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Kilkishen Celtic 1 – Manus Celtic A 1 (AET) Manus won 4-3 on penalties at Kilkishen

A JUICY TIE against first division promotion hopefuls Burren Utd is Manus Celtic’s reward for the slenderest of victories over Kilkishen Celtic on Sunday.

There is never much between the teams when they clash as can be seen from their 1-1 league draw earlier in the season and true to form, this encounter went all the way to penalties before substitute John Molloy squeezed the Clarecastle side through to the next round.

Kilkishen dominated the opening 20 minutes of the game and Manus can thank goalkeeper Jeff Healy for keeping them in the tie after two point blank saves.

However, Manus eventually found their feet and after Adrian McDonagh had two opportunities denied, he finally opened his Manus Celtic account in the 38th minute when put through by a combination of brothers Mikey and Stephen Geragthy.

Mattie Holmes should have equalised only seconds later but blazed over from close range but equally, Mikey Geragthy should have doubled Manus’ advantage only seconds after the restart when his shot rebounded off the post.

Similarly, a Mikey McDonagh lob was repelled for Manus as was Fer- gus Donovan’s point blank shot that was also saved by goalkeeper Healy.

However, with time running out, Kilkishen finally breached Manus’ goalline through Derek Canny who masterfully executed a freekick from the edge of the box into the corner of the net.

Extra-time drew a further stalemate but with the sides at three apiece, it was subsitute John Molloy who became the hero when he converted Manus’ final penalty to book their second round place.

Kilkishen Celtic
Damian O’Connell, Flan McMahon, James Hook, Derek Canny, Mattie Holmes, Shane McInerney, Steve Donnellan, Eoin Pewter, Fergus Donovan,Alan McInerney, Paul Hogan (Brian Culbert)

Manus Celtic A
Jeff Healy,Aidan McCarthy, Ian Considine, Kevin Clohessy, Barry Guinnane, SeanieTravers,AdamHealy (Tola Crowe), Stevie Geragthy,Adrian McDonagh (Mikey McDonagh), Mikey Geragthy (John Molloy), Pa Casey

ON Saturday evening medals were presented to the winning Corofin GAA teams in different grades in 2010. Following with the success of the camogie team, 2010 was a wonderful sporting year for Corofin.

THE CLARE U14 Ladies Football panel provided the half-time entertainment last Saturday in Miltown Malbay when they gave an exhibition of football at the men’s Senior League meeting between Clare and Kilkenny. With less than three weeks until their Munster Championship first round meeting away to Waterford, the girls have been putting in the time and effort, meeting twice weekly to work on fitness and skills. Training continues this Tuesday, February 15 in Kilrush GAA Grounds and all players are asked to be in the dressing rooms at 5:50pm sharp. The following players have been selected for the 2011 Clare U14 Ladies Football Panel.

Elaine Casey, Laura Chesser, Eve Copley, Aoibheann Malone, Aoife Keane, Grainne Nolan, Eva O’Dea, Emma Neylon (Banner Ladies); Blainead Sheedy (Burren Gaels); Chloe Normoyle, Gillian Finucane (Coolmeen); Nicole Downes, Aine Looney (Cooraclare); Nicole Golden (Doonbeg); Michaela Fitzpatrick, Sara Jane O’Connell, Aisling McMahon (Doorabarefield); Elana Bradley, Amy Hayes (Eire Og); Lauren Griffin, Shauna Hill (Fergus Rovers); Chloe Moloney (Kilmurry Ibrickane); Kate Coughlan, Rebecca Mahon, Ciara Coughlan (Kilmihil); Aoife Carraig, Kayla Crowley, Jessica Gilligan, Michelle Downes (Kilrush); Clionadh Egan (Liscannor); Megan Maguire, Ann Marie Hayes (Newmarket on Fergus); Ronya Baumann (Shannon Gaels); Amy Keane, Rachel Muldoon (West Clare Gaels), Danah King (Wolfe Tones).

MILTOWN Malbay GAA Grounds played host to a series of challenge games last Saturday between the Clare Ladies Football U16 and Minor panels.

As both teams prepare for their respective Munster A competitions against Cork and Kerry, (the Minors additionally have Tipperary in their group), it was clear both grades were eager to compete after four weeks of trials.

With some clever selection by Managers Kieran Harvey U16 and James Lafferty Minor both grades got an opportunity to display some very fast paced football over the three challenge games.

The well attended event showed the commitment and effort being poured into juvenile Ladies Football in Clare by players and mentors alike.

