Category: Sport

BEFORE Galway manager Mattie Murphy could settle comfortably into his chair, the inevitable quizzing of extra-time was broached. Did he know there would be an additional period and more to the point, when did he know?

“Nobody knew. RTÉ didn’t know, we didn’t know but sure, they only tell us these things. They can turnaround and reschedule matches as they go along. If you look at the schedule for matches, the Munster champions are supposed to be in Croke Park next Sunday and we had budgeted for that. All of a sudden, out of the blue, they move it.

“We would have gladly taken a replay at that stage because I thought the advantage might be that they had been through a strenuous Munster campaign and had two games since the Leaving Cert, I thought maybe it would be an advantage to them in terms of conditioning and fitness but thanks be to God, we matched them in that anyway.”

Once the teams were told and refocused, was he surprised how strongly Galway finished?

“I leave the conditioning of the lads and the training of the lads to Mike Haverty. He was happy enough with their levels of fitness but I think, no matter what level of fitness you have, if the head and the heart isn’t right, then you are going to be in trouble. Even if you were a couple of sessions short of physical fitness, the heart and head will carry you through if you are mentally strong and we showed in extra-time that we are mentally very strong.”

Very strong finishers in normal time too thanks to Gerard O’Donoghue’s injury-time scrambled goal that earned his side that extra chance.

“The goal was one of those dithery ones that was kicked over the line but they are all three points. Even if you hit a cracker from 40 yards to the net, it’s still only three points you get but I was still happy to see it going over the line anyway.

“I thought we were hesitant and paid them too much respect in the first half and we really didn’t settle into our pattern. We let them dictate the trend of the game in the first half. They were very busy, they were getting in tackles, left, right and centre and they were in our faces and some of our lads didn’t like that. All of a sudden, we found out that if we put ourselves on the front foot that they weren’t too happy with that either.”

Then there was the substitute factor that only highlighted the strengthin-depth of this Galway squad, with four different replacements grabbing a combined seven point haul.

“That wouldn’t be a surprise to us now because in the last few training matches, the B team beat the A team so there was a couple of fellas who were kind of half perplexed why they weren’t on the first fifteen and so they had an agenda when they did get on and thank God, they took it that way and went out to prove us wrong.

“We have a serious job picking 24 not to mind a team for the final. There are fellas not making the 24 that are quality hurlers and would be welcomed in any county. So these fellas that are writing the obituary of hurling in Galway, if there is anything wrong, it’s not at Under 18 or 16 level.”

Nothing at all wrong with their minor squad who must now be hot favourites to capture Mattie Murphy’s sixth All-Ireland minor title.

THE LIMERICK City and County Sports Partnership held its Feet on street and the 5th Summer Series at the Country Club Old Cratloe Road on Thursday and a hugh success over 5miles with a fine turnout of Clare athletes once again on to the starting line and Sharon Rynne Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare once again going out very hard from the start along with Loretto Duggan St Marys, Liz Huzzey West Limerick , Teresa Tuohy Bilboa, all going through the first mile in (6mins . 30secs) and as they made their way towards the 2mile mark where 170 competitors went to the start and at the half way point Sharon Rynne was well clear of the rest of the field and over this hilly course she recorded a fine win with a time of (32mins . 35secs) with Loretto Duggan second in (34mins . 32secs) and a fine run by Christina Organ Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare when taking the masters ladies O/45’s in (38mins . 48secs)

The mens race a big number of Clare athletes going to the start but one man made all the running from the start Michael Shannon Kilnaboy after the first mile he was well clear of the rest of the field with James Liddane Olympic Harriers in the top three and they made there way up the hill before the two mile mark and Ambrose Heagney Kilnaboy along with Terry Hennessy St Cronans going well in the chasing pack.

