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A MAJOR television documentary by two Clare-based experts claims that global warming is having a pro- found impact on local wildlife with increasing varieties and numbers of alien invaders moving to the county.

A six part documentary series, due to be broadcast on TG4 later this month, features over a dozen for- eign species never before featured on Irish television. “Coimhtioch Gan Cuireadh’ or ‘Alien Invaders’ takes a broader look at Irish wildlife and re- counts the fascinating stories of how some of Ireland’s alien species ended up in Ireland.

They include the slow worm, which can only be found in the reclaimed meadow fringes of the Burren and the Bank Vole which was introduced to Ireland in the 1920s during work on the Shannon hydroelectric scheme when large machinery was shipped from ports in the north of Germany. Also featured are the Chinese Mit- ten Crab, Mourning Dove, Emperor Dragonfly, Natterjack Toad, Trigger Fish and Slipper Lobster.

According to Ballycar resident and wildlife expert John Murphy, who is a director of Waxwing Wildlife Productions, the documentary fea- tures species many people rarely if ever encounter even though they are present all around them.

He explained that increasingly ex- treme Mediterranean climates had resulted in a dramatic rise in the

numbers of exotic species of birds and maritime fish arriving and set- tling in Ireland.

‘We are seeing more cases of alien species of birds appearing on our shores. The arrival and spread of the Collared Dove, Cattle Egrets and the melodic Blackcap are prime exam- ples of this growing trend. Mean- while, during filming on Inish Bofin in County Galway this year we docu- mented the first every sighting in Ire- land of a Mourning Dove, which had arrived from the USA’ commented Mr. Murphy.

The programme’s editor and pro- ducer Stan Nugent, who lives in Bal- lymacahill outside Ennis, says that the documentary provided real evi- dence of how some foreign species were having a detrimental impact on the Irish environment and on native AUC DEKE

He said that alien fish species were also appearing along Ireland’s coast in greater numbers. The Grey Trig- gerfish 1s a warm-water species with a normal range in the tropical Atlan- tic and the Mediterranean. However, in more recent times during summer months when the seas are at their warmest, they can be found in the waters around Ireland. The same can be said of sea creatures like the Slip- per Lobster, which have only been caught in recent times in Lobster pots in the south of the country.

A MULTI-MILLION euro lawsuit taken by the husband and family of a woman who died after a facelift will take place in the US next week.

Kay Cregan (42), who had family connections in Killaloe, died after she underwent facial surgery at a Manhattan clinic in March 2005.

The case will get underway at the New York State Supreme Court next

Monday. However, there is a possi- bility that the case will be adjourned for a number of weeks, to appoint a judge and swear in a jury.

Ms Cregan, who lived with her hus- band and two sons in Croom, Lim- erick, underwent facial surgery at the Manhattan Clinic of Dr Michael Sachs on March 14, 2005.

She died just three days later at St Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital. She had been rushed there and placed on a

life support machine after the proce- dure at the clinic.

She had paid Dr Sachs $32,000 and had planned the surgery as a surprise for her husband. He was not aware of this until he was notified by the Department of Foreign Affairs that she was on a life support machine. Dr Sachs is the main defendant in the case.

An anaesthetist and a nurse are also UE DOO orem DOM Maem Ny AeEL

CLARE’s motor racing season hits top gear this weekend with the stag- ing of the showpiece event of the year, the Clare Stages Rally. A total of 161 cars will take part, while there will be 42 Clare crews in action over the two days.

The Clare Stages Rally is Round 9 of the” Dunlop National Champi- onship’, which is decided over ten rounds and clare welcomes the newly crowned 08 dunlop national cham- pion Patrick Elliott who clinched his first ever national title driving his Subaru Impreza WRC S12B on the previous round the Galway Sum- mer Rally a few weeks ago. Here in Clare his co-driver Paul Goodman can take a major step and possibly secure the Noel Smith Award for the top co-driver.

