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AFTER taking a break over the bank holiday weekends it’s full steam ahead for underage soccer in the county.

There is a full programme of games down for decision with 19 fixtures due to be played.

Tonight the under 11 leagues takes centre stage with Moher Celtic look- ing to continue their solid start to the season when they take on Lifford in JBHIaVEIATanelOvee

Elsewhere in the same division Newmarket take on Moneypoint at McDonough Park.

In division three, leaders Burren United are another North Clare side that have made a winning start to the season.

They face a tough challenge in the form of Fern Celtic. In the under 13 league, Lifford will be hoping to get their second win of the campaign with a home tie at Cassidy Park where Connolly Celtic are the visitors.

Newtown take on Mountshannon at Ballycasey while in division two, St Pats will be hoping they can leapfrog Newmarket at the top of the table with victory over Moher Celtic in Kiulmihil.

It’s already getting tight at the top in

division one of the under 12 league. Moneypoint and Ennis Town are tied on ten points with four games played. Sitting in third are Avenue United on nine points and three games played.

Moneypoint take on Avenue United in Kilrush with Lifford and Bridge United meeting in Lees Road.

It’s a similar situation in the under 16 league where three games are tied on six points. Fern Celtic are among the early pace-setters and they travel to Lees Road next Tuesday night for a meeting with Turnpike Rovers.

NINE months after doing a solo run on the appointment of a Clare foot- ball manager, the county board has come full circle and enlisted the help of the clubs in finding the right man for the job.

When the Clare delegation trav- elled to Paidi O Sé’s pub in Ventry late last November, they did so under the cover of darkness. Only a select group of board members knew of the impending approach, prompting an- ger among certain delegates.

“I think it was very, very under- hand the way it was done,’ said Ber- nard Hanrahan, Clarecastle delegate of O Sé’s appointment at December’s GAA convention.

Hanrahan’s remarks were knocked back by chairman Michael McDon- agh at the time, but this week the chairman confirmed that the board are two weeks away from receiving final correspondence from the Clare clubs, in relation to who the next man in charge should be.

‘“We’ve made contact with the clubs and we’re waiting for them to get back to us,’ he said. “Once that’s done, it’s a case of drawing up a shortlist over the following ten days or so.”

That the clubs of Clare have a say in the process may ensure that an

exhaustive search will have been un- dertaken, but it’s not guaranteed that success will follow.

While O Sé’s tenure as manager ended without many high points, the board were lauded by most in the winter for going after and securing a big name to help propel Clare up the football ladder.

It didn’t happen and as a result, the search is on for a Clareman to lead the county team from bottom-rung football next season.

“We’re anxious to get the right peo- ple in as soon as possible, but we’re not going to rush anything,’ added McDonagh. “The most important thing is we get the right men to do the job.”

Next Tuesday’s meeting of the board promises to be another action filled event. Besides the expected debate on the next man to fill the football manager’s shoes, talk will also turn to the position of hurling manager following Clare’s departure from the championship against Limerick.

It’s an open secret by now that a certain section of the board wished to remove Tony Considine, despite his two-year appointment. If this fac- tion gets it way, the board could be looking at an unprecedented four in- ter-county appointments in less than one year.

THE company constructing the Ennis bypass has been accused of a breach of contract over placing a protected butterfly onto private land outside the bypass zone without the permis- sion of Clare County Council.

The placing of the Marsh Fritil- lary on lands formerly owned by JJ McCabe has sparked a row between consultants acting for Clare County Council on the bypass and GAMA Construction, where GAMA is deny- ing any breach of contract.

The placing or translocation of the rare butterfly has presented planning headaches to purchaser of the JJ Mc- Cabe lands, Stephen Harris in his bid to construct a €50 million retail park at the site.

Clare County Council has told Mr Harris that there remains serious concerns in relation to the presence of the butterfly on his lands.