Michael Shannon had a minute to spare over Adrian Linehan Duhallow when he crossed the finishing line in (26mins . 20secs) and James Liddane finishing 4th in (27mins . 52secs) with Ambrose Heagney 7th and finishing 2nd O/45 in (28mins . 51secs) and he was followed home by Terry Hennessy St Cronans O/45’s finishing 11th (29mins . 45secs) and James Sexton Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare 30th and the leading O/55 in (34mins . 45secs) and Martin Hynes Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare taking the O/60’s in (39mins . 02secs).

The Next Race and the 6th in this Summer Series will be Thursday August 4th at the Shannon Rowing Club O’Callaghan Strand Limerick starting at 7 . 00pm with No 7 on August 11th in Vistakon and that’s a 4mile in the National Technology Park starting at 7pm

Results
Senior Ladies.

Kilmurry Ibrickane 2-10 – Cooraclare 0-11 at Shanahan McNamara Memorial Park, Doonbeg

ONE could say that after the lull of 2010 on domestic front that normal service has been resumed by Kilmurry Ibrickane as they picked up their second piece of senior silverware in a week in this entertaining decider played on Bank Holiday Monday.

But, while neutrals may have been expecting a comfortable outing for the 2010 All-Ireland Club finalists, it was far from such as a dogged Cooraclare team took up the fight to the favourites.

And when they led by 0-10 to 0-6 seven minutes into the second half they looked very comfortable, before a rousing finish by the recently crowned Cusack Cup champions saw them turn that four-point deficit into a five-point victory.

Enda Coughlan was at the core of this comeback, bagged two crucial goals in the final quarter, even though by then he had been relocated from his centre-forward starting berth back to centre-back.

The first came on 47 minutes that edged Kilmurry a point 1-8 to 0-10 clear before the killer second arrived five minutes from time when the former countyman made another decisive burst up the field.

It was a huge about-turn, because before that the Aidan Moloney managed Cooraclare side seemed to be on the road to emulating their 2009 Cusack Cup final over the same opposition.

The led by 0-7 to 0-5 at the interval, thanks to a closing burst before the break when injury time points from John Looney and David Marrinan edged them clear. Prior to that the sides had been level on four occasions in the half.

Andrew O’Neill and Ian McInerney swapped points early on, as did John Looney and Johnnie Daly, before Cooraclare showed their intent by moving 0-4 to 0-2 clear thanks to efforts from Michael McMahon and John Looney. Paul O’Connor and Ian McInerney restored parity by the 23rd minute before Andrew O’Neill and Johnnie Daly traded points in normal time.

However, it was those two closing Cooraclare points, coupled with three more via John Looney (2) and Gearóíd Looney, with a lone reply coming from Johnnie Daly hinted at a big shock.

However, Enda Coughlan had other ideas – his point in the 40th minute cranked the Kilmurry train to life, while another from man of the match Peter O’Dwyer a minute letter narrowed the gap to two before a rousing final quarter that in which they outscored Cooraclare by 2-2 to 0-1 sealed their comeback victory.

Cooraclare’s final score came in the 51st minute via a John Looney free that left Kilmurry ahead by 1-9 to 011, only for Coughlan’s second goal and a Noel Downes point to give Kilmurry a cushion that scarcely seemed possible early in the second half.

Kilmurry Ibrickane
Peter O’Dwyer, Shane Hickey, Darren Hickey, JohnWillie Sexton, Paul O’Connor (0-1), Evan Talty, Seamus Lynch, Peter O’Dwyer (0-1), Seamus Murrihy, Mark McCarthy, Enda Coughlan (2-1), Ian McInerney (0-2f), Stephen Moloney, Noel Downes (0-2), Johnnie Daly (0-3, 1f).

Subs
Michael O’Dwyer for Sexton, Colm Donnellan for Moloney, Niall Hickey for Murrihy, Vincent Talty for Coughlan

Cooraclare

Declan Keane,Thomas Downes, Conor Marrinan, Fergal Lillis, David Marrinan (0-1),Thomas Donnellan, Declan McMahon,AndrewO’Neill (0-2), Sean Maguire, Kieran Hassett, Michael McMahon (0-1), Gearóid Looney (0-1), Cathal Lillis, John Looney (0-6, 4f), Michael Kelly.