Patrick won the Clare Stages Rally back in 2006 with Rory Kennedy

also driving a Subaru.Patrick and Paul are seeded at no.2

Topping this years entry list is last years Clare Stages winners Tim Mc- Nulty and Eugene O’Donnell (Sub- aru Impreza WRC S12B). By the end of last years eight stage event, they finished 22 seconds ahead of newly crowned 07 Dunlop Champion, Aar- on MacHale (Ford Focus WRC).

The rally is also Round 5 of “The Top Part West Coast Rally Champi- onship”, which consists of rallies run in Birr, Kerry, Limerick, Galway and ETc

The Clare rally also includes a jun- ior section and this has attracted an extra seventeen entries. The Club have received a huge local entry with a total of Forty two Clare Motor Club Crews taking part.

Topping the list is Ruan’s Anthony O’Halloran with Ennis man Charlie McEnery calling the notes in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9. Anthony

and Charlie finished the top two Wheel drive car and best Clare club crew on last years rally in their Opel Manta but for the 2008 season they have made the change over to more modern machinery with the Mit- subishi Lancer Evo 9. The car has been built from scratch at Anthony’s workshop in Ruan. Anthony will be very determined to be on the pace in eroup N and will also be hoping to finish the top Clare driver in order to claim the most sought after award in the club for the best Clare crew on the day, “The Noel McCullagh Award” which is presented in memory of an outstanding club member who was killed in an industrial accident back in 1990. Mike Moloney and Marie Casey will also be fighting for that top clare driver in their mazda rotary engined escort. Mike crashed out on the very first stage on last years eNO Ae

Kilmurry’s Alan O’Callaghan will

also be trying for a top place in this years rally, having already finished 16th overall in Birr, 20th in Kerry and 3lst in Munster so far this sea- SO)0F

Other Clare competitors like Christy Carey, Edward Cogan, R1- chard Casey, Pa Malone, Alan Kel- ly, Martin O’Halloran, Joe Baker, John Leirnihan, Tommy Flanagan, Michael Rodgers, Martin Kelly, Robert Ryan, Al and Pat Meaney, Tom Ryan and Michael Fitzgibbon and also the return of Ruan’s Pat Ca- sey will all be fighting for honours in their various classes.

Clerk of the course for the event is Jim Casey from Ennis and together with his organising team have set out four challenging stages which will be repeated twice, two in the Kildysart/ Ballinacally area in the morning and two in the Ruan/Kilnamona area in the afternoon.

The public will also be able to meet

the famous Russell Brooks who will be competing as OOI course car.

The 63-year-old English driver has been invited over by the Clare Club and he will assist in the running of the event by driving as OO1 course car which is the last car to travel through the stages before the first competing car.

Russell will drive his original Sun- beam Lotus which he used in 1980 and 1981. The car (KK V 394V) was originally built for Russell to use in the 1981 Lombard RAC Rally. Brooks won the 1977 & 1985 British Rally Championships driving a Ford Escort RS1800 and an Opel Manta 400 respectively.He was also Welsh Rally Champion in 1973 and Irish Tarmac Rally Champion in 1989.

CLARE manager Colm Hanley’s track record at this level speaks for itself. Two years, two All-Ireland Junior finals but after suffering heart- break in injury time of last year’s decider against Derry, the road to recovery for Clare this year has been rather smooth. That’s not to say that there weren’t scares along the way, there was in the form of Sunday’s op- ponents Offaly, Antrim and Laois but the initial aim has now been achieved and after a year’s more experience, Hanley reckons that his side are bet- ter equipped this season.

