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SURROUNDED by a green and red wave of congratulating supporters Evan Talty could not contain his excitement and enthusiasm.

“It’s absolutely brilliant now. We did what we set out to do,” he says above the din and through the crowd. “We had a very good quick start. We knew it was Barefield’s first final and since we had a bit of experience, the only way we could put that to use was to get that quick start we wanted and thankfully we did that.

“I think in fairness the game in many ways was over at halftime. When we came out and got the first score of the second half we were confident enough that we would hold out then.

“I suppose in most games we start well like we did against Cooraclare and Cratloe but then in most of those games we seemed to die down after that. We get on top and then we seem to relax. We said one thing today that we wouldn’t relax and stop playing. We’d drive on and get the next score, the next score and the next score.

“In fairness to Barefield they had a great year but I suppose it happened to us in our first year in Croke Park as well. We got caught in the headlights and I think the same thing happened to them today but they will be back again,” he adds.

Obviously a week of celebrations is around the corner but winning a county title for this amazing group of players is just not enough. A campaign in Munster and maybe even further is surely at the back of their minds already.

“We will relax now for a while anyway. I think it’s five weeks until Munster for us. We’ll enjoy this week but then we will be back down to work again. We’ll have another big job to do then. We really want to get back to where we we’re two years ago and hopefully finish off what we started.”

Newmarket-on-Fergus 3-14 – O’Callaghan’s Mills 0-11 at O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge

NEWMARKET made hard work of it at times but there was no doubting the final result as they eased into their first senior championship final in three years. The game had undoubtedly highs and lows as Newmarket’s blistering start and finish thrilled the small attendence but equally, the needless skirmishes that greeted the final quarter saw straight reds for Martin O’Hanlon and Adrian Donovan.

As always, central to Newmarket’s attacking cause was county senior Colin Ryan who would end the day with 2-7, with the opening goal coming after only two minutes when a long Darren O’Connor delivery was broken into his path by Anthony Kilmartin.

The Blues would continue in that powerful vein when building up a 22 to 0-0 lead by the seventh minute with Kilmartin turning executioner for the second goal when controlling and half-volleying a Shane O’Brien handpass to the back of the net to pour more misery on their opponents.

A rout appeared on the cards at that stage but instead of kicking on, the Blues would only score twice more in the half as the Mills finally awoke from their sleepy start. The catalyst was the move of Gary Neville back as a third midfielder and they started to get a grip around the centre, hitting seven out of the remaining nine points of the half, three from Neville to peg back the deficit to only three by the break at 2-4 to 0-7.

Indeed, had Adrian Donovan’s minute shot through a crowd of players found the net just after the restart, the narrative of this game might have altered significantly. However, goalkeeper Kieran Devitt was alert to the danger and with that, despite Gary Neville’s three ripostes, the Blues would gradually pull away from their opponents. It was Ryan, predominantly through placed balls that did the damage in an impressive 1-6 second half haul, with his second goal from a 20 metre free in the 48th minute, effectively killing off the Mill’s hopes.

From there, the game became more fragmented but Newmarket finished strongly to hit the last four points of the game, two from full-forward Kilmartin, to seal a mouth-watering derby clash with Clarecastle this weekend.

Newmarket- on- Fergus

Ballyea 2-18 – Clarecastle 1-06 at Fr Murphy Memorial Park, Newmarket-on-Fergus

IT ALL went according to the form book on Saturday as championship favourites powered their way to the final, following an convincing victory over their nearest neighbours.

It was always going to be a tough ask for the Magpies who were the only side in the semi-finals not to have had a player on the Munster minor winning panel this year.

Ballyea had more than enough county experience at that level with Jack Browne, Gearoid O’Connell, Niall Deasy and Tony Kelly in particular proving too hot to handle for the Magpies.

Under 16 Bobby Duggan was Clarecastle’s main scoring threat throughout and it was his 17th minute goal from a 20 metre free that provided a glimmer of hope for the Magpie supporters.

