Category: Sport

WITH TWO successive wins under their belt, the pressure eases somewhat heading into a brace of home fixtures against the more unfancied hurling counties of Down and Kerry. Not that Clare will underestimate either side as Down put up an admirable display for 60 minutes against Limerick on Sunday, leading for much of the game before eventually being comprehensively overturned.

Of course, that game was at home in Ballygalget where Down can make life rather uncomfortable for visiting sides but as proven in last year’s campaign, Down are poor travellers down south only beating subsequently relegated Kildare last year and going down to Kerry in the opening round of this campaign.

Clare also hosted Down last year in their opening round, with Mark Flaherty picking up 2-11 out of the 2-20 to 0-06 result. The final scoreline suggests a relative walk in the park but what it doesn’t tell you is that Down hit 20 wides on the day, a colossal total for any team.

Clare will be expected to put their Ulster opponents to the sword in a similar fashion this Sunday as anything less will not be deemed satisfactory.

Clare manager Ger O’Loughlin hopes to have a full squad to pick from this Sunday, with Diarmuid McMahon expected to return from a hamstring concern while Conor McGrath may also play a part despite having a chipped bone in his hand as doctors haven’t put on a cast. Indeed, his appearance may come down to whether or not he has enough strength in the hand.

Whatever the line-up though, Clare should easily secure the points, with arguably more interest for Clare supporters in the Limerick v Laois and Antrim v Carlow games later in the afternoon. Verdict: Clare

IT WAS pretty much a carbon copy of last year’s game in that Clare were always in control of their own fate without ever decisively closing the door on Westmeath. And despite conceding their highest total of the year, in the end Clare managed to ease to a seven point victory.

However, while last year was all about the result as Clare just needed a victory to guarantee their place in the Division 2 final, Sunday’s game was all about the performance and showing a marked improvement from their opening ties and on that score, manager Ger O’Loughlin was predominantly satisfied.

“1-27 was a good score and again we looked good at times, especially for the first ten minutes of the second half when we came out of the traps great and we got some great scores. But again we just made life a bit uncomfortable for ourselves by letting them back into it and I think just when we drop our workrate, we invite teams onto us and most teams, even the likes of Westmeath, will capitalise on it so we have to just learn that lesson.

“We scored 1-27 which is brilliant and I’m delighted with that and I think there was a good improvement again there today. The conditions and the field were fine and going forward, I think the better the ground the better for us but I also think conceding 2-17 is a concern again so we have to try and work on that.

“Overall we are delighted that at least we are back on track and things are in our own hands again.”

Now back in control of their own fate, Clare now have two home games to further stake their claim for a final place.

“We have Down next Sunday and Kerry the following week and as I was saying to the lads, we just have to treat every game in the league as a knock-out game and we have to try to win every one of them. But it is in our own hands and as I say I thought we saw an improvement but we knew we also have to work on conceding 2-17 because if we don’t, it’s going to cruxify us somewhere along the way.”

If they are to tighten up at the back, another carbon copy of their 2-20 to 0-06 demolition of Down on Sunday would be greatly welcomed this Sunday.

Tulla United 0 – Newmarket Celtic 1 at The Cragg, Tulla

THOUGH they will hardly be shouting it from the rooftops, privately at least, Newmarket Celtic must feel they are coming mighty close to landing the Premier League title.

Their 1-0 victory over Tulla United on Sunday propelled Newmarket 11 points clear of second placed Hermitage.

And while reigning champions Avenue United have a significant number of games in hand over the league leaders, Newmarket’s recent brilliant level of consistency offers little hope to the chasing pack.

Newmarket now have five games left to play. Plenty of work remains to be done but the odds are tilting in Newmarket’s favour.

Four of their remaining fixtures are at home with just one, Avenue United, to be played away from McDonagh Park.

Certainly Sunday’s trip to Tulla was one of the more daunting assignments on Newmarket’s run-in. Tulla have been hugely impressive on their return to the premier league and played with enough energy and guile to keep Newmarket on their toes.

Just when it looked like the visitors would have to settle for a point, up popped Gary Collins in the final few minutes to score what could prove to be a priceless match winner.

