Category: Sport

CLARE begin their Oscar Traynor campaign with a tricky looking first round tie against the Limerick League in Jackman Park, Limerick tomorrow night (kickoff 7.30pm)

Clare have been pitted in the same group as last year and after their game against Limerick will face a home tie against Galway. Former Rineanna Rovers, Shannon Olympic and Bunratty manager Colm Ryan is the man tasked with guiding Clare into the knockout stages. Ryan is joined on the coaching ticket by Avenue United stalwart John O’Malley and CDSL Munster delegate, Thomas Leahy.

Avenue United’s David Russell will captain a Clare side that will be hoping to avoid a repeat of the outcome of last year’s game between the same sides at the County Grounds. On that occasion, Limerick eased to a 3-2 victory. The visitors took the lead through Pike Rovers’ prolific marksman Alan Barry. Stephen Hickey equalized for Clare but Limerick gradually asserted their authority with goals from Barry and former League of Ireland player Brian Cleary. Damien O’Rourke bagged a late consolation goal for Clare.

Going by the quality of Limerick’s squad alone, Clare face a formidable task. Manager Aidan Ryan has assembled a panel again sprinkled with the heavyweights of the club scene in Limerick. Former Limerick FC striker John Tierney will offer a serious threat to Clare alongside Pike Rovers clubmates Alan Barry and Jonathon Grant. Janesboro, who currently occupy third place in the KBO Premier League provide four players while there is also a strong presence from Fairview Rangers and Carew Park.

Clare warmed up for the Oscar Traynor with a 1-1 challenge game against Hermitage while a side that featured numerous changes at half time eventually went down 4-1 in a friendly tie against the Limerick Desmond league.

CDSL Chairman and former Oscar Traynor manager Donie Garrihy, oversaw a the final training session in Lees Road on Sunday.

Organisation and concentration will be key to Clare’s chances in Limerick tomorrow night. If the visitors can limit their opponent’s ability to engineer chances from wide areas then the creative abilities and pace of Eoin Glynn, Colin Ryan and David McCarthy could cause plenty of problems for Limerick. The Clare squad selected for the Limerick game is as follows: John Healy (Avenue Utd) Joe Burke (Hermitage) David Russell (Avenue Utd) (Capt) Matty Nugent (Avenue Utd) Simon Cuddy (Avenue Utd) Darren Murphy (Bridge Utd) Darren Cullinan (Newmarket Celtic) Ritchie Fitzgerald (Hermitage) Shane Daniels (EnnisTown Rock) Con Collins (Avenue Utd) Packie Darcy (Lifford) Daryl Eade (EnnisTown Rock) Eoin Glynn (EnnisTown Rock) Eoin Hayes (Newmarket Celtic) Colin Ryan (Newmarket Celtic) Jay Regan (Shannon Olympic) Lunga Balman (Lifford) David McCarthy (Avenue Utd) Gary Collins (Newmarket Celtic) Ryan Boyle (Lifford)

Tubber 0-11 – Crusheen 0-06 at Cusack Park, Ennis

A BETTER balanced and physically stronger Tubber side overcame a spirited challenge from Crusheen’s third string side to secure the Junior B hurling league title. Both sides who lost at the semi final stage of the championship met in Corofin on Saturday with Tubber strongly fancied to take the laurels.

Crusheen started without the services of three key players Conor O Brien, Paul O Donnell and Keith Lenihan due to injury as Padraic O Malley opened the scoring in the 3rd minute. Declan Ryan who ended the game with six points, two from play opened Tubber’s account after five minutes. Over the course of the hour each score was hard won with Tubber benefitting from continuous Crusheen fouling and poor shot selection.

Niall Kearney and Edward Fogarty (free) responded for Crusheen as Ryan did likewise for Tubber. Ger Brohan and Damian Quinn was also on target with a point each to leave the winners (0-7) to (0-5) ahead at the break. Crusheen brought on two substitutes for the second half restart and Tubber were most fortunate not to concede at least one goal in the opening five minutes of the new half as Crusheen had three clear goal opportunities through the efforts of Ni- all Kearney, Alan Griffin and Philip O Donnell but spurned each chance.