Now, in correspondence released through the Freedom of Information Act, Bryan Hamilton of consulting firm Jacobs employed by the council wrote to GAMA in March to state, “We are extremely disappointed to read in this report that Gama Stra- bag Construction Ltd (GSCL) has worked outside the lands made avail- able for the works in relation to the original location of the species and the translocation area.”

In response, Project Manager with GAMA, John Cunningham said on March 29, “We note that in your

letter of February 14, you state that ‘there is no record that this location is outside the lands made available by the employer’.

“We consider that this comment is disingenuous as the reference clearly is to a location that was outside the alignment. For avoidance of any confusion, I note that I personally at- tended both meetings referred to.

“We made it clear on July 23, 2004, that we intended to move the marsh fritillary larvae and associated food plant outside the lands made availa- ble. You raised no concerns or sought

any clarification at the time.

“We further confirmed, as minuted on September 24, that we had relo- cated the plants and larvae and iden- tified the location to an adjacent field — JJ McCabe’s land.”

In relation to the claim of breach of contract, Mr Cunningham said, “We again state that we fulfilled our con- tractual obligations with regard to environmental mitigation in respect OM slow oer-vans meu lselt-)mvam

SOME of Clare’s lesser known tour- ist sites and attractions are being tar- geted by Clare tourist organisations who embark on a week-long promo- tional trip to the US next week.

Clare County Council, Shannon Development, the Clare Tourism Fo- rum, the Clare Tourist Council and Shannon Heritage will be promoting some of Clare’s lesser-known attrac- tions at the Milwaukee Irish Fest in Wisconsin.

“The promotional campaigns of national bodies such as Failte Ireland and Tourism Ireland Limited are un- doubtedly crucial to the overall suc- cess and development of the industry throughout the island at a very chal- lenging time in the global tourism market,” said Tomas Mac Conmara, Acting Heritage Officer, Clare Coun- ty Council.

“The Clare Tourism Forum and Shannon Development have under- taken a huge amount of promotional work in this area. However, the pro- motion of the lesser-known heritage attractions throughout the country 1s often overlooked even though they hold the key to revitalising rural communities and contributing to the sustained growth of the Irish tourist sector.”

The sites that the organisations hope

to sell to prospective tour organisers include the county’s 5,000-year-old portal tombs, its 23 surviving cran- nogs, 220 holy wells, King Brian Bort’s doorway in Tuamgraney, the Michael Cusack Centre in Carron, over 100 12th-century castles and 224 recorded surviving ringforts.

“Clare boasts some of the world’s most famous heritage sites and tour- ist attractions. However, the county has much more to offer than just the famous tourism landmarks with a vast array of local heritage sites and attractions available to tourists,” he continued. “If promoted at local, na- tional and international level, they are likely to benefit from existing tourism business in the region, as well as attract other visitors.”

Marie Slattery from Shannon Her- itage said we would be doing our- selves an injustice to forget the less- er-known attractions.

“Everyone knows that Knappogue Castle is ideal for weddings and the castle’s medieval banquets, but Knappogue’s walled garden and cas- tle tour as a daytime attraction help to keep the visitor in the area for longer, benefiting everyone including the actual visitor,’ she said.

“Promoting the lesser-known attrac- tions in conjunction with the world- renowned products is the only way to show the true promise of our region.”

TWO years after being built at an estimated cost of €175,000 to the tax-payer, a custom-made bat-house located along the route of the €205 million Ennis by-pass has failed to attract a single bat.

Due to security concerns, Clare County Council has refused to dis- close the location of the bat-house to the public and it appears that the council has also failed to inform any members of the endangered Lesser Horseshoe Bat community as to the whereabouts of the hi-tech home.

The tiny Lesser Horseshoe Bat is protected under the EU Habitats Di- rective and is listed as a vulnerable species.

As part of its contract for the by- pass scheme, GAMA Construction is required to put in place a series of measures — including the construc- tion of a purpose built bat house – to ensure the continued good welfare of the bat along the route.