The substitute striker was in the right place at the right home to tap home after Mark Donlon headed Michael Crosby’s free kick back across the goal

Collins had earlier gone close while Crosby saw a firmly hit effort well saved by Tulla goalie Paul Whelan.

With Daragh Corry turning in another eye-catching display and Alan Brigdale causing Newmarket plenty of problems, Tulla had chances of their own. Newmarket were thankful to goalkeeper Marty Whelan who got down smartly to keep out a Brigdale effort just after half time.

Donlon and Eoin O’Brien gave steady performances in defence as Newmarket pressed for a goal. Their efforts were rewarded late on.

UL MANAGED to capture the Fitzgibbon Cup with a late, late goal to make their triumphant comeback complete against city rivals LIT in Waterford on Saturday evening.

UL overcame CIT in their semi-final on Friday as they withstood the dismissal of Offaly senior hurler Shane Dooley and progressed to the final on a two point margin, 0-15 013. Their performance left a lot to be desired hitting 12 wides throughout the game and the absence of Dooley for the final meant they would be up against it no matter who their opponent would be.

Their fate was decided later that day as LIT made sure it would be an all Limerick affair as they battled it out with UCC eventually coming out on top as Newmarket man Bernard Gaffney kept his form and hit eight points in their 0-18 to 1-13 victory. They did not progress without a struggle as they had to deal with a UCC fight back late on to secure their place.

So for the second time in the last seven years, UL would meet LIT in the Ulster Bank Fitzgibbon Cup Final. No final would be complete without some form of drama or talking point and this was ensured both on and off the pitch.

Before the first whistle UL were told their appeal for Shane Dooley’s red card had failed but right before the last whistle they managed to clinch a victory with a late, late goal in a finale that was only fitting for the day.

UL went out to face into a gale wind and let LIT get right on top as they put up score after score and they were driven on by Newmarket’s James McInerney who pointed two frees from his own half.

UL were now under serious pressure as they trailed by nine points after 25 minutes but a never say die attitude and three scores before the half, one from Andrew Quinn, left it 2-7 to 0-7 at the break.

A second half transformation was in store and thats exactly what took place as UL came at LIT from the restart. Another point from Quinn and three more from his side put them in touching distance of LIT but they were unable to pass them out and tired legs became evident on both sides as scoring dried up. Bernard Gaffney’s two frees kept the game in LIT’s favour but an injury to James McInerney then resulted in him moving to full-forward for the closing stages.

It was in the first minute of the two additional at the end that the UL comeback was complete. When Limerick man Thomas O’Brien, who came on as a substitute, struck the back of the net to put UL in front. LIT were shell shocked and were unable to answer as UL held out in final minute to seal the win. Brendan Bugler (Whitegate) and Andrew Quinn (Tulla) played key roles for UL throughout the Fitzgibbon Cup campaign contributing greatly to their college’s success.

It’s also important to note that Clare men were also in action in the Ryan Cup at the weekend as Fergus Kennedy (Crusheen), Thomas Downes and Stephen Guilfoyle (Éire Óg) were victorious against IT Carlow in the Ryan Cup for IT Tralee.

ALL-IRELAND FINALISTS Galway still have the edge over their near neighbours Clare after securing their first victory of the campaign on Sunday. Clare have been on the receiving end of four consecutive defeats to the Tribeswomen over the last two years since they returned to the senior ranks but any hopes of a repeat of last year’s championship tie when Clare ran them very close were dismissed as Galway were determined to bounce back from their opening league defeat to defending champions Wexford.

That added spark plus the fact that Clare were without captain Siobhan Lafferty and pivotal player Deirdre Murphy handed the advantage to the home side who were first on the scoreboard with a point from play from Noreen Coen inside the first minute of play.

Clare levelled matters two minutes later with a Claire McMahon free before Chloe Morey pushed Clare to the front with another pointed free soon afterwards. However, this was to be the only time time Clare would take the lead in this game as Galway were back in front with two frees from Aislinn Connolly by the tenth minute before Fiona Lafferty levelled matters again with a point from play.