The Minors continue their training with a session in Quilty next Friday 18th February at 8pm.

The U16s will assemble again this Saturday, February 19, players will be notified of details by text, and they will then travel to Tipperary on February 26 to compete in a one day blitz against Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and Galway in prepara tion for their opening Munster A Championship game against Cork on March 26.

The 2011 U16 panel will be selected after the blitz on the 26th February.

Clare 5-17 – Kilkenny 1-01 at Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown Malbay

WHERE there’s football there’s hope – that has to be the mission statement of Kilkenny teams whenever they take to the field for the big ball game, but such is life that being the whipping boys of the National League is their sad lot.

This fact of football life was never about to change in Miltown on Saturday afternoon as Clare got the disappointment of their opening round defeat out of their system with a facile 28-point win.

And, it was every bit as easy as the scoreline suggests, while the halftime cameo served up by the three Kilkenny subs that bothered to have a kick-around between themselves showing up the whole futility of this exercise.

They passed the ball between one another for ten minutes – on the ground, in the air with their heads. All soccer in other words – they might have been training for a Kilkenny Junior Soccer League game on Sunday morning.

By that stage Clare were home to the two league points, having built up an interval lead of 3-6 to 0-1. A goal inside a minute from full-forward Cathal O’Connor had them on their way and from there it was one-way traffic towards the dressing room end.

Kilkenny just rolled over as Clare scored at will for the rest of the half, even though they kicked seven wides. Indeed the opening goal was a portent of things to come when a mistake in the Kilkenny defence gifted the ball to Alan Clohessy, who then fed O’Connor before he blasted to the net.

O’Connor’s second bullet to the net came in the 19th minute to put Clare 2-3 to no score ahead, while the third on the stroke of half-time from Shane Brennan came after good work in the build-up from Gary Brennan and Alan Clohessy.

Graham Lawlor did land a point from a free in the 32nd minute, but it was Kilkenny’s only reprieve as Clare racked up plenty of point-taking practice in the half, with Alan Clohessy helping himself to three and Enda Lyons, Gary Brennan and John Hayes also hitting the mark.

There was much more to come in the second half even if Kilkenny scored a goal three minutes in when Michael Duggan toe-poked to the net past Joe Hayes after latching onto a long free from Graham Lawlor.

Alas, it was as good as it got for the hapless Kilkenny outfit. Hayes had absolutely nothing to contend with for the rest of the hour while down the other end Clare piled on the mis- ery, scoring 2-11 in the second half of what was a forgettable game of football.

Alan Clohessy, who was top-scorer with 1-7, goaled in the 47th minute after taking a pass from Adrian Cahill, while sub David O’Brien staked a claim for a starting berth with three good points from play in the half.

It was a procession, corner-back Michael O’Regan even raided up the field for a point while the rout was completed with Shane Brennan’s second goal in the 63rd minute and other late scores from Cathal O’Connor, Alan Clohessy and David O’Brien.

Mercifully, referee Richard Moloney blew his final whistle only 30 seconds into injury time to put this game out of its misery.

Clare
Joe Hayes (Lissycasey), Niall White (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield), Lawrence Healy (Ennistymon), Martin McMahon (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Kevin Hartnett (Meelick) Shane McNeilus (Kildysart), John Hayes (Kilrush Shamrocks) (0-2), Gary Brennan (Clondegad) (0-1),Timmy Ryan (Kilmihil), Niall Browne (Two Mile House, Kildare), Michael Foran (O’Curry’s), Shane Brennan (Clondegad) (2-0), Enda Lyons (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield) (0-1f), Cathal O’Connor (Coolmeen) (2-2),Alan Clohessy (Liscannor) (1-7, 6f).

Subs
Michael O’Regan (Éire Óg) (0-1) for White, David O’Brien (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield) (0-3) for Foran [Half-Time],Aidrian Cahill (Celbridge, Kildare) for Browne [Half-Time], David O’Connor (St Brigid’s, Dublin) for Lyons [57 Mins], Conor Ryan (Cratloe) for Clohessy [64 Mins]

Kilkenny
JJ O’Sullivan, David Grennan, Richard O’Hara, John Sheehan, James Mackey, Michael Malone, John Cullinane, Emmet Vereker, Ciaran Foran, Thomas Kehoe, David Garvey, Paddy Raftice, David Prendergast, GrahamLawlor (0-1f), Sean Mooney. Subs Michael Duggan (1-0) for Malone [Half-Time), James Culleton for Lawlor [45 Mins], Michael Sanders for Prendergast [59 Mins], Stephen Connolly for Garvey [62 Mins],

Man of the Match
Cathal O’Connor (Coolmeen)

Referee
Richard Moloney (Limerick)

LIMERICK manager Donal O’Grady returned to competitive action on Sunday with a huge weight of expectation on his shoulders but left Ennis free of any burden after comprehensively putting Clare to the sword.