Subs
Don Garry for Cathal Lillis, Joe Considine for Maguire,Thomas O’Connor for Hassett.

Man of the Match
Peter O’Dwyer (Kilmurry Ibrickane)

Referee
Pat Cosgrave (Corofin)

THE 3RD Tommy White Memorial and Moy Open Sports Day will take place in Moy Football Field on Sunday 7th August 2011 starting at 1 . 30pm with the 3000metres for Men and Ladies and this year this is a Team Event with (3 to score). The Venue is about two miles from Lahinch off the Main Miltown Malbay –Lahinch Road and this will be 36th Annual Moy Sports and the organising committee have drawn up a very attractive programme of over sixty events from Toddlers to U/16’s plus Mens and Ladies Senior Events, Ball Skills, Shot Putt, and 56lbs for distance. These sports started way back in 1975 and this 3000metres event will start at 1 . 30pm with the ladies 3000metres for the “Tommy White Memorial Shield” and the mens 3000metres for the “Michael White Memorial Trophy” and is sponsored by (Ann White and her Family) and this has always been the big highlite for the Michael White Memorial Trophy and this Event will be followed by the full juvenile programme. Admission will be (€ 3 at the gate for Athletes and € 5 for Parents).

Programme of Events
1. Toddlers 60mgirls (Medals to all) 2. Toddlers 60mboys ( Medals to All ) 3. U-6 60mgirls ( Medals to All ) 4. U-6 60mboys (Medals to All ) 5. U-7 60m Girls 6. U-7 60m Boys 7. U-8 60m Girls Relays 8. U-8 60m Boys 9. U-9 60m Girls 54. U-8 Relay Race Mixed (2G& 2B 4 x100m) 10. U-9 60m Boys 55. U-10 Relay Race Mixed(2G& 2 B 4x100M) 11. U-10 100m Girls 56. U-12 Relay Race Mixed (2 G& 2 B 4x100M) 12. U-10 100m Boys 13. U-11 100m Girls 57. U/16/Jnr/ Senior /Relay Mixed (Girls & Boys 4 x 300M) 14. U-11 100m Boys (1 senior athlete per team) 15. U-12 100m Girls 16. U-12 100m Boys 17 U/13 100m Girls 18. U/13 100m Boys 19. U-14 100m Girls Ball Skills Events 20. U-14 100m Boys 58. Penalty Shoot Out Female 21. U-16 100m Girls 59. Penalty Shoot Out Male 22. U-16 100m Boys 23. Junior Ladies 100m 24. Junior Men 100m 25 Fathers 100m 26. Mothers 100m 27. Toddlers 80m girls Novelty Events 28. Toddlers 80m boys 29. U-6 80m Girls 60. Sack Race U/8 to U/10’s Mixed 30. U-6 80m Boys 31. U-7 80m Girls 61. Sack Race U/11 to U/13’s Mixed 32. U-7 80m Boys 33. U-8 Sack Race Girls 62. Bicycle Race (Open to All) 34. U-8 Sack Race Boys 35. U-9 300m Girls 63. Senior Mens Open 5 a sideTUG– O- WAR 36. U-9 300m Boys 37. U-10 300m Girls 38. U-10 300m Boys 39. U-11 300m Girls 40. U-11 300m Boys 41. U-12 300m Girls 42. U-12 300m Boys 43. U/13 300m Girls 44. U/13 300m boys 45. U/14 300m girls 46. U/14 300m girls 47. U/16 300m girls 48. U/16 300m Boys 49. Senior Men (3000mTeamEvent 3 to score) (Michael Whyte Memorial Shield) 50. Senior Ladies (3000mTeamEvent 3 to score) (TommyWhite Memorial Shield) 51. 56lbs for Distance Senior Men (Senior EventsTrophies toWinners) 52. Senior Mens Shot Putt (Juveniles Events 1st aTrophy and Medals to 2nd & 3rd ) 53. Senior Ladies Shot Putt (Admission at Gate €3. 00 for Children €5.00 Adults)

O’Callaghan’s Mills 1-11 – Kilrush Shamrocks 0-07 at Eire Og Ennis

The Mills are on the rise, not only due to their automatic promotion to Division 4 along with Monday’s opponents Kilrush but because this was a vintage running display that means that they should mean business when the championship recommences in a few weeks time.