Galway tried to capitalise on a 20 metre free with Connolly driving her shot straight to the goal line, but Clare’s netminder Susan Vaughan blocked the shot and Connolly converted the resulting ‘45. Claire McMahon again levelled matters for the Banner before Galway had three points in a row, Veronica Curtin (2) and Orla Kilkenny both on target from play. McMahon narrowed the deficit to one point with two more pointed frees to leave the score at half time Galway 0-7, Clare 0-6.

While Clare were first on the scoreboard in the second half, Galway’s determination to bag their first points in the league saw them step up the pace a level. Two more Galway frees, Rebecca Hennelly and Connolly, pushed Galway two points ahead again. Morey pointed for Clare from a free in the 40th minute and this was to be Clare’s last score of the game.

Instead, Galway went on to score eight more points without answer from Clare. In an attempt to stem the Galwegian onslaught, Clare management moved Susan Vaughan from her usual position between the posts to the forward line, replacing her with Ailish Considine in goals. This move could have seen Clare raise a green flag, only for Vaughan’s shot to go just wide of the mark, leaving the final score Galway 0-17, Clare 0-8.

Galway’s ability to contend better with the strong breeze blowing across the field stood to them as did their unerring accuracy from placed balls. Clare now travel to Wexford on Saturday, March 12, a win there is essential and depending on the result of Galway v Offaly game will decide if they can still progress to a play off in the League. Wexford comfortably beat Offaly on a scoreline of 2-10 to 10 points.

Galway
Susan Earner, Regina Glynn, Sarah Dervan, Sinead Cahalan, Niamh Kilkenny (0-1), Sinead Keane, Lorraine Ryan, Orla Kilkenny (0-2), Niamh McGrath (0-1), Rebecca Hennelly (0-1f), Emma Kilkelly,Veronica Curtin (0-3), Noreen Coen, Fiona Keely,Aislinn Connolly (0-8 6f, 1’45

Subs
Shauna Healy for Keely, Jessica Gill for Kilkelly,Tara Rutledge for Curtin

Clare
SusanVaughan (Ogonnelloe), Kate Lynch (Kilkishen), Sinead Donovan (WolfeTones), Marion O’Brien (Ogonnelloe), Sinead O’Loughlin (Inagh), Roisin McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Eimear Considine (Kilmaley), Chloe Morey (Sixmilebridge) (0-2 1f), Ruth Kaiser (Newmarketon-Fergus), Laura Linnane (WolfeTones), Sharon McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus), Fiona Lafferty (Kilnamona) (0-1), Mairead Scanlon (Scariff), Naomi Carroll (Sixmilebridge) (0-1), Claire McMahon (Kilmaley) (0-4f)

Subs
Shonagh Enright (Kilmaley) for Scanlon (43 mins),Anne Marie McMahon (Crusheen) for Linnane (47 mins), Norah Murphy (Kilkishen) for S. McMahon (47 min),Ashling Hannon (Clooney/ Quin) for E. Considine (52 mins),Ailish Considine (Kilmaley) for Carroll (56 min)

Referee
Mike O’Kelly (Cork)

PADDY VAUGHAN’S era as the new Clare hurling captain finally began in earnest just over a week ago when he led his side to a narrow yet crucial victory over Antrim. Now with fingers crossed that his injury problems are firmly behind him, the Crusheen clubman is hoping to steady the ship and maintain Clare’s course for the Division two final.

“I had missed all of the Waterford Crystal competition and the Limerick game but it was great to get a full game against Antrim because it was a good tough match. So I’m just looking forward to playing the next few games, getting through them alright and hopefully getting the points on the board as well.”

Vaughan was speaking at the launch of the Sixmilebridge Road Hurling Championship on Thursday which he attended alongside fellow county team-mates Fergal Lynch and Diarmuid McMahon, two other experienced members of the trip up North that Vaughan reflected on further.

“By the way we played in the first half, we should have be more ahead at half-time but they got a goal and a point just before they went in. Then halfway through the second half, we were down James [McInerney] due to the red card but it showed a lot of heart for the lads to battle it out and get the win in the end because if you’d had lost that game, you’d have been in a uphill battle to try and qualify out of the group.

