanena team had taken the fight to the favourites, more than holding their own in the first 20 minutes until a protracted delay of over five minutes after Mark Flaherty suffered a serious knee injury took the wind out of their sails.

Points by Flaherty and David McNamara to a reply from a Padraig Hickey free had them 0-2 to 0-1 ahead after ten minutes, while Niall Moloney and Mikey Noone then swapped points in the 16th minute before Broadford finally moved up a few gears in the final ten minutes before the break.

James Gunning’s long range free levelled matters in the 22nd minute before Hickey’s 1-1 blast put four points between the sides. That gap was still intact at half-time after Donie Whelan and John O’Mara traded points, while the game was effectively put out of Killanena’s reach inside seven minutes of the second half thanks to points from Hickey and Aonghus O’Brien that put them 1-7 to 0-4 clear.

All that was left for Broadford was to avoid conceding goals, something they managed comfortably despite Killanena’s valiant attempt to claw their way back into the game in the closing 20 minutes.

They did have the gap back to five with 15 minutes still on the clock after a David McNamara free was followed by points by Eoin McMa- hon and Mikey Noone, while further points by McNamara and Martin Glynn after Padraig Hickey’s fourth of the hour ensured there was only four points between the sides entering the last ten minutes.

But the goal they needed to have any chance of avoiding a whitewash in this group never came, leaving Broadford comfortable winners after Padraig Taylor and Alan McMahon added points in the closing minutes.

Smith O’Brien’s 1-13 – St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 2-09 at Shannon

IT’S REMARKABLY how much a team can be transformed when their lives on the line. Smith O’Brien’s were almost the forgotten side as the focus of the pre-match talk was predominantly on St Joseph’s who required the points and also needed Killanena to do them a favour by beating quarter-final rivals Broadford in the adjacent group tie.

However, the Killaloe based side needed the points just as much as their opponents to avoid relegation and that superior hunger and determination eventually saw them snatch all the points in a dramatic finale.

You could sense from the outset that Doora/Barefield were all but resigned to the fact that they would miss out on a quarter-final place for the second successive year. Indeed, the writing was on the wall from the early stages as St Joseph’s failed to lift their heads above mediocrity aside from impressive county minor Jarlath Colleran who was a constant threat and Ivor Whyte’s accuracy from placed balls, one of which flew into the net from 40 metres midway through the half.

Smith O’Brien’s meanwhile were intent on taking a scalp even without the presence of Pat Vaughan and while they left it late to seal the victory, there were constant indications throughout that they had sufficient prowess to get something out of the game.

They attacked from the outset but luck didn’t appear to be on their side even as early as the opening minute when a Mark Stritch free from his own ’65 was scrambled onto the post and cleared. Through Micheál Ryan, their most impressive performer of 2011, they did finally settle to open up a 0-3 to 0-1 advantage by the 13th minute before being hit by a frustrating sucker-punch.

Inevitably it was Ivor Whyte that dealt the blow as his sideline cut from 40 metres was allowed to nestle in the far corner of Jonathan Hayes’ net, a goal that would be the differ- ence for the remainder of the half. Between two points from the lively Colleran, Smith O’Brien’s got their challenge back on track with three successive points from John Cusack and Liam ‘Goose’ Walsh to cut the deificit to the minimum by the break at 1-4 to 0-6.

The second period was a seesaw affair with Smith O’Brien’s taking control early on after points from Kevin Walsh and Cusack before Doora/ Barefield replied in kind through a brace of Whyte frees. Liam Walsh had a 20 metre free stopped by Marty O’Regan in the 39th minute but he would make amends only three minutes later when Anthony Sullivan put him in for a goal from close range.

St Joseph’s response was almost immediate as an Ivor Whyte free was followed by a superb opportunistic goal from substitute Enda Lyons who outpaced the defence to find the net and take back the lead once more at 2-8 to 1-9.

However, despite holding the advantage, St Joseph’s lack of options up front meant that Smith O’Brien’s were never far from their opponents, with Seamus Gleeson sweeping up everything at the back. In one final push, Liam Walsh cut the deficit to the minimum in the 58th minute while a good move involving Mark Stritch, Kevin Walsh and replacement Willie Neary allowed Anthony Sullivan to pick off the equaliser in the 61st minute.