However, they failed to build on it and the revolution was soon quashed as Ballyea finished the half strongly with Kelly and Deasy doing the main damage on their way to a 0-12 to 103 half-time lead.

Ballyea’s focus on the final strengthened significantly after the break when Tadgh Lynch punished a defensive error to give his side a nine point advantage.

And when Niall Deasy struck a second major at the turn of the final quarter, there was only going to be one outcome, a comfortable success as was the case when these two met in the group stage.

From that juncture to the finish, it was damage limitation for the young Magpies who were predominantly made up of 16 and 17 year olds.

However, that was no concern of Ballyea’s as they ruthlessly closed out the game to put themselves to within touching distance of a historic title.

Waiting for them in the final will be the all conquering Sixmilebridge and a clash of epic proportions is expected. With stars of Clare underage hurling on show like Tony Kely and Jamie Shanahan, a large crowd can be expected for this contest.

Clarecastle
Jamie Coughlan,Tommy Howard, Mark McGuane, Dylan Broderick, Pat Tuohy, Gearoid Ryan, Padraig Callinan, StephenWard, Joseph Barry, Robert Duggan (1-5), Michael Casey (0-1),Aaron Green, Mark Foley, Conor Galvin, Kevin Scanlon.

Subs
Shane Galvin, Seanie Lynch, Johnathan Griffey,AdamCrowe, Eanna Cooney, John McInerney, Justin Neville, Brian Gilroy, Conor

Ballyea
Conor Harkins, Darragh Crowe, Jack Browne (0-2), Eoghan Donnellan,Aonghus Keane, Gearoid O’Connell, Joe Nylon, Stan Lineen,Tony Kelly (0-08) (right), Michael Nagle, Martin O’Leary, Tadgh Lynch (1-2), Lee Brady (0-1), Niall Deasy (1-5), Martin Quigley,

Subs
Shane Harkins, Ryan Griffin, Stephen Longe,Aaron Nugent, David Brassil, Niall Lynch, Lee Sherlock, Diarmuid Lorigan, Eoghan O’Leary

Referee
KevinWalsh (WolfeTones)

IT’S ALL minor action again this weekend as the Division two cup final and Division three shield and cup finals take place. All matches are dependent on weather conditions of course.

At 2.30pm on Saturday, Miltown Malbay hosts the Division three shield final between riversiders Coolmeen and Shannon Gaels followed at 4pm by the Division two cup final between seasiders West Clare Gaels and Liscannor. Coolmeen will want to finish this competition on a high but Shannon Gaels did have two big wins in the campaign already. Both teams will have something to prove.

In the Division 2 final, West Clare Gaels had victories over Kilmihil and Wolfe Tones and overcame Cooraclare in the semi-final by 5-11 to 3-05 while Liscannor despatched Cooraclare and Clooney/Quin before putting paid to Kilmihil by 3-13 to 1-07 to reach the decider.

The Gaels will be leading a strong defensive section onto the field including the up and coming Brid Foran and sister Maria, Grainne Harvey, Lauren Keane and Emma McMahon while sister and captain Lauren will be assisted by the indefatigable Shauna Harvey, Collette Keniry, Ailish Brew, Shauna Melican and Ciara Lynch in the attack.

However, Liscannor are used to winning big, thanks to major contributions from county regulars Roisin Rouine, Fiona Considine, Aisling Torpey, Therese Shannon, Roisin Considine, Emer Hillary, Therese Shannon and exciting prospect Katie Considine. This will be the deserved highlight of the day and should serve up a thrilling encounter.

The following day at 1.45pm also in Miltown, Fergus Rovers and Éire Óg go head to head in the Division three final. Éire Óg overcame Kilrush, Shannon Gaels and Doonbeg in the semi-final and were ruthless in their handling of the Doonbeg chal- lengers.