“You needed experience for Antrim anyway because it was always going to be a tight game. Antrim are one of the stronger teams in the division so if you’d lost two points to them, themselves and Limerick would have been favourites to qualify.

“But we got through it with the win and over the next few weeks, the team is just looking to build up a bit of momentum and get the winning feeling back.”

Next up for Vaughan’s men is another away trip, this time to the other Cusack Park in Mullingar to face Westmeath – a team that scored the highest total against the Banner in last year’s league campaign (3-15).

“You’d be hoping to improve our performance against Westmeath but I suppose it’s funny in Division 2 because every team seems to be beating each other in the first two games. Even last week, Westmeath had a good performance against Limerick before losing out in the end but we’d be just hoping to continue on from last week’s win and build on that this Sunday.”

Finally injury free for the first time in over six months, Vaughan like Clare will be hoping to avoid any further set-backs this Sunday.

IT WAS a bit like Groundhog Day in Dr Cullen Park on Sunday. Not only because for the second straight away game Clare were reduced to 13 men for off-the-ball incidents, only to dig deep and almost snatch somethng from the game, but it also brought back painful memories of the Carlow clash two years ago in Miltown when a flurry of dismissals saw Clare’s promotion chances sink before they even set sail.

Such indiscipline is undoubtedly frustrating for manager Micheál McDermott and his backroom team as they know that Clare should be entering the London game in a fortnight’s time with a perfect record of three victories. McDermott didn’t hide his feelings afterwards.

“It’s a huge disappointment because when you turn the clock back 12 months, these were the games we were winning by a point and things just don’t seem to be going our way.

“Okay, we had two red cards again today and I didn’t see the incidents but there seems to be question marks surrounding both of them as regards what’s a red card offence and what’s not a red card offence.

“We seem to be punished and yet on the other side of it and I don’t want to be giving out about referees the whole time, but Gary Brennan gets a belt in the jaw going for a ball and it’s a yellow card.

“All you ask for is fair play because to be fair to all the players today, despite going down to 13, they tried their hearts out yet again and it’s awful frustrating and awful disappointing for them to put up with that Sunday after Sunday.

“And it goes back to what I have said about Division 4 refereeing. If that was a Division 1 game today, that wouldn’t have happened and there would not have been two send- ing offs.”

And yet when Rory Donnelly grabbed a goal just after the break, Clare led by four and seemed to have the upper hand on their opponents despite playing into the conditions and having only 14 men.

“It did look good at that stage and we really raised the tempo when we down to 14 men and worked extremely hard.

“We made a couple of changes for strategy purposes as well to try and lift the siege and try to maybe drive at them a little bit more against the wind. But when we went down to 13 it was always going to be difficult. But we actually had chances there near the end. David O’Brien had a one-on-one with the keeper and the keeper made a great save and Shane Brennan was very, very unfortunate that the crowded goalmouth just got the wrong side of him and they came out and got the winning score.”

Despite the circumstances of Clare’s second loss, McDermott is still hopeful that they could possibly snatch a promotion spot but it will need a flawless finish to the campaign for that to happen.

“We are still in the campaign and if we win every match, we may get promoted and that’s the way we are going to have to approach every match. Every match is a big, big match for us starting with London. We have three games at home which is good and we need to win all those three games and then see where it’s going to bring us coming into that last two games in the campaign.”

Having shot themselves in the foot twice, any further slip-ups will certainly spell an end to Clare’s promotion hopes for 2011.

30 minutes
Clar e ar e on a r oll and in a back t o fr ont move t hat involved Mar k Tubr idy and Alan Clohessy, capt ain Ror y Donnelly finishes over t he bar from 45 met r es.

Clare 0-7

Carlow 1- 3 38 minutes Clar e ar e r ocked by John Hayes’ dismissal and aft er a foul by Har t net t , Pat r ick Foley put s over a fr ee t o cut t he deficit t o only t he minimum at t he br eak.