‘The aim for the year as I have said in the past was to get back to Croke Park and once we got there, then to take care of business. There is a mas- sive difference between last year and this year. We are a stronger team this year, there is no doubt about it. The likes of Laura Linnane and Claire McMahon coming back into it are massive additions and not just them alone. Also the likes of Carina (Ro- seingrave), Kate (Lynch) and Chloe Morey and the rest of the minor girls who are now a year older again after playing last year. It has stood to them massively. You can see it even in their minor performances. They are as good a player as there is anywhere in the country.We might have fallen over the line in the semi-final but overall as a team, they are flying it. We also have Fiona Lafferty back af- ter injury and things are falling into place at the right time and hopefully

that is a good sign.”

One of those scares came in their opening championship game against Offaly when they were sternly tested by the resurgent 2001 finalists. Clare eventually weathered the storm in the final quarter and emerged 0-10 to 0-07 winners but Hanley feels that this game was the making of Clare this year as they found an extra bat-

tling dimension that hadn’t existed previously.

“There is no doubt that we were lucky to come out of that game. With- out a shadow of a doubt, the perform- ance wasn’t great and it wasn’t helped by the fact that there was a twelve week lay-off between the league final and that game and without competi- tive matches, it is tough to raise your

game but the performance wasn’t up to par and the girls know that. How- ever, the great thing that we found out that day that we hadn’t last year was this fighting spirit that they pro- duced. The last five or ten minutes they dug in and carved out a result. Last year and maybe in years gone by, things have come a bit too easy for them. Leading into last year’s

final, we had a very handy route to the final, winning games by ten or twelve points so when it was put up to us 1n the final, we couldn’t deliver because we weren’t used to being in that situation.

“This year, every single game has been tough with maybe the excep- tion being the Down match and we have had to grind out results. We travelled to Antrim and had to re- ally dig in and eventually came out with a seven point win, although it was a much tighter game than that. Again in the semi-final, Laois played similarly to Offaly and made it fierce awkward for us but again we man- aged to win.”

And that new found appetite has carried them back to Croke Park for the second successive year and Hanley is determined to finish the job this time around.

‘Everyone in the county knows that this team has the hurling, and mas- sive ability but now they have found this bit of bite and desire and that comes from hunger. After years of losing finals and losing finals, it has to come right eventually and I have no doubt that it will on Sunday.”

His confidence and positivity 1s consuming. And to think he even had to re-apply for his position at the start of the year.

THIS is the Banner side’s fourth attempt at winning this final since 2003. Having drawn two of those de- ciders in Croke Park to Dublin and Galway only to lose in the replays and who in the camogie world will forget the heartbreak of last year’s defeat to Derry when Clare looked to have the work done. They were un- able to hold out though for the eight minutes of injury time played on the day and a lucky shot from Derry found the net to deny Clare their mo- ment in the sun.

Clare though will take note of the determination of last year’s victors. That was Derry’s second attempt at the final in successive years, having lost the previous year. Clare have now managed to do what Derry did last year and despite some tough battles this year, the Clare girls are back again in Croke Park. That was the aim from the start of the year to get back to the ultimate stage and then take things from there. Clare have worked hard in this quest. The Banner took a step up in the League campaign choosing to go from Di- vision 3 to Division 2. This was in search of games that would test the squad and get competition going ear- ly in the year to build strength, both physically and mentally. This move has certainly paid off so far as Clare went undefeated in the League beat- ing Cork, Kilkenny and Waterford on their way to the final where they had a hard fought win over last years victor’s Derry. This gave silverware to the girls, exacted some revenge for last year’s All-Ireland defeat and provided encouragement for the rest of the year.

Clare have remained unbeaten since. They have had tough encoun- ters but have always managed to grind out that win. With group wins over Offaly, Down and Antrim and a Semi-final win over Laois, the Ban- ner girls now find themselves back in Croke Park facing first round oppo- nents Offaly.