Kilrush had experience in abundance but simply couldn’t live with the Mills constant overlapping and movement, even if the east Clare side made harder work of it than was wholly necessary.

In Kilrush’s defence, this was an intermediate versus Junior A affair while it is also the Mills’ first team as opposed to Kilrush’s second string but aside from two brief rallies that yielded six points in a total of sev- en minutes, the Shams were on the backfoot.

Indeed, the winners opened up a 0-6 to 0-0 advantage by the 20th minute with Fergus Donovan (3), Padraig Hickey (2), and Conor Cooney sharing the scoring duties. However, it was the overlapping of wing-backs Eoin Pewter and John Cooney that caused Kilrush most concern as they were outnumbered far too often and the Mills will point to missed goal chances for Fergus Donovan and Noel Nash in the same period.

Kilrush finally settled with a John Kelly free in the 22nd minute and gathering momentum, David Walsh doubled their tally a minute later before John Kelly saw a glorious goal chance just skim the top of the crossbar. Had Kilrush grabbed that goal, perhaps they could have regrouped for the second period but as it was, they went in at the break 0-7 to 0-3 in arrears after a late Bryan Donnellan point.

David Walsh pointed to give Kilrush a glimmer of hope immediately after the restart but it was to be only a brief mutiny as Bryan Donnellan and Eoin Pewter replied down the other end while Patrick Donnellan had an excellent effort parried away by goalkeeper Ger Griffin.

The Kilrush number one could not do anything about the goal when it came however as Bryan Donnellan won and executed a penalty to the top corner of the net in the 41st minute. With the Mills in overdrive, the margin could have been much greater at that stage only for ten second half wides and the solid defending of Paul O’Sullivan and Niall Brennan.

Credit Kilrush for not throwing in the towel though and with David O’Shea gaining a foothold in midfield, they hit three points in as many minutes through Sean Naughton, Dan Ryan and Gerard O’Brien while Jamie Gilligan seemed through for a goal but miscontrolled the the vital moment.

Without a goal, it was never going to be enough to make O’Callaghan’s Mills sweat and they finished the stronger side with Fergus Donovan and Conor Cooney sealing the silverware which will give them a significant boost ahead of their championship clash with Junior A champions Kilfenora in three weeks time.

O’Callaghan’s Mills
Enda McNamara, Garry Neville, Niall Donovan, Gerry Cooney, John Cooney, Declan Donovan, Eoin Pewter (0-1), Conor Cooney Jnr, Conor Cooney Snr (0-2), Patrick Donnellan, Bryan Donnellan (1-2 1-0 Pen, 1f), Padraig Hickey (0-2), Fergus Donovan (0-4), Noel Nash, Billy Donovan

Subs
Paul Lynch for B. Donovan (32 mins), James Murphy for Hickey (51 mins), Eoin Kelly for Nash (60 mins)

Kilrush Shamrocks
Ger Griffin, Niall Brennan, Paul O’Sullivan, Shane Carey, David Shannon, Martin Griffin, Gerard O’Brien (0-1), CalumBond, Matt Fitzpatrick, David O’Shea, Paul Cahill, John Kelly (0-2 1f), Jamie Gilligan, Sean Naughton (0-1), DavidWalsh (0-2)

Subs
Ross Cullinan for Shannon (8 mins, inj), Sean Madigan for Fitzpatrick (28 mins), David Moran for Madigan (35 mins), Kian Murray for Kelly (38 mins), Dan Ryan (0-1) for Moran (50 mins)