Captain Tara Sheehan will be happy to have the likes of top keeper Aoife O’Neill and Sophie Hanna, Rae Wall, Loren O’Mahony and Aoife Sheehan in defence. Up front Katie Malone and Amy Hayes did well in the semifinal but the Ennis side have vigour and tenacity in abundance with the lethal Orla Devitt and double trouble Alannah and Shauna O’Brien, all three outstanding in their penultimate stage clash.

However, Fergus Rovers have already beaten Éire Óg in the opening rounds. Add in the fact that the opposing teams are each managed by husband and wife team Alan (Éire Óg) and Edel (Fergus Rovers) Malone and it makes this encounter one not to miss. Rovers fell heavily to Shannon Gaels in the opening round but overturned that result in their second meeting later in the campaign but they have since had big wins over Kilrush, Éire Óg and Doora/Barefield. Aoife Clohessey, Emer O’Shea, Aine McSweeney and Ciara and Eva O’Malley are the core of a formidable defence while captain Grainne McCarthy pushes a dymanic attack in the shape of Jackie Coughlan, Jenny Maher and Lauren and Louise Griffin.

Hard to call this one but would you want to?

THE bottom line for Michéal McDermott and his management team after they won a year’s extension to their term in charge of the county senior team is that Clare wins promotion to Division 3 and reaches the Munster final.

That’s according to former Clare selector of 25 years Noel Walsh, who was part of John Maughan’s backroom team in 1991 to ’94 when the county won All-Ireland B honours, the Munster senior title and reached the semi-final of the National League.

“He should get one year,” said Walsh in backing the nomination of McDermott’s ratification, which was proposed by county chairman Michael O’Neill and seconded by Irish Officer Tom Burke.

“And if it’s successful it should be reviewed – if he does a good job there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be extended.There’s no doubt they gave everything over the past two years.

“I believe they have a great chance this year because they have five games at home in the league, which should obviously give them an advantage and the open draw in Munster favours them – playing either Limerick or Waterford, who we would be our equals, so we would this year be hopeful of going to a Munster senior football final.

“Who knows what will happen there – we know what happened in ’92.

“Those two objectives are reasonable – promotion from Division 4 and an appearance at least in a Munster football final,” added Walsh.

The chairman revealed that McDermott is still hopeful of adding another member to the backroom, something he intimated would be the case back in September when saying “

“It’s three at the minute – he hopes to get another selector as well. He hasn’t been earmarked officially yet,” said O’Neill.

“I would suggest that he would get a local man,” said Walsh.

IN hurling, as in life, there are no guarantees – that was the resounding message sent ringing out to underage or former underage championship winners within the county by Davy Fitzgerald when speaking to the grassroots of Clare GAA in the West County Hotel last Tuesday night.

Pointing ot the senior experiences and travails endured by both Galway and Limerick after their raft of under age successes in the new millennium, Fitzgerald warned Clare’s rising stars that it doesn’t follow that senior suc- cess is a given after minor and under 21 victories in recent years.

“We are going to have a lot of young players in,” said Fitzgerald, “but it has bothered me over the last two or three years. We have had a lot of (underage) success.

“The thing that’s bothering me is that success leads to success at senior level. I put it to you, did it lead to success for Limerick and Galway for last couple of years?

“We have got to be careful that we don’t put our players up on a pedestal. I believe we have to remain grounded, even after we achieve stuff at minor and under 21. We have to make sure we keep these lads’ feet on the ground and get them working hard for senior.

“That’s what I would encourage,” he added.

“We all know the last few years haven’t been fruitful for Clare. I can’t promise you. I can’t tell you we are going to turn things around and we are going to go back to the glory days, but the one thing I can tell you is that I am going to work as hard as I possibly can and I mean that,” continued Fitzgerald.

“My own personal view is that the rebuilding is still far from finished. I’m going to be straight about it. I think there’s more players that need to be brought in. They are going to get a go.