After a tumultuous 2010 that saw up to 20 first choice panelists at odds with then manager Justin McCarthy, the siege was lifted by O’Grady’s men on Sunday to record the county’s first competitive victory in 19 months but true to form, the Cork man wasn’t getting excited just yet.

“The performance was all we were interested in really because the two points are handy but it’s the start of a long campaign.

“I suppose really it just comes down to work-rate and there is an awful lot of credit due to the lads themselves, they worked very hard. We are only training since January 2 so I wasn’t sure where we were at.

“Now I’m not sure where Clare are at either because you don’t know what the attitude of your opponents are as Clare were short a couple of players there.

“So we are happy with the win because it takes the pressure off. Two points is important in the first match if you can and it comes down to work-rate and Jerry Wallis has done great work with them since we came in in January so you would have to be pleased with the performance.”

“We reckoned that this would be a very difficult game for us and we were looking for a performance and you couldn’t fault the lads because everybody worked very hard.

“We made a couple of substitutions because with Andrew O’Shaughnessy and Niall Moran, tiredness just hit them and we felt that we would inject some fresh legs so you couldn’t fault us on work-rate and the win is pleasing.”

Asked about the lift that the win will give to the county as a whole, again O’Grady continued to play down what is essentially the first game in what could potentially be a long season for Limerick.

“I suppose anytime you win a match, you come back into the dressing room and you go back for the post-match meal and there is a bit more of a buzz there and there is bit more of a lift there than if you lose so all these things are important and confidence is important.

“I don’t know where we are going to end up this year but we are just going to take one game at a time.

“It was pleasing to come up to Ennis today as it was a tough one to start with. How intent Clare were on winning this match I’m not quite sure but we are pleased with it anyway.”

“Everybody who was going out on the field today were aware of what job they had to do and it worked for us today, it may not work next Saturday night against Westmeath and it may not work for the following mathc but it worked today and we have to be thankful for that.”

TUAMGRANEY’S Diarmaid Nash again tasted national handball success with a stunning victory at the All-Ireland Intervarsities Championships in Kingscourt, Cavan over the weekend. Representing NUI Galway, Nash won the Men’s Open title when he defeated Tipperary man Fergal Collins in the final. Nash had overcome Waterford’s David Walsh and Kilkenny man Nicholas Anthony in the quarter and semi-final respectively.

Nash’s Tuamgraney and NUIG clubmate Niall Malone also reached the Open semi-finals with an impressive win over ITT’s Shane Hedigan but Ballina man Collins had too much for Malone on the day and the reigning All-Ireland under 21 Champion went into the final against Nash. The Scariff native came out on top in Sunday’s decider 21-18, 21-7.

There was also victory for Clooney’s Lisa Loughnane (University of Limerick) when she claimed the Ladies B title with an 11-7 tie-break win in the final against Linda Connolly (RCSIA). Nash’s win in Cavan capped a busy but successful weekend for the Tuamgraney club at adult and juve- nile 40×20 levels. Friday night saw Munster Secondary Schools Championship wins for Alice Akers and Clodagh Nash. Alice (Scariff CC) won the Girls Junior Singles title while Clodagh (Ursuline Convent, Thurles) took the First Year’s crown after defeating Tuamgraney clubmate Katie Minogue (Scariff CC) in the final in Capagh, Limerick. Ciaran Malone (Scariff CC) reached the Boys Schools Intermediate Munster final but went down to Kilkishen’s Colin Crehan (Ard Scoil Ris) in a tie-breaker in Cappagh on Saturday. Barry Nash will this week be involved in the Leinster Schools championship, representing Cistercian College, Roscrea. Meanwhile, in the County Juvenile Championships, Tuamgraney will be represented in the under 12B Singles (Cian Minogue), Under 13B Singles (Ian Murray), Under 16A Doubles (Barry Nash, Patrick Fitzgerald) and Minor A Singles (Ciaran Malone). All five will be bidding to add to county titles won by Tuamgraney players Clodagh Nash (under 12) and Alice Akers (under 16). Tuamgraney will also be well rep resented in this year’s Munster adult Championships. Paul Healy played Under 21 Singles and Doubles (with Chris Ryan, Newmarket) for the county while Ciaran Malone will also play both Singles and Doubles (with Jamie Lynch, Kilkishen) at Minor grade. Malone has already won his first-round singles game as has Ciaran Walsh (Junior B Singles) who also partners Tom Kirby (Shannon) in Doubles.

