Category: Sport

Limerick FC 5 – Cobh Ramblers 0 at Jackman Park, limerick

MANAGER Declan Farmer moved his Limerick U19s team further clear at the top of the Under 19 National League Southern Division with a comprehensive 5-0 victory over their closest rivals, Cobh Ramblers. Their presence at the top of the table has been bolstered greatly by the presence of Clare players including Steven McGann, Sean O’Callaghan, Rob Shier and Fatmadh Dunisha.

Cobh started brightly and could have scored early in the game, but for fleeting periods Limerick FC totally dominated this match. The home side opened the scoring after good play up the left by Limerick’s left back Anthony O’Donnell, who passed inside to centre forward Colin Daly and his perfect through-ball played to his fellow centre forward Cian Collins in who scored from a tight angle. After 20 minutes Limerick were two up: the impressive Colin Daly again put Cian Collins through and he put the ball across goal for wide-right centre forward Darragh Rainsford to tap in at the far post. Steven McGann dominated centre midfield closing down and not allowing any space for both of Cobh Ramblers centre midfielders David Curran, Dillon McNamara.

Five minutes into the second half Limerick FC took full control of the game with the third goal. A ball over the top appeared to be running through to Cobh Ramblers Goalkeeper Shane Hallahan, but as the keeper hesitated and Darragh Rainsford stole the ball to square to Col- lins who had the simple task of stroking the ball into the empty net. The visitors had a chance to get back in the game but Cobh’s centre forward Dan Santry’s header was taken off the line by Barry Sheedy.

After 20 minutes Cian Collins rounded off a ‘man of the match’ performance as he scored two in the space of a minute. On both occasions he beat the offside trap to go one-on-one with Cohb Ramblers goalkeeper Shane Hallahan and on both occasions he finished with great composure. Cobh Ramblers pushed for a consolation but came up against an outstanding defence of Stephen Walsh in goal protected by a back four of Alex Scully, Andrew Cowpar, Sean O’Callaghan and Anthony O’Donnell, who fully deserved their clean sheet.

Declan Farmer’s Limerick FC U19’s team, has developed into the form team in this division with an average of three goals per game and now four points clear of Cobh Ramblers at the top of the table.

Limerick FC

THE current state of Cusack Park is set to come up for debate at Thursday night’s gathering of the county’s Gaels, with the St Joseph’s Miltown and Sixmilebridge clubs leading the charge for the seat of Clare GAA.

These two clubs have tabled motions relating to Cusack Park, which this year celebrates 75 years as the home of Clare GAA – a landmark anniversary that was also marked by a decision by Croke Park authorities to downgrade its status by reducing the ground capacity to an all-time low of 14,864.

The first general motion on the Convention Clár comes from St Joseph’s Miltown, with their longtime county board delegate and Cusack Park loyalist, Noel Walsh set to speak on behalf of the club.

St Joseph’s want Clare County Board chairman, Michael O’Neill to “appoint a sub-committee at the first County Committee meeting in 2012 to deal with the report that has re- duced the capacity of Cusack Park”.

In addition to this, the motion calls this new sub-committee of the board “to take in all aspects” of the report which was commissioned by Croke Park and carried out Slattery & Company and make “particular reference to the re-construction of the main stand”. St Joseph’s also want any new Cusack Park sub-committee to “report to the County Committee in three months” with it’s findings and recommendations.

Meanwhile, motion number 38 on the Convention Clár from Sixmilebridge says that “when finances allow, Cusack Park be given a facelift beginning with dressing rooms, showers, toilet facilities etc.”.

The motion could be inspired from Sixmilebridge’s own experience from their county senior hurling final against Crusheen in October when there were no hot showers available after the game.

Inagh/Kilnamona will table a motion calling for an electronic scoreboard to be installed at Cusack Park.

THE CLARE Ladies Football Under 14 trials, which are run in conjunction with the Marian Keane Memorial Cup, were played out over the last three weeks and concluded this weekend at Clarecastle. 65 girls were called to attend the trials and included players who had participated in the Under 13 twelve week development program, any other interested 13 year olds and a selection of Under 12 development squad members.