However, in a report drawn up for the company by environmental con- sultant, Howard Williams of Inis En- vironmental Services, it confirms the absence of bats at the new home.

In the report released under the

Freedom of Information Act to

ALLEGATIONS over the disappear- ance of three old fireplaces and the discovery of animal carcasses at the farm of the late Michael O’ Halloran underlined the bitter divide between the two sides in the land dispute at Ennis Circuit Court last Friday.

In evidence, sister of the late Stanley and Michael O’Halloran, Ida Rohan told the court that three fire-

places and an antique dining room table disappeared from the home after Michael was taken into care at Our Lady’s psychiatric hospital in Ennis. Before Judge Harvey Kenny, Ms Rohan said, “Everyone was ques- tioning who took them.”

Asked did she know who took the tables, Ms Rohan said that her late brother, Stanley was seen at an antique dealer’s shop in Limerick around that time.

However, this provoked an angry response from Stanley’s wife, Marie O’Halloran when she took the stand to give evidence.

She said, “Stanley didn’t touch one thing. Under no circumstances did we take anything that belonged to Michael. The fireplaces were prob- ably taken by ‘Travellers. For Ida Rohan to say 1n any way that Stanley took anything is a downright lie. Stanley O’Halloran never stole that

much (holding up and pressing her thumb and forefinger together) in his life.”

Mrs Rohan also alleged that Michael’s lands that were taken over by Stanley “are deplorable. It doesn’t do me any good to go back there”.

Mrs Rohan said that in May 2005 When she returned to the farm with auctioneer, John de Courcy, she spotted two animal carcasses on the lands. She said, “One ewe was left to

rot. It was disgusting.”

Asked to respond, in evidence, Mrs O’Halloran said, “That is being said to blacken me. In the summer of 2005, I spent five to six weeks at the regional hospital. I was sick.”

She added, “Ida Rohan claimed that Stanley didn’t pay for his mother’s funeral as well. She has caused a lot of hurt and trouble.” Mrs O’Halloran said, “My husband, Stanley didn’t trust his sisters not one iota.”

An east Clare widow is refusing to give-up lands valued at €1.4 million to allow the lands be sold on, a court hearing into a family land dispute has been told.

At Ennis Circuit Court last Friday, Marie O’Halloran contested an ac- tion by her sister-in-law, Josephine Barry (72) to have her vacate 66 acres of farmland two and half miles from Tulla.

Mrs O’Halloran told the court that her late husband, Stanley O’ Halloran, reached a deal in the late 1970s with the owner of the farm, his late broth- er, Michael to purchase the lands for £65,000.

Mrs O’Halloran also told the court that Stanley paid different sums of

cash over the years to Michael, who was a bachelor farmer.

However, counsel for Mrs O’Halloran, Leonard Parker BL, acknowledged that no record of the agreement existed, nor had Mrs O’Halloran been able to recover any record of cheques paid by Stanley to Michael due to the time that had elapsed.

In evidence, Josephine Barry dis- missed the monies paid by Stanley O’Halloran to Michael as “pocket money’ and said that she had no knowledge of the alleged deal be- tween the two to sell the farm to NEDA

Mrs Barry’s sister, Ida Rohan told the court, “If there was a deal, it wouldn’t hold water.”

Counsel for Mrs Barry, Gerry Kie-

ly BL, said that Michael O’Halloran died aged 64 in May 2004 intestate and that without a will being made, his farm was divided three ways, be- tween his two sisters, Mrs Barry and Ida Rohan and Stanley O’Halloran.

Stanley died four months later aged 68 and his share passed onto his wife, Marie O’Halloran.

Mr Kiely said that Michael O’Halloran was diagnosed a chronic schizophrenic in the 1970s and evi- dence would be given from a con- sultant psychiatrist that he wouldn’t be capable of entering any agreement to sell his lands.