Clare had a tough opening round game against the girls from the faith- ful county, who this year have been working under Joachim Kelly. Clare found the Offaly girls hard to shake off but did in the end come out three

point winners. Clare will know go- ing into this final that they will not have things all their own way from the opposition. Offaly had a strong win over Waterford in their semi-fi- nal and have a lot of hard work put into this campaign. They also have six of their minor side who recently won the minor B All-Ireland final over Waterford. This will give Offaly a huge boost going into the game and while they will be ranked as under-

dogs, they know that they will have nothing to lose on the day and will throw all they have at the Banner. They were unlucky to have been de- feated in the replay of the Division 3 league final to Antrim but have grown in strength and determination since then.

Clare for their part have the expe- rience of playing in Croke Park last year. While last year was not the first time in recent years for the Banner to

be participating on All-Ireland final day, it was the first time for a large number of the panel. Those new members will now have last year’s experience to build on and also have suffered a second final defeat just two weeks ago to the hands of Kilkenny in the U18 A final. These girls will not want to repeat that losing feel- NITcar DOCCMMY SUSSMAN LOM MUI RUUO NUE CNTe game against Cork intermediates under their belts, the final touches

will have begun in earnest within the Clare camp.

On thing is for certain. Clare cap- tain Deirdre Murphy has stood in the winning and losing dressing room on final day twelve months ago and will not want to have to sense the losing dressing room from a Clare perspec- tive this time round. She will be us- ing all within her to lead by example and help to drive the team forward. Murphy has been the building block on which a lot of hard won victories for Clare have been built on this year and her presence will help to steady those around her. The team as a whole are very focused this year on what they want to achieve and with the groundwork done, there is just 60 minutes separating Clare and that Junior title which has eluded them so often over the last number of years.

Clare will know that to overcome that final hurdle, all members will have to perform to their best. Down the middle Siobhan Lafferty, Dee Corcoran Sharon McMahon and Claire McMahon have worked well this year with Laura Linnane, Claire Commane, Shonagh Enright and Carina Roseingrave adding strength and pace to the wings. Deirdre Mur- phy has worked well with Chloe Mo- USA TOON COCIOCs)(emr-TeLOMNeCoM sr-UEMey:(eqbntTe has worked hard with Kate Lynch and Jane Scanlon flanking Corcoran. Competition for places is intense in the full-back line with Any Colleran, Aimee McInerney and Cathy Halley fighting it out for the two corner posi- tions and whoever loses out will be unlucky to do so. They also have sev- eral options on the bench with Aoife Ryan, Fiona Lafferty, Aine O’Brien, Aiveen O’Shea and Aoife Griffin able to help out in any sector and adding the depth that is needed to any team in winning an All-Ireland title.

Clare will certainly be hoping to put the thoughts of last year out of their heads and will be hoping that they will be returning home as All- Ireland champions next Monday.

CRATLOE and Sixmilebridge go back a long way, their hurling rivalry is immense, albeit that it has been somewhat lopsided in the “Bridge’s favour down the generations. Until now that is as the boys in Blue bask in the glory of beating their near neighbours.

“It’s been a long time coming,” commented one spectator in the Eire Og Grounds on Friday night after Cratloe had their own little play on the biblical story about David taking a catapult to Goliath.

That’s just what they did in coming from ten points adrift in the second half to bring Sixmilebridge’s hurling world crashing in around them. No wonder some Cratloe folk let them- selves go.

“There won’t be any cutting posts down now,” said one historian on site, going all the way back to more tempestuous times when in the dark of night some disgruntled hurling folk were accused of cutting down goalposts to make them look like soccer goals.

Representatives of both parties say it never happened, but there are those who swear it’s true after the fall-out of an intermediate semi-final be- tween the clubs in 1970 when Sixmi- lebridge won by a couple of points only to lose it afterwards to an objec- tion after that they had a number of soccer player in their ranks.

All that history welled up in Crat- loe folk finally burst free as they cut

down Sixmiulebridge for the first time ever at senior championship level.

This was for ’95 when the ‘Bridge beat them by over a point a man in the county semi-final; for 90 when a last minute goal deprived them of the intermediate title.