The trials were well attended in very adverse weather conditions showing a massive interest in representing Clare in gaelic football. Four teams played for the Marian Keane Memorial Cup, which was accepted for her team by captain Chloe Moloney and the Shield which was accepted by captain Katie Considine for her team.

Trudy Davenport, chairperson of Doora/Barefield Ladies Football Club presented the Cup, Shield and medals for every participant.

Mentors Eimear Considine, Aine Kelly, Johnny Hayes and Alan Copley wish to thank all the players, their parents and their clubs for participating in the trials.

The panel will be selected in early January and will reassemble on Sunday, January 15 in preparation for the Under 14B Munster Championship which begins on Saturday, March 3, with fixtures to be confirmed.

CLARE GAA will be obliged to have a county board meeting every month of the year, with one notable exception to this rule – the month in which the annual County Convention takes place.

That will be the way of the future if the St Joseph’s Miltown club has it’s way when tabling a motion at this Thursday’s Convention calling for the Clare GAA by-laws pertaining to county board meetings to be amended.

The move has its genesis in the fact that after Clare’s exit from the AllIreland series in both hurling and football in late June, it wasn’t until September that a full meeting of the Clare County Board took place.

This state of affairs won’t be allowed to occur in the future if the St Joseph’s motion which says “Meetings of the Co. Committee will be held each month with one exception of the month in which the convention is held” wins the backing of a majority of clubs in the county.

St Joseph’s motion also goes further, calling on the Clare Gaels to give their support for a raft of other changes to the structures, procedures and practices that govern monthly and special county board meetings.

The west Clare club is calling for “agenda for meetings to be made available a minimum of five days before meetings”. In addition to this St Joseph’s will put forward a number of other recommendations.

“A special meeting may be called on the written request of at least four clubs from different parishes, who shall specify in their request, the reason for which the meeting is being called.

“Three days notice of ordinary meetings must be given, but in the case of a special meeting, two days shall be sufficient. Secretaries of particular sub-committees, with the approval of their chairman, may call a special meeting if deemed necessary.

“The secretary of a particular committee shall be obliged to summon a meeting provided the chairman is satisfied that the subject matter is in order. Three members shall be the quorum for all other committees, with the exception of the disciplinary committee,” the motion continues.

Meanwhile, Sixmilebridge are set to table a motion calling for six monthly meetings to be held annually. At these meetings they say the “county chairman, secretary and board delegates and manager for the most senior team in the club” be present.

“At each meeting one hour should be devoted to dealing with football matters and one hour to hurling matters. The duration of the meeting to be three hours, with the final hour for general business discussion,” the motion adds.

OUTOING County Underage PRO Alan Copley is poised to take up the role as Chairman of Clare Ladies Football at this evening’s (Tuesday) annual convention in The West County Hotel.

The Banner Ladies delegate is expected to succeed outgoing chairman Johnny Hayes who served in the role for the last four years in what was his second term at the helm.

Fergus Rovers clubman Hayes announced his decision to step down at the November board meeting and with the only other nominee, Mary Keane not standing for the position, Alan Copley is anticipated to take up the appointment while also continuing as County Underage PRO.

Outgoing Secretary Michael Fitzpatrick is the only nominee for his position as is outgoing Development Officer Michael Edwards Murphy (Kilrush) but there will definitely be a change of treasurer after Coolmeen’s long-serving county finance officer Christy O’Connor announced his intention to step down from the position recently.

Mary Kenny (Coolmeen), Colette Corry (Shannon Gaels), Johnny Hill (Fergus Rovers) and Bernie Brennan (Banner Ladies) have all been nominated for the vacancy but no clear frontrunner has yet been singled out.

There are several nominees for Vice-Chairperson (Davy Browne, Doonbeg, Johnny Hayes, Fergus Rovers and Trudy Davenport, Doora/Barefield), Assistant Secretary (James Lafferty, Bernie Kelly, Edel Conway and Trudy Davenport), Assistant Treasurer (Colette Corry, Mary Kenny, Edel Meaney, Deidre Jordan and James Lafferty) while outgoing Adult PRO Mary Keane is again nominated for the position as is Kilmihil’s Kay Considine.

There could also be changes to the overall structure of the domestic adult championships if Fergus Rovers and Doonbeg’s motions are passed on Tuesday.

Fergus Rovers’ motion proposes ‘that a review of the junior, intermediate and senior championship takes place.