A retired school teacher and admin- istrator of the estate, Mrs Barry told the court that her brother, Michael was first admitted to psychiatric care in the winter of 1973-74.

He was admitted again in 1985 and stayed in institutional care until his death in 2004.

Mrs Barry said that Stanley “com- mandeered Michael’s lands after he was admitted in 1985 and moved his animals onto the lands without consulting anyone’ and that Mrs O’Halloran was now refusing to re- move the animals from the lands.

Mrs Barry said that at Michael’s ‘month’s mind’ Mass in June 2004, Stanley approached her, said “what about Mike’s land?” and offered €100,000 to each of his sisters for his brother’s farm.

Mrs Barry said that she was sur- prised that Marie O’Halloran was now laying claim to all the lands. She said: “Everyone was due to get their fair share and I was surprised that

someone was being greedy in look- ing for more than their one-third.”

She said, “I don’t accept that there was any agreement between Stanley and Michael over the lands. Michael only had €1,100 in his account when he died and €300 of that was put through by my eldest son days before he died.”

Mr Parker told Mrs Barry, “Mrs O’Halloran wants to keep the lands for her two sons and waive any right she has to the lands”’.

Mrs Barry said, “We can’t all do what we like. I have four sons too.”

Mr Parker said that Mrs O’ Halloran had made an offer of €400,000 to the two sisters to purchase the lands in April 2006, but this was rejected.

Evidence in the case is in the au- tumn.

A FLOPPY ham sandwich in one hand, half a bottle of Lucozade gripped tightly in the other. It was a slightly perplexed Tony Considine that faced the thicket of reporters outside the Clare dressing room af- ter his side had gone down by seven points to Limerick.

His mood was quickly explained. Missed chances. Clare had too many of them.

The Clare manager said his side’s failure to score at critical junctures in the game was the main reason for their exit from the All-Ireland se- ries.

He was also full of praise for Lim- erick, a side he said were better pre- pared for the contest by virtue of their rigorous four-game Munster campaign.

He said, “you can’t afford to miss the chances we missed and expect to win a match, especially in the first half. We missed goals that we should have got. Look it we came up, as un- derdogs and I knew that. People were building up Limerick and things like that. This is a god Limerick team make no mistake about it. They will put it up to anyone left in the cham- pionship. Jesus lads, you can’t af- ford to miss the chances we missed. Whatever you do whether you do it wrong in training, it’s just maybe fel- las don’t see the posts when they get out there. At the end of the day when you miss those chance you’re not en- titled to win those matches, you’re not entitled to win the match.

“We died and we came back again and we brought it back to three points. Of course we gave away a very soit goal as well. In Croke Park you get mistakes like that, you get mistakes. The one thing that you have to do is get over them. Everyone can make a mistake; I can make them myself as well. At the end of the day, I think Limerick deserved to win. They were the better team and I wish them the best.”

Considine also revealed that Gerry Quinn’s selection was in doubt right up until he took the field in Croke Park.

Quinn, who lined out at centre back, wasn’t expected to start due to a knee

ligament injury. However, a late fit- ness test at the team hotel and the pre-match warm up, convinced Con- sidine and his selectors that Quinn was fit to play.

With three players making their Croke Park debut — Philip Brennan, Brendan Bugler and Bernard Gaff- ney — Considine said inexperience played its part.

“There was inexperience as well. We made silly mistakes as well. They came back they got the fourth

point and the fifth and the sixth. That kind of kills a team as well. I thought our lads gave everything as well. I can’t fault any of them lads for the effort they gave out there. Lynch has been a superb man for years, I think he has been superb for the last thirty years. He gives it everything. You can’t fault anyone. Everyone goes out there to do they’re best. I done my best for the team as well same as Pat O’Connor, Ciaran O’Neill and Tim Crowe. We did our best and it wasn’t

good enough today.”

The sandwich now gone, Consid- ine drained the last of the Lucozade before taking questions on his own JaUUHUNRon

After a stormy year at the helm, the Cratloe man gave no indication whether or not he would like to con- tinue in the role.