The victory was the big story of the weekend, even if it wasn’t the only story. Newmarket-on-Fergus fired a warning shot in the direction of every other club in Clare thanks to their demolition job on county cham- pions Tulla; St Joseph’s Doora-Bare- field, Inagh/Kilnamona and Kilma- ley booked their quarter-final spots; Crusheen made it four wins from four outings.

But it was hard to get away from the “Bridge — the most storied club in Clare hurling since Mikey Whyte got that point in the ’77 final in Dr Daly Park — who suffered their third championship defeat on the bounce.

It has never happened before, but then again strange things have hap- pened in the Canon Hamilton race thus far. Tubber beating the ‘Bridge; Clarecastle hanging on for dear life; Tulla being beaten by 21 points by a rampant Newmarket-on-Fergus; Inagh/Kilnamona taking to the soft ground of the championship for the first time like veterans….

For sure, there’ll be plenty more twists and turns before the race is fi- nally finished.

ST JOSEPH’S had twin objectives in mind going into this game. Victory to secure their quarter-final spot was the primary aim but there was also the huge matter of revenge.

Large dollops of tiger balm may have been handed out beforehand, because they certainly had that strong scent of revenge in their nostrils.

It told in the 60 minutes of hurl- ing as St Joseph’s erased last year’s nightmare against Corofin with a very comfortable win which gave further credence to the gathering be- lief that their squad is of champion- ship winning material.

They were asked some _ serious questions by Corofin in the first half when they could only build up a two- point lead with the wind. Then an- other question was asked when Kil- lian Neylon’s goal levelled the game eight minutes into the second half.

Corofin could sense another victory but it was the spark that ignited St Joseph’s. In the final 20 minutes they outscored Corofin by 1-8 to 0-4 to throw down their biggest marker yet to other championship contenders.

Forget the win over Sixmilebridge – we now know how bad things are on the banks of the O’Garney – because this was much better. St Joseph’s combined a steely edge in the backs with an unerring ability to pick off

scores as a host of players stepped up to take responsibility.

Take Seanie McMahon – advancing years mean nothing when you have hands and stickwork as good as one of the greatest to play the game. He played second fiddle to an inspiring Darragh Clancy in the first half, but when he was moved to the corner in the second half he bagged 1-2 from play to win the game.

This was a real contest for three quarters of the hour. The first half

was a shoot-out between Conor Has- sett and Gerry Quinn as both bagged four points each from placed balls.

Quinn’s points gave Corofin a real foothold against the wind. St Joseph’s led O-5 to 0-4 after the first quarter, their points coming from three Has- sett frees and points from play by Seanie McMahon and the industri- ous Greg Lyons.

Points by Gerry Quinn and Kil- lian Neylon then put Corofin a point clear, but St Joseph’s closed out the

half strongly with points from Greg Lyons, Conor Hassett, Michael Mc- Namara and Ivor White to edge 0-9 to 0-7 ahead.

The opening exchanges of the sec- ond half were equally competitive. Ivor White, who had a fine game at midfield, opened the scoring with a point in the first minute, while Gerry Quinn and Michael McNamara trad- ed points by the fifth.

Then came Corofin’s highpoint in the 38th minute when Killian Ney- lon picked up a long free from Gerry Quinn and scrambed the sliotar to the net to level the game 1-8 to O-11.

It was put up to St Joseph’s but they responded in emphatic style – turning on the gas in the closing 20 minutes to win in style and with something to spare.

Seanie McMahon was the man, landing 1-2 in a seven-minute spell. The points came from play while the goal in the 47th minute came after he reacted quickest to a Conor Has- sett free that rebounded off the post, whipping the sliotar to the net from eA T MAE DECKS

St Joseph’s were 1-13 to 1-8 clear and never looked back. Six more points followed in the closing 12 min- utes – Hassett hit four of them while Ivor White and Damian Kennedy also pointed from play.