Tubber rallied with points from Ryan and Paddy O Connor as Crusheen despite ample possession could not create scores thanks to a strong Tubber rearguard. Evan O Donoghue and Ryan rounded off the winners scoring as Niall Griffin managed a late consolation point for Crusheen whose third team has been promoted in the junior b league in the last two years. Tubber, will for their successful efforts be plying their trade in the junior A league next season.

Best for Tubber were Cathal O Grady, Oliver Taaffe, Francis McCormack, Mark Waters, Shane Mc- Mahon, Micheal Kelly, Declan Ryan, Ger Brohan and Damian Quinn. Crusheen had strong displays from the excellent Darren O Connor at corner back, John Hanrahan, Emmet O Connor, Ethan O Donnell, Edward Fogarty, Niall Griffin and Youen Horner.

After the game Irish officer of clare county board Tom Burke presented the Junior B league hurling cup to Tubber captain Cyril Cunningham.

Tubber
Cathal OGrady, Dermot Taaffe, Oliver Taaffe, Mark

Waters, Micheal Kelly, Shane McMahon, Kevin Conroy, Francis McCormack, Cyril Cunningham, Declan Ryan (0-6), David Fogarty, Damian Quinn (0-1), Ger Brohan (0-2), David Conroy, Nigel Naughton.

Subs
Paddy OConnor (0-1) for Conroy, Evan O Donoghue (0-1) for Nigel Naughton.

Crusheen
John Hanrahan, Darren OConnor, Emmet O Connor, Eoin Ryan, Enda OBrien, Damian Murphy, Edward Fogarty (0-2), Ethan ODonnell, Philip O Donnell, Padraic OMalley (0-1), Niall Griffin (0-1), Alan Griffin, Niall Kearney (0-1), SeanWeir (0-1), Brendan Keehan.

Subs
Youen Horner for Alan Griffin, Paul O Donnell for Keehan, Raymond Hassett for Murphy, Damian OConnor for Kearney Anthony Rodgers for OBrien.

Referee
John Dolan (Clarecastle)

Lifford 6 – Newmarket Celtic 2 at The County Grounds, Doora

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St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield 2-7 – Wolfe Tones 0-7 at Cusack Park, Ennis

WHEN Faughs ended 40 years of western rule when bringing Jack Daly east in 1994, a feature of that landmark campaign was Kieran O’Neill’s gut-wrenching runs from midfield.

If ever there was a case for like father like son, it was on Sunday as Alan O’Neill was his old man incarnate as he ran and kicked a standalone team from The Parish into their first county football final in 113 years.

Back then it was the Doora Raparees – on this day it was two raps of O’Neill’s right boot that produced wonder goals and completed St Josephs’ remarkable journey from relegation candidates to county finalists.

The first came 14 minutes into the game that put The Parish 1-1 to 0-1 ahead and in control, the second with nine minutes of normal time left killed the game and catapulted them into dreamland.

And, thoroughly deserved was this triumph too, because it was St Joseph’s who rose to the challenge on this penultimate round tie in a big way, while the Shannon men flopped – the second time in four years they’ve failed to take their quarterfinal form into a semi-final clash in Cusack Park.

Back then it was a driven Lissycasey who ended their hopes – St Joseph’s were certainly cut from the same cloth on this day because the combination of O’Neill’s goals and their point-taking ability from play elevated them onto a different class and proved far too much for a Tones side that miss-fired badly in front of goal.

Proof of the Tones’ problems came with the substitution of frontline forwards Gary Leahy and Kevin Cahill in the second half. Stephen Mona- ghan and Daniel Gallery also failed to score from play, as other than Chris Dunning’s 23rd minute effort all their scores came from frees.

Measured against St Josephs’ 2-5 from play, this was a miss-match, with The Parish cruising to the final frontier in a canter not seen in the club since the hurlers were in their pomp from 1998 to 2001.