‘Well I have been shot so may times this year that a few more bullets won’t do me any harm at this stage. That’s for another day, maybe that’s

for other people, maybe that’s for an- other day. You don’t think about that now.

“We all know what sport is and we all know what tragedy is as well. Sport is only part of our life. We give or best everyday we do it, whether that’s at club, county or any other level.”

RICHIE Bennis is not the sort of man to take punishment from author- ity lying down. Having been banned to the stand for the most important game since he took charge of Lim- erick last year, Bennis was unable to curb his emotion in the latter stages of this quarter final and took it upon himself to move down closer to the action, positioning himself behind the substitute enclosure.

“It was a joke. I was told on Friday that I had to sit in the stand. Then today, I was escorted up and had to walk all the way around to the back

of the stand. It was scandalous be- cause my eyesight isn’t as good as it used to be. I’m alright when I’m on the sideline but when I’m that far away, my eyesight is not good at all. So late on in the game I came back down myself because I had to watch it from somewhere.”

Ironically, Bennis got his chance to take over the Limerick hotseat in the aftermath of the pummelling which Clare gave them just over a year ago in the qualifiers and after perform- ing major surgery on his player’s at- titudes and performances, Limerick have emerged a radically different side this year, not in personnel but in

personality. And while Bennis may not have 20:20 vision, he is well able to air his opinions. Reflecting on the seven point victory over neighbours Clare, it was obvious that he was delighted to have turned a corner on Sunday.

“We are very pleased because of the way they worked. You know peo- ple were saying that we are a kind of a hard working side more than anything else but we are well capa- ble of hurling too and they proved that today. All over the field we had character today. Clare came back at us in the second half but I think we weathered the storm well and came

good again in the last five minutes. These lads have great character and are great yokes. They want to win something this year beacause they are not known to have won anything. They won three under 21s but that is not enough for these players. They really want to win more.”

During the week, Bennis_ had stressed the need for big performanc- es from his players in this real test of their development and so he was par- ticularly impressed with the contri- butions of Andrew O’Shaughnessy and substitute Donie Ryan who com- bined scored 1-12 out of Limerick’s total of 1-23. But while he is relieved

to have got over the abnner on Sun- day, he was at pains to stress that this is only a stepping stone in Limerick’s plan for the campaign.

“We are not happy with that. This was the best performance since ’96 but now that we are in the sem1’s, we have no preferences who we meet. We don’t care because we can beat them all now. We are in the top four now which is a big thing for Lim- erick because we weren’t in the top four this morning, we were in the top eight. The team is getting better now with every outing and there is a lot more to come from them, I can as- sure you.”

JONATHAN Clancy emerged from a soundless dressing room to offer a player’s perspective on Clare’s flat performance against Limerick.

The Clarecastle player produced some sparkling moments. Namely when he drifted across from the left

wing and fielded Gerry O’Grady’s clearance to land his first point.

Even with the game up, he still mo- tored up and down finishing Clare’s best-constructed move of the match from under the Hogan Stand.

Nice moments, but ones you sus- pect Clancy won’t dwell on.

Like his manager he’s thinking

about the ones that got away.

With his back against a _ wall, Clancy spoke of his frustration as he contemplated another early exit from the All-Ireland series.

“We missed a number of chances in the first half that will haunt us for a while. We didn’t enjoy the bounce of the ball, which is always important

in such tight matches. We are sick and tired of coming up here giving good performances and not winning. I’d rather have played a bad game and won than a good one and lost.” However, he said the experience would benefit the team in the long run. According to Clancy, Clare could do with a little rub of the green.

“We still have a very good team, but we need to be contesting All-Ireland semis and finals to bring it on. There is very little between the teams when you reach this stage of the champi- onship. Games can go either way. Just look at what Wexford achieved against Tipperary on Saturday. All we need is a little bit of luck.”