Corofin’s scores from Killian Neylon, Kevin Heagney and Gerry

Quinn were consolation ones only. Their championship challenge is floundering but they can still force a play-off if they beat Cratloe in their last game.

St Joseph’s, meanwhile, are among the championship favourites. A first county title since 2001 could be clos- er than people think.

THERE has never been a better op- portunity for first-time buyers in Ennis to enter the property market. That’s the opinion of Michael Ley- den of Leyden Auctioneers.

There are now approximately 150 newly built houses for sale in Ennis and he says that if people don’t buy now there is every chance that they could again be priced out of the mar- ket.

‘First time buyers have everything going for them at the moment. They don’t have to pay stamp duty on new or second hand homes assuming they are going to be owner-occupiers, there is a €10,000 room rent allow- ance available and there has been a substantial increase in owner-occu- pier’s mortgage interest relief. With conditions as they are at present, first-time buyers should be much more active in the housing market.

“There are statistics coming from the financial institutions to say that they are receiving as many applica- tions as before, however, there is less of an uptake on these. They are get- ting approval for mortgages, but they are waiting and waiting and waiting

for something to happen. The prices are as low as they are going to go and now is the time to act,” said Leyden.

With the advancement of the Budget date there are two schools of thought among those involved in the prop- erty market. Some are of the opinion that they should rush in to buy now before the budget announcements, in case they cause a shake-up in the house market that would lead to a rise in prices. The other school is that potential buyers should wait until af- ter the Budget and reap the benefit of possible incentives that the Govern- ment may offer.

“Ennis is bucking the trend at the moment. Other towns of the same size are not in the same situation. Some of them have a large amount of houses for sale. Despite all the furore regarding over-supply of new homes in the Ennis property market, Leyden Auctioneers have established after research that there are approximately 150 new homes built and ready for sale in Ennis town and it’s environs.

“This is alarming considering that around 450 students sit the leaving certificate in Ennis each year, mi- grants and returned immigrants can account for up to another 200 people,

and it is estimated that the popula- tion of Ennis will increase to 36,000 people in 2014 from a current 28,700. Also if there is a rebound in the mar- ket it will take builders at least a year to catch up, therefore a shortage is already looming,” said Leyden.

This shortage is coming on the back of market conditions, but Ley- den warns that if the market doesn’t kick-start itself soon, there will be a serious shortfall between supply and demand.

Padraig Howard of Drumquin Con- struction is of the opinion that we are very close to this. “The builders have cut back the amount of projects they are involved in. The number of starts next year will be negligible. Homebond registrations are down by something in the region of 80 per cent this year. This is the lowest level of housing starts in County Clare since 1994. We are now talking in single figures.”

There are certain factors that are stopping the market from kicking back into life, and while stamp duty doesn’t affect first-time buyers, ac- cording to Leyden, it has the biggest effect on the market.

“I feel that the 7 per cent rate

of stamp duty on purchases over €125,000 is penal and crippling and should be revisited. My view would be that a 4 per cent band should be introduced between €125,000 and €750,000 and a 7.5 per cent band over €750,000. The middle market and investment market are suffering because of the current 7 per cent and 9 per cent rates.”

Both Leyden and Howard are ada- mant that neither the building trade nor the auctioneering trade want to see house prices rise to the levels that they were at 18 months ago.

“We need a stable market. Drum- quin Construction was selling three houses a week in 2006. Now we are selling one every two months. The demand is there, but buyers aren’t taking the plunge. A microcosm of this happened in 2002 when buyers stopped buying for 12 months,” said Howard.

“Tf there is a rebound in the market, it will take the building trade 12 to 18 months to catch up to demand. There is a lot of planning in the pipeline, but due to the effective embargo on planning by Clare County Council development can’t start. From the date that planning gets the go ahead,

it will take a year to a year and a half until they are ready for sale. Next year the market 1s going to be in lim- bo and it will be 2010 before we see any serious action,’ says Leyden.