A tense opening saw the sides miss chances before Daniel Gallery landed a 45 in the third minute, but St Josephs’ ability to score from play was showcased in the tenth minute when Enda Lyons and Cathal O’Sullivan teed up Cathal Duggan for a point.

There was more to come, with Alan O’Neill’s 60-yard run through the heart of a retreating Tones defence the stuff of legend, especially when he finished it off by drilling low to the net from 14 yards.

St Joseph’s never looked back with Cathal O’Sullivan, David O’Brien and Kevin Dilleen landing fine points from play, while O’Brien also stroked over a free from the hands to give his side a double-scores lead of 1-5 to 0-4 at the interval.

The Tones were lethargic – despite Patsy Keyes’ best efforts at midfield – and just about stayed afloat when Stephen Monaghan landed two frees either side of a fine point from play by Chris Dunning.

The introduction of Aaron Cunningham at half-time did give them some impetus, but still, two Mona- ghan frees was all they had to show for the first 15 minutes of the half, while the difference in class between the sides was personified in the 37th minute when mercurial play-maker Colm Mullen ghosted up the shed side and arced a great point over the bar at the Stamer Park end of the field.

The Tones did have a chance to peg it back to a two-point game in the 50th minute but Monaghan missed an easy free, while inside a minute another surge by O’Neill settled the game. This time he thundered forward, latched on to a Paul Dullaghan pass and blasted low to the net once more.

You could say it was exhibition stuff when Enda Lyons floated over a great point in the 52nd minute to but St Joseph’s 2-7 to 0-6 clear and on the high road to the most significant win in their football history.

Hurling bluebloods in the stand and shed were even bellowing as The Parish navigated through seven minutes of injury time to reach the Promised Land of a county final.

Football GUBU you could call it, given where they were after their opening two championship games and four points down 25 minutes into their third game.

Back from the dead, you could say.

Richly deserved though.

Avenue United 2 – Moher Celtic 0 at The County Grounds, Doora

IT was a magnificent achievement for this Moher Celtic team to reach the final frontier of the under 13 cup for the first time. In three seasons they’ve come from Division 4 to the top flight and in this final against the bluebloods of Avenue Utd they put up a titanic struggle before bowing out by a couple of goals in the second half.

There was nothing between the sides in the first half with both defences coping with any attacks that came their way, with Avenue coming closest to breaking the deadlock just before the interval when Anthony Lacey stretched to tip Patrick McDaid’s effort over the bar.

The second half followed a similar pattern before Tomás Hehir broke the deadlock 14 minutes from time with a free kick, while Avenue sealed their victory with a second from Mark McAuliffe six minutes from time.

Moher Celtic kept trying to the end though, forcing Paddy Honan into making a brilliant save from a goalbound effort from midfielder Ciaran Buckley.

TO say that St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield have navigated under the radar to reach a county final is putting it mildly, but their cover was well and truly blown by this command performance.

Underdogs beforehand they swept to a comprehensive victory that some afficionados in maroon could scarcely believe – those on the outside that is, because within the lair of the team they felt it coming as selector Kieran Kelleher explained afterwards.

“Even after losing the first two games in the championship there was ambition in this team,” he revealed seconds after their six-point win. “Before the Shannon Gaels game we had a challenge against Monaleen and the lads played well on that day and seemed to get more focused and get more of a drive in them.

“We knuckled down against Shan- non Gaels and got a good win. The lads have worked hard over the last month – they are a great bunch of lads and the just rewards are here today. We told them there was no point coming into a semi-final and not playing well. We had to go the whole way,” he added.

They were listening, especially Alan O’Neill, whose addition to the team in recent games has been one of the catalysts for a football uprising in The Parish not seen since the Doora Rapparees marked the cententary of the 1798 Rebellion by beating the storied Ennis Dals in the final.

“Alan came into us late, the fact that he’s involved in hurling and football in the parish and with the county, we didn’t want to bring him in too early. He came in very fresh and he has been a real driving force for us,” revealed Kelleher.