Diarmaid Nash and Niall Malone will once again be gunning for glory when they compete in both Singles and Doubles at Intermediate and Senior grades. Anne Marie Fitzgerald, Ashling Fitzgerald and Edel O’Grady are all in line to represent Clare in the Munster Ladies Championship in what is already shaping up to be a very busy spring for Tuamgraney Handball Club in what is the club’s centenary year. Tuamgraney will also play League semi-finals in divisions 2 and 3 next week.

THE Munster 40×20 adult Handball Championships are well under way this week and a number of Clare players have been in action and almost all are still in contention. There were first round wins for Ciaran Malone (Minor Singles) Ciaran Walsh, Paul Lynch (Jnr. B Singles) Aidan Lynch (Jnr. Singles), Barry McMahon/Chris Philpott (Minor Doubles) and Ciaran Walsh/Tom Kirby (Jnr. B Doubles). The fixtures continue this week with matches invloving Clare players coming thick and fast.

Clare handball’s management and selectors will be confident of securing at least Munster titles for the Banner County in a number of 40×20 grades this year. Supporters can contact local club secretaries for exact details of fixtures and take advantage of the glut of high-quality handball fixtures taking place in Clare’s handball courts over the next few days and weeks.

This week will see the following in Munster Chamionship action; Ciaran Walsh & Tom Kirby (Tuesday in Tuamgraney v. Limerick, JBD), Christy Philpott (Tuesday in Kilkishen v. Cork, SMBS), Jamie Lynch & Ciaran Malone (Wednesday in Dungarvan v Waterford, MD), Trevor Vaughan & Alan Leamy (Wednesday in Dungarvan v. Waterford, U21D), Niall Malone and Diarmaid Nash (Wed. in Tuamgraney v. Tipp & Cork, Intermediate Singles), John Nihill (Wed. in Cashel v. Tipp, SMBS), Paul Lynch (Thur. in Clooney v. Limerick, JBS), Cathal Hannon (Thur. in Clooney v. Limerick, JS), Aidan Lynch (Fri. in Clooney v. Limerick, JS), Derek Healy & Finbarr Sheridan (Fri. in Clarecastle/Ballydesmond v. Limerick/Cork), Ciaran Walsh (Fri. in Nenagh v. Tipp, JBS), Ciaran Malone (Sat. in Cappagh v. Limerick, MS), Lisa Loughnane (Sun. in Broadford v. Karen Lawlor (Kerry), Intermediate Singles Final).

Árdscoil Rís 2-19 – St Flannan’s College 0-22 at Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

THERE was no silverware handed out in the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday but Árdscoil Rís are certainly overwhelming favourites to claim historic back-to-back titles after overcoming main rivals St Flannan’s at the penultimate stage.

Regardless of your allegiances, it was a truly great advertisement for college’s hurling, a throwback to the memorable jousts of the past that invariably involved St Flannan’s in some capacity. Indeed, it was no wonder that Árdscoil’s Niall Moran implored supporters to travel to the game as it was compelling end-toend action from the first minute to the final whistle.

It truth, the result could have gone either way in a dramatic finish but defending champions Árdscoil just about deserved victory in the end, thanks to their greater experience and leadership at the vital times as well as two second half goals in a seven minute period at the turn of the final quarter.

The game centred around the unerring accuracy of two inspirational protagonists: Shane Dowling at centre-forward and later midfield for Árdscoil Rís who claimed 1-10 of his side’s total and Ballyea’s Tony Kelly who at times single-handedly maintained St Flannan’s challenge with a haul of 14 points.

In between those scoring feats, there were three point cameos for impressive wing-forwards Mark Carmody (Árdscoil Ris) and Conor O’Gorman (St Flannan’s) and corner-forwards John Fitzgibbon (Árdscoil Ris) and Shane O’Donnell (St Flannan’s) that further enhanced this tie. However, it was Shane Dowling’s 38th minute 20 metre free to the net and Oisin Hickey’s opportunistic follow up seven minutes later that swung the contest decisively towards the holders.

The opening half was a seesaw affair that saw both sides take control for extended periods but all the while cancelling each other out. Limerick side Árdscoil Rís flew out of the blocks to open up a 0-5 to 0-1 advantage by the seventh minute and could have even snatched a goal in that period when Kevin O’Brien’s acute shot rebounded off the crossbar.