Clare 0- 8

Carlow 1- 4 32 minutes Ror y Donnely r aces t hr ough on goal but his shot t akes a deflect ion for a ‘45 t hat Alan Clohessy conver t s for Clar e’s fift h successive point in a 12 minut e spell.

Clare 0- 8
Carlow 1- 3 37 minutes Despit e being shy a man and playing int o t he wind, Clar e get t he per fect st ar t t o t he second half when subst it ut e Shane Br ennan t ees up Ror y Donnelly.

Clare 1- 8
Carlow 1- 4

CLARE MANAGER Ger O’Loughlin hit every ball on the sidelines on Sunday, an clear sign of the pressure piled upon his shoulders in particular, after the flooring disappointment of the Limerick performance and the increasing closeness of this tie as well.

However, Clare’s fortune to have survived this tricky test despite letting slip an 11 point lead, playing into the breeze with only 14 men for almost the final 20 minutes and enduring some dodgy decisions from the Ulster officials, was not lost upon the Sparrow who appeared much more relaxed when exiting the dressing room afterwards. Relaxed and relieved but still not wholly satisfied with the display.

“It was one that was badly wanted. If we had come away today without the victory, the shop was closed so I’m delighted now that we got the win but a lot of the time we looked like a second division team again today and we have an awful lot of work to do.

“We have a huge amount of work to do to try and improve but I’m delighted that we got the win and it might just get us shaped up again for the rest of the campaign. They showed great heart I thought but basic elementary mistakes are costing us big time.

“They had a big physical presence I thought there today and notwithstanding they were missing five or six of the guys that played yesterday in the club semi-finals so we’re lucky to get out of it with the points and I am realistic to know that we have a huge mountain to climb but at least it might take a bit of pressure off everybody after last week.

“There were plenty of snipers out there for us so at least we are back on par and we just hope that we can improve on what we saw again today. We showed heart but our touch and everything leaves a lot to be desired.

“Our problem in Clare is that during the week we don’t have somewhere to really train and we are reliant on clubs to get pitches and with the weather the way it has been, our actual training sessions have been confined to Lee’s Road more or less which is showing out in the games we have played really. So hopefully with the stretch in the evenings, we will be able to get a bit more hurling in over the next couple of weeks but we badly need it. I’m not under any illusions that that performance today will do either.”

So after the nadir of the Limerick, how did he pick his troops off the canvas and prepare them for the trip to Belfast?

“Well I think being truthful about it, When we regrouped and we chatted it out on Wednesday night, we knew were a bit better than what we showed against Limerick anyway because we were an embarrassment in Cusack Park last week.

“Also it didn’t reflect on the work we had done because we had prepared very well in the winter programme. We had done an awful lot of gym work and then fitness work in January and we had played eight matches so it was the last thing I was expecting. But I just thought that we threw in the towel too early last week.

“When we didn’t get the early scores, they got scores out of some of the play that we had in our forward line.

“When we didn’t put our chances away, the ball came down and they got the penalty from a mistake and we have watched the video a couple of times and again you couldn’t imagine how poor we were with basic stuff.

“Again it showed out there today. When we were in a comfort zone and we could have moved on and pushed it on, we made life difficult by conceding soft scores.”

However, in the end, the result was all that really mattered and O’Loughlin was happy to have overcame this perilous test and look forward to the rest of the campaign.

“That result might get a bit of confidence back in the team. We had to grind out the win there today and with three or four minutes to go, I might have had a different speech for ye and I’m glad I didn’t have to use it. But look, we’ll take it and we are delighted with the win.”

THERE WAS no Jedward in Casement Park on Sunday, not much of a crowd either, with the clash of the Celtic v Rangers game clearly taking from the home support as could be seen from the large parade of Celtic jerseys on view outside the grounds beforehand. But there were several television cameras that not only captured the action but also interviewed the home management at length on their latest hard luck story.

Antrim selector Ollie Baker may be new to the management team but he was inevitably at the centre of attention for this game with his obvious links for both sides and after completing his television duties, he was sufficiently warmed up to field questions regarding both his hats.

First to Antrim.