Tensions were heightened as both teams scrambled for the winner but after a throw-in on St Joseph’s 20 metre line, Smith O’Brien’s substitute Shane O’Brien gathered possession and offloaded for the onrushing Mark O’Halloran to improvise off the hurley and give his side the win and more importantly safety at senior level.

And as things worked out, Smith O’Brien’s also bypassed their opponents in the final group standings. One just wonders why they could have shown such determination earlier in the competition when the group was in the melting pot.

Smith O’Brien’s
Jonathan Hayes (6), Michael Culhane (6),Trevor Howard (7), Cian Nolan (7), Seamus Gleeson (8), Mark Stritch (7), Brian McInerney (7), Mark O’Halloran (8) (0-1), KevinWalsh (7) (0-1), Mark McInerney (6), Micheál Ryan (8) (0-5 3f), John Cusack (7) (0-3), Eoin Ryan (6), LiamWalsh (8) (1-2),Anthony Sullivan (7) (0-1)

Subs
Aiden McKeogh (6) for Culhane (28 mins), Shane O’Brien (6) for E. Ryan (33 mins),Willie Neary (6) for M. McInerney (41 mins)

St Joseph’s Doora/ Barefield
Paul Madden (7), Cathal O’Sullivan (7), Marty O’Regan (7), Sean Flynn (8), Damien Kennedy (6), Alan O’Neill (7), Darragh O’Driscoll (7), Kevin Dilleen (7), Mark Hallinan (6), Emmet Whelan (6), Noel Brodie (6), Ivor Whyte (7) (1-7 1-0 lineball, 6f), Niall DeLoughery (6), Ken Kennedy (6), Jarlath Colleran (8) (0-2)

Subs
Enda Lyons (8) (1-0) for Brodie (30 mins), Eamon Clohessy for K. Kennedy (51 mins, inj), Gary Hassett for Colleran (60 mins, inj)

Man of the Match
Seamus Gleeson (Smith O’Brien’s) Referee Seanie McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus)

Inagh/Kilnamona 0-22 – Tubber 1-12 at Cusack Park, Ennis

SAME old, same old for Tubber as they failed to reach the quarter-final stages yet again, but for Inagh/Kilnamona it’s a case of being back in the business end once more as they showed there’s life after Tony Carmody when cruising to this sevenpoint success.

They did so on the back of their deadly accurate full-forward line of Messrs Arthur and Conor Tierney, who accounted for all but one of their points in a command performance that re-affirmed their status as real darkhorses for this championship.

Re-affirmed, because the poverty of their previous display when they were edged out 0-7 to 0-6 by Cratloe in a thoroughly forgettable affair had seen them slip down the pecking order.

Against that backdrop this was the perfect riposte by the Combo in a free-scoring performance that was up there with the best seen this term, as the free-taking prowess of Niall Arthur combined with some exquisite points from play by older brother Ger and All-Ireland under 21 winner Tierney provided the mortal blows against a brave Tubber side.

Tubber’s chance looked to be gone at half-time when they trailed by 09 to 0-5 after playing with the wind. Leaving aside their inability to cope with Tierney and Ger Arthur and coughing up frees that Niall Arthur punished, it was Tubber’s wide count that crippled them.

Seven over a half hour in which they showed very well was the story of the half, because with each shot that went astray Inagh/Kilnamona seemed more determined to punish their profligate opponents.

And so they did when turning on the gas in the closing ten minutes of the half as a couple of Niall Arthur frees to bring his tally for the half to 0-4, Tierney’s third of the half and two more Ger Arthur efforts moved them four clear at the break.

This was a very poor reflection for Tubber, for whom Blaine Earley (2), David O’Donohgue (2) and Patrick O’Connor were on the mark. However, the combination of raw spirit and a huge second half display by Patrick O’Connor ensured that this game was in the melting pot with ten minutes remaining.