Howard agrees with this statement saying, “If this happens you’re going to have increased demand, but with no supply.”

Nobody wants to see history repeat itself and despite issuing warnings about the future of the property mar- ket, the pair are upbeat about what is ELOVb OTM UL

“The economic outlook isn’t so bad. There will be lower interest rates, it is rumoured that the budget will provide serious incentives for buyers and it is hoped that the credit crunch will be receeding,” concluded averore

THE pressure was solely on New- market to perform. It’s been twelve weeks since they last played a championship game, an intermina- bly lengthly period to sift through the wreckage of their disappointing opening defeat to Wolfe Tones and the abject performance that baffled their supporters in the opening game of the championship.

In the interim, there had been several Clare Cup games but this was the first opportunity to rouse their championship aspirations and stake a claim for a quarter-final place that many took as a given at the start of the season.

Ballyea on the other hand had nothing to lose. Ever since the draw was made, nobody gave them a chance in a group that comprised of last year’s county champions Tulla, 2006 champions Wolfe Tones, 2006 finalists Newmarket and the newly amalgamated force of Inagh/ Kilnamona,

And they had this no-hopers tag affixed, despite possessing two- thirds of the side that reached the 2003 county final.

In the end, it played out as expected. Newmarket eased to a seven point victory despite not having to overly extend themselves but while the two points was all that was important on this occasion, they will need to be much more ruthless if they are to emerge from the group.

As expected, Ballyea threw everything at the Blues and indeed

made life difficult for them for long periods but what essentially separated these sides was the extra sprinkling of guile and experience that Newmarket possessed.

Their distribution was slicker, their hurling that bit faster and although this display won’t have © struck immediate panic into their group rivals who were well represented along the barrier in Clareabbey, it was enough to get them on the road and shake off any rustiness that a prolonged break inevitably brings.

Besides that, there was only one real striking aspect lacking in Newmarket’s armoury — the absence of sufficient clinical forwards.

Enda Kelly and Padraig Kilmartin’s movement and_ strength were important, Shane O’Brien impressed intermittently and Colin Ryan looked threatening when introduced but with Paudie Collin’s unerring accuracy propping them up for the majority, there was a distinct staleness to the forward line.

It appeared to hamper Newmarket’s performance over the hour and prevented them from making a real statement of intent in this demanding group.

Fundamentally, the game turned in first half injury time when Paudie Collin’s long free broke in the square and Enda Kelly was the first to react to pull to the net.

Up to that point, Ballyea had matched the Blues point for point despite playing into a slight breeze and if they had held that momentum until the break, it could have inspired

a real battle in the second period.

However, Ballyea tired late in the half and sandwiched by two superb Paudie Collins points from play, Newmarket also fired a warning shot in the 28th minute when a move involving Jim McInerney and Padraig Kilmartin fell to corner-forward Martin Murphy but although his pull beat goalkeeper Shane O’Neill, full- back Kevin Sheehan was on hand to block the shot.

Ballyea didn’t heed that caution however and three minutes later, Kelly grabbed the goal that gave his

side a five point half-time cushion and essential provided the foundation for victory.

Ballyea were always chasing the game after that and with free-taker Ivan Kilbane their main source for scores, they never really threatened Kieran Devitt’s goalmouth. Kilbane put over the opening score of the second period in the 33rd but settled by that goal before half-time,

Newmarket began to stretch their muscles and four unanswered points through Jim McInerney, Shane O’Brien, Dominic McMahon and a Collins free had them eight clear by the 42nd minute.

Ballyea had to reshuffle the pack and cleverly pushed Tony Griffin to full-forward and the county senior almost changed the game.

Griffin won two consecutive frees in a minute that Kilbane converted to reduce the deficit to six but crucially, Ballyea failed to take advantage of a goal opportunity only a minute later when Donal Chambers handpassed over the defence to the onrushing Griffin.