At present, there are only three teams in the intermediate grade. More games are needed to have a meaningful competition.’

Doonbeg will look to take the issue a step further when proposing that Junior A and Intermediate teams be combined for next year’s championship.

On the committee front, Fergus Rovers have submitted a request to set up a PRO committee for the coming year while Doora/Barefield have done likewise on the fixtures front.

Doora/Barefield have also tabled motions to administer a designated night for ladies football matches as well as dividing development squads into two regions, one for west Clare and the other in the Ennis urban area.

The Clare Ladies Football AGM will take place in The West County Hotel in Ennis at 7pm this evening (Tuesday) and all clubs are requested to have two delegates present.

WHEN Noelle Comyn’s name was announced as Clare Senior Ladies Football Manager at a specially convened meeting of the county board on Tuesday, there was universal approval from the floor.

After all, during her lengthy playing career in both Clare and Dublin, she constantly strove for perfection and was the epitome of what a county player should be. Whether winning nine county senior championships for Fergus Rovers; National Leagues, Munster senior and All-Ireland junior and senior B titles for Clare or more recently when finally capturing an All-Ireland senior crown with Dublin as well as county, provincial and national clubs championships with Ballyboden St Enda’s, the former All-Star was never less than one hundred per cent committed to the cause and promises to carry that attitude into management as well.

“Saying yes was not a simple or easy decision but having taken the job, I am ready to commit to the task and have accepted the responsibility of such a role. We will focus on devoting all our energies and commitment that are required to make a success of the task ahead.

“I have been out of the cutting edge from a player’s perspective since August 2010 having sustained a serious injury and following up with a double blow earlier this year when I ruptured a second cruciate. But I have taken it all on board, stayed positive and am now four months post op and back jogging straight lines. That maybe doesn’t sound much to some but for me personally, I’m over the worst and mentally tougher and stronger in my thoughts about sport and life.

“Going from being a player to being a manager is a big responsibility nowadays. As a player you are protected and you only have yourself to look after for all the extra work involved in preparation and diet but as a manager, you are responsible to coordinate all of these aspects for your squad and apply the appropriate measures required.

“Management is something that has always been part of my plans but up to now it was not possible as I have had to put all my energies into ex- tending my playing career and overcoming injuries. I believe in playing at the top level for as long as you can if your mind and body allows, while your thoughts will develop on how you would like to see things move towards the next step of your career.

“I am still in players mode but can also relate to the overall bigger picture of managing an inter-county team and what is required to make them develop as a team and as individuals.

“I am currently involved with Trinity College ladies team which has brought its own set of responsibilities in dealing with players. I have been considerably driven as a player and hope to bring some of these qualities to the Clare set-up, while also being practical in that everybody is different.

“Having spoken recently to another current young inter-county manager, one can never replace the will and desire to represent at the cutting edge but for those who dare to venture outside the zone, the next best thing is to be a leader in a different capacity.”

With the former dual star also based in Dublin, there is the added learning curve of commuting from the capital on a regular basis but she is quick to quash any problems in that regard either, even offering a light hearted solution.

“Who knows maybe Dalo can schedule his Dublin hurling sessions around the Clare ladies to share responsibilities of traveling.”

So what are her initial aspirations for her native county?

“The National League commences on February 5 versus Waterford in a very strong Division 2 that also includes Mayo, Kerry, Galway, Tipp, Cavan and Fermanagh. So there is no time for sitting back as this is a very strong and competitive division and will provide us with an opportunity to play against some of the top teams in the country, These games will hopefully benefit us going into the championship campaign. We will be looking to retain our Division 2 status which will not be an easy task.

“All in all we will be looking for everybody to be the best they can possibly be, starting with the players who will commit, the backroom team, county board and everybody who will contribute or influence the path of ladies football in a county which has a earned a massive respect both on and off the field. As a quote from a very important person in life states:

“Excellence is caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, expecting more than others think is possible”

If Noelle’s opening gambit as manager is anything to go by, Clare ladies football is indeed in safe hands.

REGRETS. There are a few, given that Clare’s brave assaults on All-Ireland minor honours came up agonisingly short in 2010 and 2011.