Tubber posted their intentions early with a David O’Donoghue point, but it was a hat-trick of O’Connor points from distance by the 40th minute in reply to two more Niall Arthur frees and another from Tierney that teed up the prospect of a rousing final 20 minutes.

The game was delicately poised at 0-12 to 0-9 in Inagh/Kilnamona’s favour. They did move five clear thanks to Niall Arthur, with his sideline cut over the bar in the 46th minute be- ing the score of the day, but Tubber were back with a bang when Shane O’Connor drove through the middle and crashed to the net a minute later.

Patrick O’Connor’s fifth point from play in the 50th minute after Niall Arthur’s ninth seemed to herald a titanic finish. A dramatic comeback win looked possible for Tubber, but this very threat was Inagh/Kilnamona’s cue to turn on the style once more with five points in the final five minutes to finally snuff out the challenge of the Burren boys.

Of course, it was the Arthurs and Tierney show once more – the only exception coming when sub Dermot Gannon pointed in the 59th to ensure there was no clean sweep of scoring for the rampant full-forward line.

CURRACH racing has long been popular in west Clare and Doonbeg Rowing Club has firmly put the area on the map in recent weeks.

The club has just won the Clare league for the second year in succession. Kieran Browne (19) and brothers Alan (24) and Eoin (22) Honan were successful in each of their races during the year, to secure the title.

They won seven events to secure the cup. There is still one event outstanding – in Kilkee at the start of October – but they have secured enough points in advance of this, to win outright. They will be officially crowned champions at the final race.

They have been busy during the year in their chosen sport. They competed in the All-Ireland championships in Doonbeg in August, in which they finished in third place. The trio were joined in their currach by Eamon Enright from Clarecastle, when they finished third in the Naomh Óg event in Cork in March.

This was the third year that Kieran, Alan and Eoin were involved in currach racing. They secured a number of second places in their first year and were thrilled to win last year and again this year.

According to Kieran’s father David, it all goes down to dedication and training. “They train on Tuesday and Thursday nights. They train themselves. They are very dedicated,” he said.

They are well supported by their club colleagues. Currach racing is hugely popular in Doonbeg and there are around 30 members in the club.

David said there are hopes for further progress over the coming years.

“The club is going well. If you put in the work, you get the results. The aim is to win the All-Ireland. In the next year or two, they will be there or thereabouts,” he said.

Kieran is delighted with his success and is hopeful of further accolades in the future, having been introduced to the sport by his brother Damien.

“My brother was doing it a couple of years ago. They coaxed me along,” he said.

They plan to take part in the Galway league next year and are looking forward to the challenge. “We are hoping to take part in Galway. The boats will be different, racing boats. Ours are fishing boats. They will be faster boats,” said Kieran.

Lissycasey 0-09 – Ennistymon 0-08 at Cooraclare

LISSYCASEY the brave!

A year ago they were a kick of a ball away from being relegated to the intermediate ranks – now they’re back in a quarter-final for the first time since their landmark championship-winning year of 2007 thanks to this victory that really showed up how score differences can bring a cliff-hanging dimension to the championship.

It was heroic stuff from the men in maroon. Forget that they went into this tie on the back of defeats to Doonbeg and Liscannor, which meant that before a ball was kicked here were staring another relegation dog-fight coming their way over the horizon.

All because, dame fortune finally looked on their favour as they turned over the Garry Cup champions and in the process sent them by up to the north Clare capital with only the Senior B championship to look forward to.

It was inspired stuff by Lissycasey, but at the same time hardly surprising given that they were unlucky losers in their previous championship games. It was the spirit they showed in those games that came to the surface once more here and ultimately carried them to victory and that quarter-final spot that seemed to be such a long-shot before a ball was kicked.

And they did it the hard way, coming from three points down with 20 minutes remaining to hit four unanswered points for a dramatic victory that squeezed them into the quarterfinal tie with Cratloe.

In the end it was the boot of midfielder Danny Clohessy that carried them over the line when he landed a free in the 54th minute to put Lissycasey in front for the first time, a lead they doggedly defended in the final few hectic minutes.