Man of the Match
Eoin Pewter (O’Callaghan’s Mills)

Referee
JimHickey (Cratloe)

THE SECOND Annual Dan O Halloran Memorial 10k fun walk and 10k road race was held in Kilmihil with a fine turnout of over 200 competitors from all over Ireland Galway, Dublin, Tipperary, Limerick, Canada, Japan, and Clare Clubs with all proceeds going towards the West Clare Cancer and Milford Hospice and a wonderful turnout to support the O’Halloran Family with the senior race starting on the Ennis Road and competitors facing into a stiff hill as the leaders went through the (1k) in (2mins . 59secs) and Seamus Power Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare along with Michael Shannon Kilnaboy they both set this blistering pace from the start and they both had this field in single file right from the off with Willie Devitt Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare leading out the chasing pack that included Michael Fennell Civil Service, David Brew Kilrush, Pat Healy Marian, Ambrose Heagney Kilnaboy and Colm Fitzgerald Shannon with Maria Carey Ennis Track the leading lady in the top six for the early stages.

Seamus Power producing a (3mins . 03secs) for the next four Kilometres and going through the 5k mark in (15mins . 29secs) and Michael Shannon was forth seconds adrift and on this down hill stretch Seamus Power was in full flow and facing into the stiff hills over the last 5k he sprinted down the main street in Kilmihil to take the Dan O Halloran Cup in a time of (31mins . 56secs) from Michael Shannon who had to settle for the runner spot on again this year (32mins . 48secs) and a great performance from Willie Devitt to hold onto third spot (36mins . 01secs).

Ambrose Heagney Kilnaboy who came home in fourth spot captured the O/40’s in (37mins . 07secs) from Pat Healy Marian and Trevor White St Cronans with Michael Fennell Civil Service taking the O/50’s in (39mins . 45secs) from John Carroll Canada and Willie Keane St Johns and Caoimhin Donnellan Kilmihil taking the Junior Mens title in (44mins . 16secs).

The ladies race was always going to a great contest and attracted one of the finest turnout of athletes and right from the start Marie Carey set the early pace and was up with the chasing mens pack for the first (2k) with Marian Burke St Marys last years title holder and Michelle O Halloran from Kilmihil and now running with Mullingar Harriers, working well together and with many stiff climbs these girls were moving away from the next chasing group that included Laura Egan Kilmihil, Marian Kelly Cree, Lorna O Neill, Dympna O Dwyer both Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, Rose Enright St Marys, Rita Kierce St Marys, Becky Coughlan Ennis Track and Bernie Kelly Galway City Harriers.

Marie Carey was always in control of this race from the start and going towards the half way point and on that down hill stretch she had a good minute of a lead on Marian Burke with Michelle O Halloran working hard to stay with the pace.

Marie Carey who made all the running came away with a very big win and a very fast time of

(38mins . 59secs) and taking the Dan O Halloran Cup with last years title holder Marian Burke second in (41mins . 48secs) and local athlete Michelle O Halloran a close third in (42mins . 16secs)

The Masters Ladies O/40’s going to Rose Enright St Marys in (42mins . 58secs) from Monica Callinan and Siobhan Keating both Kilmihil and the O/50’s going to Rita Kierce St Marys (45mins . 09secs) from Bernie Kelly Galway City Harriers and Bernie Johnston Broadford. Results.