But Tony Kelly doesn’t dwell too long on those regrets as he looks forward with confidence to the under 21 and senior challenges that lie ahead, while always remembering some stirring days in the minor ranks.

“At the beginning if someone had told me that I’d have two Munster medals in two years, I’d have bitten their hand off,” he says.

And, it’s no wonder, for the Ballyea clubman has been Clare’s star per- former over those two years. Midfield on the 2010 Munster winning team, midfield and captain in 2011 as he emulated his clubmate Paul Flanagan who was captain in 2010.

“We set out at the start the year to retain Munster,” he says, “but the aim for the overall year was to go one better than 2010 and try and win the All-Ireland.

“Other teams in Munster were probably thinking that Clare won the Munster final in 2010 and they won’t win another one, but winning it again proved that it wasn’t just a flash in the pan.

“There were about nine of us on the panel from the previous year and management were looking to us to motivate the team this year and help the new lads along – there wasn’t that much extra pressure put on us. We were just told to go out and hurl. We’re just as motivated because we knew that if we came out of Munster we would have a chance of winning the All-Ireland.

“What’s the highlight of the year? It was definitely going down to Thurles and beating Tipperary. They came up to Cusack Park the previous year and were favourites, but we beat them. It was said that it was a once off and that Tipp didn’t take the game seriously – going down to Thurles and beating them was great and it really set us up to retain Munster.”

When the job was done against Waterford, attention then turned to the All-Ireland – time for those regrets again as a great opportunity was lost, agonisingly so at the death of the semi-final.

“We knew that Galway were one of the best teams in Ireland,” says Kelly.

“We knew that whoever won the Clare/Galway match were probably going to go on and win the All-Ireland.

“Being honest, we thought we had the game won when we were three points up. I suppose it was a lack of concentration that cost us in the end with that goal going in, while when it came to extra time they were physically stronger than us. We had no complaints in extra time but that lack of concentration in extra-time got the better of us.”

But with that the regrets about AllIreland opportunities lost are over, all because of what Clare minor hurling’s historic achievements in 2010/11.

“The two years were very successful and contesting an All-Ireland final and semi-final has been a huge achievement as regards Clare hurling. Things are looking good for the future.”

Tony Kelly is that future.

WITH THE benefit of almost four months hindsight, there still remains a certain romance to Clare’s historic Munster and All-Ireland intermediate success. Whether through the perseverence of manager Kevin Kennedy in finally achieving warranted reward for his years of toil at the grade; the return of seasoned campaigners such as Niall Gilligan and Tony Carmody to aid the younger generation get over the line, or simply the mystique of beating defending champions and perennial hurling superpowers Kilkenny in the national decider, Clare’s unprecedented year at the intermediate grade was really something to savour. Sentiments echoed by captain Tony Carmody following Saturday night’s medal presentation.

“It was a fantastic achievement looking back now. It’s been a good few months since we won it and I suppose a lot of people had forgotten about it but this has really brought home the success in sharing the occasion with the minors in winning back-to-back Munster minor titles.

“It goes to show the work that is being done and hopefully a lot of the lads playing both intermediate and minor will go on and hopefully win an All-Ireland and Munster titles with Clare in the coming years.”

With any successful campaign, there are always key turning points or moments in the season that will forever be embedded like pockmarks in the memory and for the Sixmilebridge player, everything seemed to take flight after their opening game in the Munster championship.

“I think the big thing was the commitment of both the management and players. From the outset, we looked to make a difference in the grade that hadn’t been done in the last few years. I think attitude and the minds really being right was important and once we got over Cork in the first game, it kind of led from there.

“Belief is a massive thing and once we got belief, I think there was no doubt that we were ever going to win it.

“The Kilkenny, Cork and Limerick games this year are ones that I’d pick out. They are all strong hurling counties and these were essentially their second teams, with most of their players looking to play senior for their respective counties. But no more so than the Clare players this year and I think the proof will be there in the next few years how many players that won the All-Ireland this year will go on and play senior hurling for the county.

“This year and last year, the Clare minors were without a shadow of a doubt the best team in the country but unfortunately didn’t win an AllIreland. But I think that could be a good thing in years to come that they will still have hunger and the right attitude to make amends for not winning an All-Ireland at that grade. Please God, they will go on and really prove their worth in the coming year.”