“The one thing I’m going to encourage ye and the people watching – the way I’ve worked over the last few years is that I have a tendency to play players and give them games. They mightn’t be flying it at the time but it’s important to give them their chance.

“Giving a fella 20 minutes here and a game there doesn’t always work. You need them to get their confi- dence, which is very important. You have to be patient for a small bit, we all want the same thing, but we’ve got to find out what’s what. Character is very important.

“I think Sparrow did a great job in the last two years. It wasn’t an easy job to come into after what had happened.

“He came in, he rejigged it, he started to build. I don’t think our strength and conditioning is good enough, something I’ve done a lot of homework on in the last couple of years. I’m going to work hard on that,” he added.

WHEN THE betting Gods, or indeed odds, smile down upon you, it would be remiss of anyone to anger them. In a similar position last year, this reporter punted for Crusheen from the outset, sensing the unfulfilled potential that duly came to the surface as the year progressed. So when weighing up this year’s crown, the abilities of the respective candidates and the recent upredictability of the championship in recent years ahead of this year’s race, much introspection led to a change of horses to an up-and-coming ‘Bridge side that had progressed steadily in winning a Clare Cup and Under 21A crowns in the previous six months.

Now it must be made clear in Sixmilebridge’s subsequent run to the final that this hurler on the ditch is not in any way claiming to knowit-all when it comes to hurling. Nothing could be further from the truth in fact. It is only mentioned as an aside in not wanting to jump ship ahead of Sunday’s decider.

After all, it wasn’t as if Sixmilebridge were rank outsiders, they were championship favourites even before a ball was pucked in the championship and that included the defending champions.

Like any championship though, there is also a large slice of luck involved in winning it outright. How each of the respective sides would have fared had their first round escapes failed to materialise could be debated endlessly as Clarecastle and Kilmaley should perhaps have taken their chances against Sixmilebridge and Crusheen respectively.

They are all whimsical if’s however as the saying goes ‘if my aunt had dangly bits, she’d be my uncle.’ The fact remains that both sides survived that day and haven’t looked back since, with Sixmilebridge and Crusheen comfortably easing through the remainder of the group and in the latter’s case, through the business end of the campaign as well with the minimum of fuss.

Sixmilebridge on the other hand, Dona l Tuohy Only 22 but the shotstopper already has a wealth of experience behind him. An All-Ireland Under 21 title tops the bill but he has also played championship for the county seniors. He is vital to Crusheen’s cause, has only conceded four goals so far and has kept successive clean sheets in the knock-out stages. Another one in the final would go a long way to retaining the title. Crusheen 8 Cr ona n Dillon V Nia ll Gilliga n A veteran duel that could well decide the outcome of this final. Gilligan is the Bridge’s undoubted leader, with his strength and guile difficult to stop. The eldest of the Dillon’s has buckets of experience though and will relish the challenge. Crusheen 7 Sixmilebridge 9 Paddy Vaugha n V Sha ne Golden Another crucial match-up, simply because both are

the engine rooms for their

respective sides. Vaughan is Crusheen’s top scorer

and freetaker and while he has been troubled by injuries, he is invaluable to

their cause. Golden is one

of the best up-and-coming talents in the county, has

ten points to his name and will relish taking on the county captain. Crusheen 9 Sixmilebridge 8 J oe Mea ney V Tony Ca r mody Pa Sheehan started in the midfield berth for