“Possibly we could have won. With two or three minutes to go, the game was in the melting pot and we had two or three chances but didn’t take them. They are a young team so they need to learn from that and they are fierce disappointed in the dressing room. We just need to learn from that and move on but in saying that, we were seven points down at half-time and came out with a tremendous effort in the second half. They really had to work hard to get back into the game but did that and maybe just came up a little short in the end.

“Maybe Clare had a bit more composure at vital times in the game but for every score that they got in the second half, we responded very well, came back and we were picking our scores from play and making more chances. So we can take an awful lot of positives out of the game as well which is huge as it is only the second game of the league and as I’ve said, they are a very young team.

And having been part of the previous Clare management under Mike McNamara as well as former AllIreland winning team-mates of the current Clare set-up members, Ger O’Loughlin and Liam Doyle, the St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield clubman is obviously better positioned than most to offer up his opinion on Clare as well.

“Again I suppose, they were on a hiding to nothing after their performance last week and the criticism that was levelled at them last week but I knew that they’re not that bad. They came up here today and I think the important thing for them was that after 20 minutes, they had 2-5 or 26 up on the board which was huge thing for them and they were able to sit on that lead when we had the wind in the second half. They hurled well and again it’s early season for them as well but it was important that they got their win and it’s just disappointing that it had to come at Antrim’s expense.

“The experience that they had gained in the All-Ireland Under 21’s and also that they are playing below in the Munster championship every year, it’s just amazing how much that is an advantage for a team to hurl at that level of intensity and that in turn brings a level of intensity back into training as well.

“Again they are on the right road and Sparrow is doing a good job with them as well and he is taking the chance to go with the young lads and that’s the future. They will be the future of Clare hurling and that’s the way you have to go.”

29 minutes
Clar e r eceive a let off when Br endan Bugler smot her s a Michael Ar mst rong close r ange effor t and Clar e go down t he field wit h Diar muid Mc point ing out of a scr amble.

Clare 2-7

Antrim 0- 4 33 minutes Clar e complet e an unanswer ed 1-5 haul when Nicky O’Connell point s a monst er fr ee from his own 65 met r e line t o give Clar e a healt hy 11 point advant age.

Clare 2- 9
Antrim 0- 4 34 minutes Ant r im r eceive a lifeline when Car son’s shot is saved by Tuohy and t he r ebound is int er cept ed by Vaughan. St ewar t point s a fr ee soon aft er war ds

Clare 2- 9
Antrim 0- 5 36 minutes Tur ning point of game as Mc Keegan supplies Car son who in t ur n picks out onr ushing McManus. Doesn’t br eak st r ide t o st r ike t o far cor ner.

Clare 2- 9

Antrim 1- 5 30 minutes Clar e’s fift h scor e wit hout r eply and Dar ach Honan’s fir st of t he league when he cont r ols an aer ial ball and put s over fr om 35 met r es in front of t he post s.

Clare 2- 8
Antrim 0- 4

Rock Rovers 1 – Bunratty 0 at Lees Road, Ennis

ROCK Rovers reversed their recent poor run of form in the league with a late victory over Bunratty on Sunday.

Marty McLoughlin’s clever header secured all three points for the home side after it looked like the game was headed for a draw.

After seeing a goal disallowed for offside, Bunratty had a late chance to equalise but John Scales’ powerful free kick flew over the bar. The result leaves Bunratty loitering around the lower end of the premier league table. The 2009 champions will be hoping for better form in the coming weeks in order to avoid a relegation battle.

Rock had taking nothing from either of their previous two encounters with Tulla and Newmarket so will be glad to have gotten their league campaign back on track.

In a game of few chances, Rock, for whom winger Dean Gardiner was hugely influential, made the crucial breakthrough in the final ten minutes. McLoughlin engineered a great flick on after connecting with Ciarán Russell’s powerful free kick. There followed a hectic final few minutes but Rock held out for victory.

Rock Rovers
Stephen Loftus, Michael Dinan, Francis Daniels, Ciarán Russell, Ronan Judge, Dean Gardiner, David Ryan,Ashley Glynn, Daryl Eade, Barry Woods, Marty McLoughlin

Subs
Niall McNevin for Ryan, David Considine for Woods