And for Carmody himself, the pride of lifting both The Sweet Afton Cup and the aptly named Michael Cusack Cup in 2011 is one of the undoubted highlights of an already glittering career.

“It was a huge honour for me personally to be captain of that team and especially to lift cups in both Cusack Park and Semple Stadium was a great feeling to have. They will be fond memories that will live with me forever but you have to move on as well. It’s important to enjoy the suc- cess but at the end of the day, every player has to move on and look to the following year.”

The celebrations are still warm but already Carmody is setting his sights on the future. It’s the sign of a motivated player, the sign of a leader as he truly was in Clare’s historic Intermediate year.

CLARE’S new under 21 hurling management team will have “a blank sheet” when selected their squad to challenge for provincial and AllIreland honours in 2012, incoming joint-manager Donal Moloney has revealed.

Speaking to The Clare People ahead of the 2011 Munster minor hurling medal presenation, outgoing joint-manager Moloney, has pledged “a back to basics” approach to the management team’s new role with the county under 21 side.

“It’s a very, very different campaign at under 21 level,” says Moloney, “and we’re delighted that the majority of the management team are continuing on with the under 21s.

“It’s a very difficult grade because the access we would have had to players at minor level is not going to be the same. We will have to work very, very closely with the senior set- up, with Davie (Fitzgerald) and with the colleges, because 95 per cent of these players are in college. It’s a challenge and how we deal with that will determine whether we’re going to be successful or not,” he adds.

With the scale of this challenge in mind, Moloney, admits that success can’t be taken as a given, despite the stirring successes at minor level in 2010 and ’11 when the county achieved back-to-back provincial minor titles for the first time ever.

“It’s not a foregone conclusion,” he says. “Players develop in different ways. Look at the likes of Limerick this year. They won the Munster under 21, whereas they were really nowhere at minor level.

“Players develop differently. You can have a lot of late developers who come through at under 21 level, while some guys who were there at minor level might not progress as fast.

“We would be hopeful of success, but we don’t have a good record. Clare have never taken a minor side – any of the previous minor sides that have won something – and transferred it into a Munster under 21 title.

“That’s something we’re going to have to monitor very closely because in terms of picking our panel we have gone back to basics. We have a blank sheet to make sure we assess people properly in terms of where they’re at now, rather that what they did a year ago, two or three years ago at minor level,” he adds.

THE COMPLETE turnover of officials last year made way for a united front this time around as all seven officers were returned to the top table of Bord na nÓg Iomaint at their annual convention on Thursday in The Auburn Lodge Hotel in Ennis.

That continuity was reflected in Chairman Martin Reynolds address when paying tribute to his fellow committee for their hard work over the past twelve months and in particular secretary Sandra Reynolds for being a ‘powerhouse and a wonderful find for Bord na nÓg.’

“Last year was an unusual year in Bord na nÓg Iomaint in the sense that all the officers changed hands and we had a new committee and I would like to particularly thank all the clubs for being so lenient and not giving such a hard time at the beginning of the year when we were all getting used to the job. We made some errors earlier in the year but without the clubs, the year could not have been a success.

And in outlining his plans for 2012, the Clarecastle delegate called on clubs to further support the development squads and put forward more referees in order to get Clare underage hurling to the next level.

“We would certainly like to see more clubs getting in behind the development squads and supporting them. I feel that the work the development squads at Under 14, 15, 16 and 17 have done over the past number of years have been 90% responsible for the county winning back-to-back Munster minor championships and I think clubs should get behind the development squads and send their players to them because they are our future. “I would also like to thank the ref- erees. We can’t have games without referees and that’s a given. I would urge clubs to forward new names so we can increase the panel of referees and reduce the age profile. “At the start of the year, we as a committee asked the referees to in- troduce a new system in Clare. We felt it was wrong for mentors to be running around the pitch, certainly at underage with hurleys in their hands and we spoke to the clubs and got great cooperation from the clubs and the referees and now thankfully we don’t see that happening anymore.

“As regards referees, we held 20 finals in Bord na nÓg Iomaint this year and had 20 different referees for those finals. We started at Under 14’s and tried to bring on some of the new referees and younger referees and use referees who officiated at the Féile last year and we intend to continue on that trend this year.”