Sixmilebridge in the semifinal but a fit again Tony Carmody might just get

the nod, mainly due to his wealth of exprience. The All-Ireland intermediate

captain has settled in well

with his new club and will hope to get the better of Meaney who has finally filled the troublesome midfield spot to partner Paddy Vaughan. Crusheen 7 Sixmilebridge 8 J ohn Br igda le V Ca imin Mor ey All-Ireland Under 21 winner Morey hasn’t hit top gear yet but there were signs against Cratloe that is approaching his devastating best. Has the capability to win a game on his own but won’t get anything easy from Brigdale. Crusheen 7 Sixmilebridge 8 Ala n Br igda le V Da nny Mor ey Could be the headto-head battle of the game as these folically challenged livewires face off. Morey is the ‘Bridge’s top scorer from play with 4-10 while Brigdale is probably playing his best hurling at the moment. Crusheen 8 Sixmilebridge 8 Cia n Dillon V Ror y Sha na ha n The youngest of the Dillon brothers in the side is also the most vital to their prospects. Man-of-thematch in last year’s final, he will find Shanahan difficult to mark though. And if Shanahan can break even with him, it could well be enough. Crusheen 9 Sixmilebridge 7 Cia r a n O’Doher t y V Decla n Mor ey O’Doherty is an important part of Crusheen’s lauded half-back line but he will need to keep an eye on Morey who grabbed 1-2 in the semi-final. The Bridgeman has an eye for goal and his mazy solo runs could cause O’Doherty some concern. Crusheen 7 Sixmilebridge 7 Cat ha l Dillon V J a mie Sha na ha n Dillon is a talisman for Crusheen and invariably when he is going well, so do his side. He should have the strength and aerial dominance here but Shanahan is arguably Clare’s best prospect and on form, can do a lot of damage, despite his relative inexperience at this level. Crusheen 8 Sixmilebridge 8 Nia ll Gr iffin Michael Liddy Colm O’Connor

(Cha ir ma n) Michael Br owne (Ma nager ) Eddie Fit zgibbon by Eoin Bren n an Ma nagement

Tulla Utd 3 – Avenue United 3 at The Cragg, Tulla

A SIX-GOAL thriller at The Cragg entertained the spectators on Sunday morning as Tulla United deservedly picked up their first point of the campaign when grabbing an injury time equaliser against the bluebloods from the county capital.

You could say that Denis Corry’s charges struck early and late to ensure that they got a share of the spoils against an Avenue side that were hoping to build on their thumping Premier Division opener when they thumped Mountshannon Celtic by 5-1.

However, on this day there was to be no double against east Clare opposition as a resilient Tulla side more than put it up to their opponents.

Indeed, they bossed this game for the first 20 minutes after getting the dream start of a goal inside the first minute. In many ways it was a gift from the visitors, after a comedy of errors in defence was ruthlessly punished by Colin Nelson who found the net past John Healy.

From there Tulla, who were very unlucky to be go down to Lifford in their opening league game four weeks previously, gained real confidence and had much the better of the exchanges against their illustrious opponents with Darragh Corry showing really well in the midfield exchanges.

However, a set-piece play got Avenue back into the game when left winger David Smith beautifully floated a free kick from outside the area into the top corner of the net after 25 minutes.

This changed the game – Avenue’s early jitters and hesitancy was cast away and they grew into the task at hand and had the better of the exchanges for the rest of the half, albeit they failed to press this home on the scoreboard.

The sides were deadlocked 1-1 at the break, but 15 minutes in the tie seemed to turn decisively in Avenue’s favour when Tulla defender Denis Murphy was adjudged to have fouled Mikey Mahony in the box.

From the resultant penalty David Russell drove to the net to put Avenue ahead 2-1, a lead they looked like holding onto as the tie drifted into the final ten minutes. However, after 81 minutes a long free kick from midfield was miss-judged by Alex and Niall Whelan nipped in with a header for the equaliser.

But, the drama was only beginning because back came the Avenue and they seemed ot have kept their 100 per cent start to the season intact when influential midfielder David McCarthy beat Shane Collins in the Tulla goal.

But credit Tulla – they never said die and in the last minute, Denis Murphy atoned for giving away the penalty when he got the final touch after another route one delivery from a free and beat John Healy to bring the drama to a close.

Both sides went home happy.