“The two goals were top class. He carried the ball 80 yards for that goal – the determination in him was something his father used to do, to inspired those around him and drag people into the game. It showed that if we ran at them we could open them up. The second goal was huge too because it came at a time when we were making a few mistakes and needed it to get over the line.

“It’s great to be there. We haven’t looked at Kilmurry yet but record is second to none. What they’ve achieved over the last few years is remarkable. Apart from winning seniors, a Munster club and contesting an All-Ireland they were going for six-in-a-row in under 21 a few years back.”

Who stopped them? St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield of course.

Mountshannon Celtic 5 – Newmarket Celtic 0 at The County Grounds, Doora

MOUNTSHANNON Celtic confirmed their dominance of under 12 girls football in Clare on Saturday when scoring a comprehensive win over Newmarket Celtic in this onesided final.

One-sided in the second half that is, because the game was still delicately poised at the interval with Amy Barrett’s strike from a free kick that came mid-way through proceeding separating the sides.

However, the east Clare side really opened up on the turnover with Tania Azara putting in magnificent 30 minutes as she rattled the Newmarket net four times as Celtic cruised to victory.

It completed the league/cup double for Mountshannon – their second successive year to achieve this feat, while Newmarket had to be content with runners-up spot in both league and cup.

Mountshannon Celtic
Sorcha O’Donnell,Amy Solan, Katie Minogue, Caoimhe Grace, Rachel Minogue,Aisling Corry, Amy Barrett, Niamh Quirke, Fiona Hayes, Rebecca Burke,Tania Azara.

Kilmurry Ibrickane 1-7 – Cratloe 0-9 at Lissycasey

FOR a few fleeting minutes this had all the appearances of a changing of the guard. Out of the west, into the east, seismic shift and all that.

The young turks from Cratloe had hit five unanswered points to draw level by the 55th minute – they could smell something special.

The old dogs from the barony of Ibrickane were creaking as Cratloe had them on the run, more than that they had the legs on them and looked primed to close in on their biggest scalp in senior football since beating Ennis Thomas Davis at the same stage of the championship way back in 1887.

With Liam Markham and Martin ‘Ogie’ Murphy thundering forward from the half-back line, the Collins brothers humming and deadeye Cathal McInerney up front, the stage was set.

Everyone in Lissycasey could feel it, but it never happened because in the gap of danger and with perhaps the end of Kilmurry’s greatest ever era at hand, like the true champions they are, they bounced off the ropes to land the knockout blow through Johnnie Daly two and half minutes from time.

It was gripping stuff. Kilmurry had bossed this game for 40 minutes and had enough possession to kill the game early in the second half, but Cratloe’s derring-go, fitness and football helped tee up a titanic battle that has set the standard for this year’s championship.

And, it was Kilmurry who raised the bar highest in an impressive opening when they raced into a 1-3 to 0-1 lead after 15 minutes. With Noel Downes and Michael O’Dwyer revelling in the space of a two-man full-forward line, Enda Coughlan retreated to the third midfielder’s role he played so effectively in those two epic county finals against Éire Óg in 2004.

It worked with Downes opening the scoring on three minutes, while five minutes later a long ball from Coughlan miss-judged by Barry Duggan was brilliantly flicked by Downes into O’Dwyer who slammed to the net beyond Jamie Joyce.

It was vintage Kilmurry – they were tight at the back, 30-somethings Peter O’Dwyer and Paul O’Connor were shading the midfield war against Brendan Bugler and Conor Ryan and the forwards were dangerous in front of goal.

Cratloe, meanwhile, were ponderous in their approach and if anything suffering from stage fright in the club’s first county semi-final in 124 years.

When Kilmurry followed up O’Dwyer’s goal with an Ian McInerney free and a brilliant Enda Coughlan point on 15 minutes after good work in the build-up by Ian McIn- erney, Noel Downes and Michael O’Dwyer, it looked a case of men against boys.

But whether it’s small ball or big, Cratloe are nothing if not resilient and two Cathal McInerney frees by the 24th minute – to add to Liam Markham’s opener in the eighth – raised their spirits before McCarthy’s fine effort from play eased Kilmurry 1-4 to 0-3 clear at the break.