The pass was just too long and Brian Clancy got back to clear the danger and put the ball out for a ’65 which Kilbane converted.

That was as close as Ballyea would get as Newmarket regained control of the game and tacked over four more points to ease their nerves.

Ballyea did have an opportunity to grab a consolation goal deep into injury time when Brian Chambers was fouled and Shane O’Neill came up to take the resulting 21 yard free. However, the goalkeeper’s effort crashed off the crossbar and rebounded high to safety and Ambrose Heagney blew for full-time amid some obvious frustration from Ballyea who are now realistically out of the running for 2008.

Meanwhile, this result means that Newmarket expectantly throw their hat into the ring for qualification but they will realise that they will have to improve considerably for the mammoth impending challenges of Tulla and Inagh/Kilnamona.

The county champions are up next but the Blues shouldn’t require any extra motivation for that tie as it was Tulla who unceremoniously turfed them out of the championship last year. If that quarter-final clash is anything to go by, carrying passengers cannot be an option for Newmarket from here on in.

WHERE David Fitzgerald and Kil- kenny are concerned, the Sixmile- bridge man has had no luck what- soever this decade. Just look at his track record. The senior All-Ireland final of 2002, the quarter-final replay defeat of 2004 and the semi-final loss in 2006 that was to be his last championship game in the saffron and blue. He did return this year to a heroe’s welcome in his native Sixmi- lebridge in March, again against the Cats but it was the same result as Richie Power (2) and Eddie Brennan grabbed three goals to narrowly sink the Banner.

The ‘Kilkenny factor’ followed Fitzgerald into management as well

as WIT edged out his LIT side after extra, extra-time in the Fitzgibbon Cup Final with Ballyhale Shamrocks forward Eoin Reid grabbing the de- cisive winning goal after twice drag- ging his side level earlier on to send the game into extra-time.

That streak continued on Sunday as Kilkenny claimed their third suc- cessive Minor A camogie title at the expense of Clare and while trainer Fitzgerald admits that Kilkenny deserved the win, he still feels that there is a lot of potential in this Clare side.

“They were the better side alright on the day. I don’t think we played to the potential we can play to and may- be the day got to us or whatever but certainly Kilkenny have won three

All-Irelands and are a fantastic team. There is more in our girls for definite and we showed that in patches there today.

“Listen, the referee wouldn’t have made a difference at the end of the day but she was an absolute disgrace out there. We wouldn’t have won the game but all you want is fair play at the end of the day and she wasn’t acer

“In saying that, I have to hold my hands up and say that I am delight- ed with our girls. They battled well and we came back and probably the second goal killed us. We were ab- solutely just battling back to within five points and we were unlucky not to get a break for a goal but they got one up the far side of the field and

that was it. The game was over after Were

Despite his obvious disappoint- ment, the two time All-Ireland win- ner is adament that these players are destined to lead Clare camogie to the next level.

“Let’s be honest, Kilkenny were winning senior All-Irelands a few years back for fun. Clare are Jun- ior. A lot of these girls are coming onto the Junior team and they will bring Clare up to senior, I’m posi- tive of that. And we will be compet- ing at senior level in a few years if they are handled properly. And that’s very important that they are handled properly and not overtrained or over- worked. These girls deserve to play in their own age group and given a

right chance at that, that’s very im- portant and they will progress then WAC oo mn ee: |e

Fitzgerald has the perfect opportu- nity this weekend to quash his Kil- kenny hex when his Waterford side take on Kilkenny in the All-Ireland senior hurling final. A game that has the Sixmilebridge man buzzing with anticipation.

‘“Let’s see what happens this week. I’m looking forward to it and I’m more motivated than ever. You can’t say what will happen because you are standing on the sideline and you are helpless so let’s see. We are not given a chance but you never know.”

After his luckless past against Kil- kenny, it’s almost become a personal mission.