Ladies.
1 Maria Carey EnnisTrack (38 . 59) 2 Marian Burke St Marys (41 . 48) 3 Michelle O’Halloran Mullingar Harriers (42 .16) 4 Marian Kelly Cree (44 . 55) 5 Becky Coughlan EnnisTrack (45 . 11) 6 Dympna ODwyer Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare (46 . 37) 7 Lorna ONeill Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare (46 . 37) 8 Brenda OShea Kilmihil (49 . 16)

O/ 40’s
1 Rose Enright St Marys (42 . 58) 2 Monica Callinan Kilmihil (53 . 30) 3 Siobhan Keating Kilmihil (68 . 59)

O/ 50’s
1 Rita Kierce St Marys (45 . 09) 2 Bernie Kelly Galway City Harriers (48 . 41) 3 Bernie Johnston Broadford (97 . 05)

Senior Men.
1 Seamus Power Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare (31 . 56) 2 Michael Shannon Kilnaboy (32 . 48) 3 Willie Devitt Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare (36 . 01) 4 David BrewKilrush (37 . 29) 5 Kevin Lynch Clarecastle (39 . 26) 6 ColmFitzgerald Shannon (40 . 32) 7 John Keogh Kilmihil (40 . 58) 8 Stephan Connors Kilmihil (41 . 19)

O/ 40’s
1 Ambrose Heagney Kilnaboy (37 . 07) 2 Pat Healy Marian (39 . 09) 3 Trevor White St Cronans (40 . 54)

O/ 50’s

Mattie Murphy’s record of reaching and subsequently winning All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship finals speaks for itself. In all, the Gort clubman has guided his native county to nine national deciders in three separate terms which is unparralleled.

He even led the seniors to two National League finals as well. How- ever, Clare supporters will hope that their record against Murphy’s teams continue this Sunday as they bid for a unique two-in-a-row of All-Ireland deciders themselves. All because after winning two All-Ireland minor titles in 1992 and 1994, Murphy was promoted to the senior set-up but fell on thorny ground against the Banner in the 1995 All-Ireland Semi-final as Clare went on to eventually achieve All-Ireland glory.

THE OPENING contest on Thursday nights nights card at the Galway Greyhound Track was the final of the Flaherty Markets A6 mini stake and as the traps rose the Pat Hogan of Ennis owned Aulton Percy(T6) was smartly into his stride and showing pace outside led by a length from Smithstown Mick(T1) rounding the opening bend . Extending his advantage to three lengths passing halfway the son of Westmead Hawk & Newbridge Jewel maintained the tempo all the way home as he defeated Tarquynn Bluey(T3) by 4&3/4 lengths in 29.47. Race 9 was the final of the Flaherty Markets A5 Stake and racing towards the opening bend Knockdine Black(T1) led by two lengths from Thanksgiving(T4) and Windfield Lass(T2).. Racing along the back straight Knockdine Black was closely attended to by Thangsgiving on his outside but with that rival running slightly wide off the home turn the Michael O’Brien of Miltown Malbay owned Knockine Black(Hondo Black-Fastaway Baby) stayed on well to score by two lengths in 29.53. The bumper was an A6 affair and from traps Fishing County(T6) began well on the wide outside and he led early from Gilbert(T4) with Sparrows Bounty(T2) hugging the rail in third spot. Turning the back Sparrows Monty slipped through to take command of the contest and the recently retired Clare Hurling Manager Ger O’Loughlin owned son of Head Bound and Barntick Live stayed on well to score by 2&1/2 lengths in 29.89

Races 5-9 on Fridays card were four first round heats of the Pearse Piggott Memorial A2 525 and in the opening heat the reserve Tintreach Wolf led at the opening bend after the early leader Nebraska West moved slightly off the rail and slightly hampering Lismadine Jack(T3) in the process. Passing halfway Tintreach Wolf still led by two lengths but turning for home the Patrick Troy of Kilkee owned Lismadine Jack(Droopys Vieri-Clonredden Tina) struck the front on the outer and quickly asserted to score by 2&1/2 lengths in 29.44.

The eighth contest at the Collage Road Venue on Saturday night was the final of an A3 mini stake and racing towards the opening bend Jumeirah Joe(T5) led by a length from Premier Delight(T4) with Christys Bell(T1) in third place rounding the opening bend. Turning down the back both Jumeirah Joe and Premier Delight were locked in combat as Christys Bell(T1) began to close from the rear. Approaching the third bend Christys Bell went for a gap on the rail which was shut in his face but the front two were also hampered slightly and this allowed the Mrs Mary Browne of Quin owned Mine Hazel(Hades Rocket-Jumeirah Jess) to strike the front and she went clear of a 2&1/2 length win over Jumeirah Jess in 29.36.