Lissycasey had elected to play against the breeze after winning the toss – a gamble that ultimately paid off as they reeled in Ennistymon by the death, but for the first 40 minutes it looked as if the north Clare side had enough in hand to take the spoils.

With Michael McDonagh putting in a storming hour in the middle of the park, Ennistymon bossed this game for much of the first half. McDonagh got them off the mark in the third minute and while Derek McMahon levelled matters in the 12th, three-in-a-row from the boots of John McInerney, a Danny Rouine free and another from McDonagh had Ennistymon 0-4 to 0-1 ahead by the 15th minute.

McDonagh was denied a goal by a good Joe Hayes save in the 20th minute but the north Clare Magpies pressed on with points from a Danny Rouine free and McDonagh’s third of the half by the 23rd minute.

Lissycasey did peg a couple back via a Niall Kelly free and Francie Hayes from play by the 30th minute but Danny Rouine’s third free of the half ensured a 0-7 to 0-4 lead for Ennistymon as they turned to face the wind.

That it wasn’t enough of a cushion was down purely to Lissycasey’s spirit, with their first point of the half in the 32nd minute really showcasing what they were about. It was started in defence by Martin Moran, taken on by Enda Finnucane and finished over the bar by their longest serving player and centre-back Michael Melican.

Michael McDonagh’s tour de force resumed with his fourth point of the hour in the 39th minute, but it proved to be Ennistymon’s last score as Lissycasey slowly reeled them in.

Danny Lynch marked his coming out of retirement with a point in the 41st minute, while a Danny Clohessy free in the 43rd brought the gap back to the minimum. A foul on Francie Hayes in the 50th minute teed up the equaliser from Niall Kelly’s free, before Clohessy completed Lissycasey’s resurrection with six minutes remaining.

In a hectic finish Joe Dowling was red-carded in the 59th minute before opportunity at an equalising point knocked for Wayne Griffin in the 62nd minute – had he scored Ennistymon would have been in the quarter-final; he missed and their interest in Jack Daly was at an end for another year.

Lissycasey
Joe Hayes (7),Alan Nagle (6), Gerry Moran (7), Martin O’Connor (7), Martin Moran (7), Michael Melican (7) (0-1), Cathal Hill (7), Danny Clohessy (8) (0-3, 2f), Enda Finnucane (7), MatthewO’Shea (7), Francis Hayes (7) (0-1), Dermot Nagle (6), Derek McMahon (7) (0-1), Niall Kelly (7) (0-2f), Paul Nagle (6).

Subs
Cathal Doohan (7) for Alan Nagle [14 Mins], Sean Hayes (6) for Dermot Nagle [21 Mins], Danny Lynch (7) (0-1) for McMahon [40 Mins]

Ennistymon
Noel Sexton (7), Michael Devitt (7), Laurence Healy (7), OisinVaughan (7),Willie Murphy, Sean O’Driscoll (7), Michael Hohey (6), Ronan Linnane (7), Michael McDonagh (8) (0-3), Kevin Scales (6), Joey Dowling (7), Joe Rouine, (6), Danny Rouine (7) (0-4, 3f), John McInerney (6) (0-1), Sean McGonigley (6).

Subs
Wayne Griffin (6) for Hohey [34 Mins], Micheal O’Loughlin (6) for McInerney [50 Mins], James Murphy (6) for O’Loughlin [51 Mins], Brian Conway (6) for McGonigley [55 Mins].

Man of the Match
Michael McDonagh (Ennistymon) Referee Damian Fox (WolfeTones)

AS THE football and hurling championships come to their exciting conclusions, September sees the wrapping up of Ireland’s largest summer camp activity – the 2011 Vhi GAA Cúl Camps. This year the Vhi GAA Cúl Camps continued to be a popular choice for primary school children with over 83,000 children taking part around the country and in GAA units in Britain, North America and New York. Hurling heroes visited camps across their respective counties passing on the skills and training techniques, with Bernard Brogan, Michael Murphy, Anthony Daly and Eoin Kelly just some of the 35 Vhi GAA Cúl Camps Ambassadors on hand to give tips, skills and training advice to the young players attending the camps.