Tulla United
Shane Collins, David McInerney, Denis Murphy, Niall Whelan, Paul O’Malley, Darragh Corry, Shane

Mason, Brian Hehir,Tommy McKeown,Trevor Corbett, Colin Nelson.

Subs
Ger Hanrahan for Corbett, PadraigVaughan for Hehir, Sunny Jay for Nelson.

Avenue United
John Healy, Simon Cuddy, Mattie Nugent, David Russell,Alex, Con Collins, Gary Flynn, Dave McCarthy, Sean Corry, David Smith, Mickey Mahony.

Sub
Darren O’Meara for Flynn.

Man of the Match
Darragh Corry (Tulla United)

YOU SIMPLY cannot argue with Brian Enright’s championship record as Newmarket manager. A perfect accomplishment of two successive county titles has wrestled back control of championship matters from Kilmaley, who were contesting their sixth successive decider on Sunday and he couldn’t speak highly enough of his players.

“It’s absolutely fantastic. They are a great bunch of girls and have been training since January. We went down to Brian Barron’s place in Sixmilebridge and he is a staunch ‘Bridge man in fairness but he opened up his doors for us and we spent eight weeks doing some strength and conditioning, and core work with him.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank him very much because I feel it stood to us as the year went on. We have a great panel of girls that the harder you train them, the more they want it. We took a knock again in the league final against Kilmaley but as it turned out, we met again in today’s final and it was nip and tuck right through to the end. But thankfully we held out by a goal.

“Kilmaley are a fantastic team and are the standard bearers for camogie in Clare and we find it very hard to beat them. There is never anything between us but today was our day and I’m sure Kilmaley will be back to meet us again next year.”

And while he was immensely proud of all his players, he did save special mention for Player-of-the-Game award winner Erica Minogue whose brace of goals immediately after half-time gave her side the cushion to prevail.

“Erica is an absolutely gifted camogie player to be fair to her. She has been talking about retiring for the last two or three years and there is still no sign of her going yet thankfully. She is, I’d say, the only player in the county that could have scored those goals and they stood to us because they were the difference in the end.”

Enright’s only championship blip came in last year’s provincial Intermediate final when going down to a near inter-county Lismore side by 5-15 to 0-11 and he is hoping to go one better this year, starting with the Limerick champions on Saturday, October 29.

“We were disappointed last year. We got to the Munster final and in fairness, we were beaten by a very good Lismore team on the day and I don’t have any arguments about that one. It’s Limerick champions Ballyagran in the first round and we have played them already in a challenge match this year already as well as a couple of times last year and they were tough matches. So that will be an interesting one and we won’t be looking any further than that game.”

DAVY Fitzgerald doesn’t expect to get preferential treatment from the Clare County Board, just because he happens to be Pat Fitzgerald’s son. And he doesn’t want preferential treatment either.

That’s the gospel according to himself, something he told county board delegates in no uncertain terms as the outlined his vision for the working relationship between his county senior management team and the top table of Clare GAA during his threeyear term in charge.

“I know my relationship with the county board is going to be very open,” said Fitzgerald. “A lot people will say ‘because he’s Pat Fitz’s son he’ll get what he wants’, this that and the other. I have made it clear to Mike (O’Neill) that I’m prepared to work to the same parameters as any other team management over the last few years. I say that to Mike (O’Neill). He’s a guy I hope to work very closely with myself. As for my own Dad, the amount of respect I have for him is unreal.

“I know he mightn’t be all ye’re cup of tea at times, he has his ways, he’s very dogmatic, trust me I’ve fought with him enough myself. But, I will say one thing, I am very proud of him, so I am – that’s for definite, whether ye like him or don’t like him.

“That doesn’t bother me. He’s very honest and straight and the one thing he has in his head is Clare GAA. There’s no favour. I look forward to working with him. The relationship with the county board will be right across the board, with the whole lot of them we’ll work together,” added Fitzgerald.