Ian McInerney and Cathal McInerney swapped pointed frees inside four minutes of the re-start, before an exquisite crossfield ball from Stephen Moloney teed up Mark McCarthy for his second point to put five between the sides.

Kilmurry were in control, but as their wides started to mount Cratloe gradually played their way back into the game with pointed frees from Cathal McInerney and Liam Markham by the three quarter stage, pegging it back to a three-point game.

From there Cratloe took complete control – Conor Ryan and Brendan Bugler took a stranglehold of midfield as the Blues gradually turned the screw only to lack the killer instinct to win the game.

Two more Markham frees by the 50th minute left only a point between the sides, while Cathal McInerney levelled matters in the 54th, only for a couple of glaring misses to cost Cratloe their slice of history.

Padraigh Chaplin should have put Conor McGrath through on goal in the 53rd minute, but in electing to go for a point drove the ball wide from 18 yards, while McGrath, who was brilliantly policed by Shane Hickey throughout, should have pointed in the 56th minute only to be foiled by a brilliant Peter O’Dwyer block.

These misses effectively saved Kilmurry, who then showed nerves of steel in lifting the siege, with substitutes Niall Hickey and Johnnie Daly combining to seal their great escape.

Daly gathered the ball 35 yards from goal, turned and showed his enduring class when thumping the ball between the sticks for a great point.

Cratloe were crestfallen – their day will mostly definitely come but it was Kilmurry’s day as they close in on a third county title in four years.

Newmarket-on-Fergus 2-22 – Tubber 0-16 at Clarecastle

THE Blues don’t really want to be here, but on this display they can’t be accused of not wanting to embrace what is effectively a chase for ninth place in the county senior pecking order in 2011.

It was their energy and urgency even the passion displayed by Darren O’Connor when venting his frustration about being substituted early in the second half – that helped sweep them to this comfortable 12-point success on Saturday afternoon.

The job of journeywork that was advancing to the semi-final was really done by half-time as they moved 1- 11 to 0-11 clear when playing against the strong breeze, an advantage that enabled them to gradually turn the screw in the second half as Tubber’s challenge gradually petered out.

A 1-11 haul by Colin Ryan led the way for the Blues, with his 19th minute goal from a 21-yard free driving his side 1-9 to 0-7 clear of a game Tubber side that stayed competitive thanks to Blaine Earley’s accuracy.

The sides were level on four occasions inside the first ten minutes, with Earley hitting three points for Tubber in addition to Shane O’Connor’s opener while Enda Barrett, Martin O’Hanlon and Colin Ryan (2) were on the mark for the Blues.

Indeed it was the Blues’ greater spread of scorers that showed up the difference between the two sides – Anthony Kilmartin, Enda Kelly, Eoin Hayes David Barrett and Shane O’Brien, not to mind the free scoring Colin Ryan that kept them in front all through the half.

Seven points without reply in the first 15 minutes after half-time killed the game as the Blues moved 1-18 to 0-11 ahead, with Anthony Kilmar tin, Shane O’Brien, David Barrett, Stephen Kelly and Colin Ryan (3) on the mark.

Clive Earley grabbed Tubber’s first point of the half in the 47th minute, but they were restricted to only five in the half while Newmarket matched their first half tally of 1-11 in cruising to victory.

Three points in row between the 50th and 55th minute via Blaine Earley (2) and Patrick O’Connor left only seven between the sides but the Blues cranked up once more with a strong a strong finish that was embellished when Anthony Kilmartin slammed to the net in the final minute.

Newmarket- on- Fergus
Kieran Devitt, Shane O’Brien, Stephen Kelly (0-1), Padraig Gilmartin, Darren O’Connor, James

McInerney, Enda Barrett (0-1), Martin O’Hanlon (0-3), Eoin O’Brien, Shane O’Brien (0-2), David Barrett (0-2), Enda Kelly (0-1), Eoin Hayes (0-1), Anthony Kilmartin (1-2), Colin Ryan (1-10, 1-6f, two 65).