Anthony Daly, Dublin Hurling Manager commented, “The Vhi GAA Cúl Camps are an annual event now for so many children. The unique atmosphere in the camps means children have the opportunity to learn GAA skills in a non competitive fun environment. For primary school children this is undoubtely the best way to learn and it’s great to be a part of it every year.

In total 2011 saw 1060 Vhi GAA Cúl Camps taking place across the country with coaching and mentoring provided by hundreds of GAA coaches, players and volunteers.

Kilrush Shamrocks 0-11 – Kilmihil 0-08 at Cooraclare

THE Shams have steered themselves clear of the relegation mire – instead it’s now Kilmihil’s lot to look forward to with some trepidation after this Group 1 basement battle on Saturday afternoon.

With Kilmurry Ibrickane and Wolfe Tones already qualified from the group, this west Clare contest was always going to be a dog-fight with both sides desperate not to be sucked into intermediate football for 2012.

That it went the Shams’ way was down to their burst after half-time when they hit four points without reply inside the first 19 minutes to move 0-10 to 0-6 clear – from there they never looked like surrendering the initiative against a Kilmihil side that was game throughout, but ultimately limited.

Kilmihil held an early advantage thanks to a Shane Egan point in the second minute, but after Kilrush replied with frees from Padjo McGrath and Peadar McMahon by the fifth minute they were never headed for the rest of the game.

It was an even affair in the first half, albeit that Kilmihil were always chasing the game against a Shams that forced the pace thanks to the edge they enjoyed in the midfield battle thanks to the veteran Donal O’Sullivan/Jim Young partnership.

Points by Ruairi O’Connor and Peadar McMahon either side of another Shane Egan free had them 0-4 to 0-2 ahead by the 18th minute. Paul Reidy and Cathal Lyons swapped points by the 20th minute, as did Eamonn Ryan and Peadar McMahon by the 24th as the Shams maintained their two-point advantage.

However, points by Shane Egan and Mark O’Connell had the side level before Peadar McMahon’s fourth free of the half hour gave the Shams a 0-7 to 0-6 interval lead.

And when McMahon, Cathal Lyons and Jim Young tacked on points by the 49th minute the Shams primary objective of avoiding the ignominy of a relegaiton dog-fight was completed – gladly leaving that to Éire Óg, Ennistymon, St Joseph’s Miltown and Kilmihil to scrap over.

Two Paul Reidy points in the 50th and 55th minutes raised Kilmhil’s spirits and brought them to wining a kick of a ball of safety in the senior ranks for another year, but when the goal they needed didn’t come it was left to Jim Young to fire over the insurance point two minutes from time.

Suddenly the Shams have a Senior B campaign to look forward to – who knows they might embrace it and bring ‘championship’ silverware back to the west Clare capital for the first time since 1987.

Kilrush Shamrocks

Tony Burke (7), Seamus Bolton (7), James Hehir (7), Niall Gilbride (7), Niall Clancy (7), John Hayes (7), MatthewMoloney (7), Donal O’Sullivan (7), JimYoung (8) (0-2, 1f), Pat Joe McGrath (7) (0-1f), Cathal Lyons (7) (0-2), Darragh Bolton (7), Ruairi O’Connor (7) (0-1), EoinTarrant (7), Peadar McMahon (7) (0-5, 4f).

Subs
Stephen Sweeney for Lyons [48 Mins],Alan Daly for McGrath [48 Mins].

Kilmihil
Keith Considine (7), Conor Crowley (7), Laurence Murray (7), Derek O’Connell (7), Stan Lineen (7), Mark O’Connell (7) (0-1),Anthony Downes (7),Timmy Ryan (7), Paul Reidy (7) (0-3, 2f), Eamon Ryan (7) (0-1), Mark Coughlan (6), Enda O’Halloran (6), Declan Downes (6), David Ryan (7), Shane Egan (7) (0-3f).

Subs
ColmCallinan (6) for Downes [Half-Time].

Man of the Match
Jim Young (Kilrush Shamrocks) Referee Michael McGann (Michael Cusack’s)