St Flannan’s were struggling but found their feet thanks to the determnation of Tony Kelly who hit four out of St Flannan’s first five points to level matters by the 12th minute.

Shane Dowling pushed Árdscoil ahead once more with three frees while St Flannan’s had goal opportunities through Conor O’Gorman and Kelly that both ended up as points. And as the momentum swung towards the Ennis school, they finally took the lead for the first time with further points from Martin O’Leary, Kelly and O’Gorman at 0-10 to 0-8 by the 22nd minute.

Three successive points, two from the stick of Dowling had Árdscoil in the ascendency once more approaching the break but inevitably it was Kelly and O’Gorman who gave St Flannan’s the narrowest of advantages at 0-12 to 0-11 at half-time.

Árdscoil brought out Meelick’s Damian Moloney to man-mark Conor O’Gorman for the second period but it was Kelly who maintained St Flannan’s early lead with two points in the opening three minutes.

However, an unanswered 1-3 including a bullet free to the net from Dowling in the 38th minute transformed the game dramatically. With the bit between their teeth, the holders hammered home their momentum through a Dowling free and 1-1 in the space of a minute for Meelick’s Oisin Hickey who was perfectly positioned to finish a John Fitzgibbon flick from a Declan Hannon clearance to the net in the 45th minute.

Now eight points in arrears, St Flannan’s needed to dig deeper than ever before and indeed got a spark of in- spiration from corner-forward Shane O’Donnell who tormented Árdscoil’s last line over the next ten minutes.

Along with hitting three points himself, he also earned two frees that Kelly converted to cut the deficit to three by the 54th minute and there was almost a full reprieve when an Alan O’Neill close range pull produced a great diving save from goalkeeper PJ Hall.

St Flannan’s could smell blood but while Kelly continued to chip away at the lead with placed balls, Árdscoil kept their cool at the other end through points from substitute Jack Kelliher and John Fitzgibbon.

Indeed, St Flannan’s best chance to snatch something out of the game came in the 58th minute when a teasing ball across the square by O’Donnell was flicked towards goal by Alan O’Neill only to drift agonisingly past the far post much to the relief of the Árdscoil defence.

The scenes of celebration at the final whistle highlighted just what this victory meant to Árdscoil Ris. With their main rivals out of the way, the passage is clear for a second successive title and taking into consideration the quality of the second semi-final, it appears that on this performance, anything other than an Árdscoil win would be the shock of the competition.

MICHEÁL McDermott bristled with anger at the end of it all. Even before he opened his mouth you could see it in his face. Clare were done by the refereeing decisions over the 70 minutes and he wasn’t afraid to say it either.

But it wasn’t all about Shaun McLaughlin’s performance – he had some words for his players too. Pride at the way they rolled up their sleeves in the face of adversity in second half, utter dejection at the poverty of their play in the first 35 minutes when Clare just turned up, but didn’t play.

“The first half was very disappointing, very, very disappointing,” he admitted. “We didn’t get on the breaking ball. We didn’t support like we have been playing in the McGrath Cup. All round it was a disappointing display in the first half.

“They out-muscled us a little bit in the first half. They were very tight, very tenacious and very hungry for the win in the first half. We lacked that little bit of hunger to match them,” he added.

But the second half was a transformation as harsh half-time words saw a rejuvenated Clare take the game to a Leitrim side that only fielded four of last year’s Connacht championship side.

“The second half was much better and it was disappointing to lose after that. Gordon Kelly was an awful loss because he’s an inspirational guy on the field, while David Tubridy’s send- ing off was another huge blow to us, but after that they gave it everything and really deserved something from the game.

“Our second half performance showed the character that’s within the team. It showed the will to win in this team when we were down to 13 men and it showed the savage hunger and level of fitness.

“We came at them and at them, ran at them and the numbers game of them having two more players and a few refereeing decisions caught at us in the end. That was the difference between winning and losing.

“Being two points up, the legs were getting very tired. There was an awful lot of work to be done. When you have 13 men against 15, even when you get a score you’re handing them possession back and they eventually used their extra men to effect and got the scores from it, but they got two frees near the end that I would question,” added McDermott as Clare’s campaign got off to the worst possible start.

Still, McDermott accentuated the positive as he looked forward to the remaining seven games.

“Nobody was promoted today,” he said.

“It was the first day and it was disappointing, but it leaves the trap door locked now and we have to win every one of seven remaining games. We know what we have to do and we have to believe that we can do it. More of the character we showed in the second half is what we’re looking for in the rest of the league.”