Subs
Alan Barrett for O’Connor, JimMcInerney for Hayes, Sean O’Connor for Stephen Kelly, James Liddy for Enda Kelly

Tubber
RonanTaaffe, Eoin Ruane, Mark Earley, John O’Connor, Fergal O’Grady, Patrick O’Connor (03f), Conor Earley, Clive Earley (0-2), Ger O’Connor, David O’Donoghue (0-1), Shane O’Connor (0-1), Nigel O’Donoghue, Dara O’Connor, Justin McMahon (0-1), Blaine Earley (0-8, 6f).

Subs
Tommy Lee for Dara O’Connor.

Man of the Match
Colin Ryan (Newmarket- on- Fergus) Referee Fergie McDonagh (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield)

Corofin 0-13 – Ruan 1-10 at Shannon

ALL’S WELL that ends well as these neighbours will gladly take a second bite of the cherry to decide who will play Éire Óg in the decider. Both sides could claim to have been unlucky not to win but equally will certainly be relieved that they are still in the championship after a thrilling yet anxious cresendo to this derby.

The sides were level on no fewer than six times over the hour but it was Cillian Ryan’s 56th minute equalising score that stood out from the pack as he took a pass on the run from Darragh Roughan to pick off the score of the game and force a replay.

The Ruan support were overjoyed to see their side gain parity as they had found themselves four points in arrears as late as the 52nd minute and in real trouble in most areas of the field after Corofin had made deci sive match-altering switches.

No better team that Ruan to grind out the result however as despite not playing to the heights of previous performances, still had enough championship experience to maintain their unbeaten run of six games. But while fading late on, Corofin will also be hugely encouraged by their display as this was arguably their most impressive showing of the campaign.

Essentially, both sides had their heroes with centre-backs Gerry Quinn and Jonathan Clohessy to the fore while respective wing (Mikey Vaughan and Neil Killeen) and corner forwards (Brendan Lyons and Cillian Neylon) also playing decisive roles in this derby. However, Darragh Roughan’s leadership in the last ten minutes also has to be noted as the main driving force behind their comeback.

Corofin had the better of the early exchanges when pushing 0-4 to 0-1 clear by the 13th minute with unanswered points from Stephen Heagney (two frees), Declan Lee and Neil Killeen following Mikey Vaughan’s third minute opener. However, they were rocked when Ruan goaled merely seconds later against the run of play through Brendan Lyons who slipped initially before getting up and finishing to the net.

That inspirational score was added to by Vaughan again as Ruan retook the lead but it was Corofin who finished stronger with Killeen, Neylon and Kevin Heagney handing them a 0-8 to 0-6 half-time advantage despite being lucky to keep their full complement of players after a hefty late Declan Lee challenge on Eoin Hanrahan just before the break.

The wet conditions played their part throughout and could have had a decisive impact on the restart when Gerry Quinn’s ’65 slipped out of Jonathan Clohessy’s grasp, only for goalkeeper Packie Roughan to come to his rescue on the line. Ruan used that let-off to their advantage though when pulling level by the 38th minute through points from Brendan Lyons and Aidan Lynch.

Corofin freshened things up with a trio of substitutions and it was the return of Daragh Clancy that really caught the eye as the former county senior went to full-back, releasing Luke O’Loughlin to the wing and Damien Ryan to midfield as they began to seize control once more. A brace of Stephen Heagney frees add ed to points from substitutes Jamie Malone and Diarmuid Daly put Corofin four clear by the 49th minute and with Ruan all at sea, it looked to be Corofin’s day.

However, last year’s finalists dug deep and led by an immense final quarter from Darragh Roughan, they began to chip away at the deficit. Roughan found John Punch for their first score in 12 minutes; Cillian Ryan and Aidan Lynch combined to release Vaughan for his third of the game and Punch converted a 55th minute free before Ryan put over a crucial 56th minute equaliser.

With momentum on their side, Ruan had chances to win it but ultimately failed to capitalise and in the end, a draw was the fairest result for both sides’ endeavours.