Races 4, 5,9 & 10 were the four first round heats of the Chudleys/Fast Trap Supplies A3 575 and in the opening heat the trap two runner Holly Wood showed pace along the inner on the long run towards the opening bend to lead round by two lengths from Varra Bruno(T1) with Kilcorcoran Manu(T3) in third place turning done the far side. Passing halfway Holly Wood led by two lengths but his rivals began to close on either side exiting the beck straight. Turning for home the trio were lined across the track and as they raced for the line it was the Master Conor Cleary of Mullagh owned Kilcorcoran Manu(Ace Hi Rumble-Ballard Nikita) that stayed on best to defeat Varra Bruno by a length and a quarter in 31.95.

In the second heat Old Fort Dynamo(T5) was away well on the outside and he led by a length from World Cup Wonder(T3) rounding the opening bend. Racing down the back the leader was still Old Fort Dynamo was still holding the call from World Cup Wonder but the pack were beginning to close approaching the home bend. Turning for home Old Fort Dynamo looked set to score but the Carl Maguire & Adrian Ennis of Kilrush owned swept through in the centre of the track to get up close home for a head success in 32.41.

AFTER the seemingly interminable wait to first decide their opponents, then the date before taking their case to the clubs of Clare, the road is now clear for the minor hurlers to hone in on neighbours Galway in this much anticipated last four clash.

And for selector Eamon Fennessy who has served in numerous roles for both club and county and is currently Clare GAA’s Coaching Officer, the mood is the camp is heartening ahead of the knock-out tie.

“Really we are delighted it is on this weekend and therefore sooner rather than later because we have a clean bill of health at the moment and clubs have been good to us in putting back fixtures. We are grateful for that because we have a full week’s run of training which is huge. Ideally we would have liked two weeks but it’s a good compromise being one week. If the 14th was the option, then there was definitely going to be a round of fixtures around the 5th, 6th and 7th that would have been detrimental to us because you would have fatigue and the possibility of injuries so we are happy with where we are.”

On entering their domain, there is always a distinct family type atmosphere that permeates the county minor camp, with a huge mutual respect and admiration between players and management that has built up over the last three years. And that strong bond has in turn reflected in the squad’s performances, according to the Sixmilebridge clubman, to where they are now the undisputed kingpins of Munster with back-to-back titles for the first time in the county’s history.

“The thing about it is that no training session is the same. The players don’t know what’s happening until they come in and they go away afterwards nice and happy and I think that’s been the thing that Paul [Kinnerk] has brought to it really. His sessions are never the same and there is a different intensity and a different level of focus required on the players and anyone that doesn’t behave or have their diet in proper shape before they come in, they know then that they are in for a tough evening. It’s never mundane and that’s one thing we’ve tried to do is keep it fresh so that nobody is going to go home totally fed up or bored so the whole lot of us really have worked hard on that to try and ensure that there is a positive atmosphere from all of us.

“The encouragement is there from everybody. They encourage each other in the dressing room when they are getting ready to go out in the session, we encourage them during the session and afterwards we explain where they have gone wrong and how they can improve themselves and it’s never a case of giving a player a rollicking. We give them constructive criticism and they take it on the chin and equally they give it back to us and they tell us where they feel that sometimes play is breaking down and it’s a two way thing.

“And with that there is trust there and I think trust is key. They trust us on the line and we trust them to go out and do a job and whatever 15 are picked, the other 15 on the panel know that those guys are picked because of the effort that they have put in. For instance we had a full length game in training on Friday and we wanted to see how players are going in certain positions, what our Plan A is, what our Plan B and Plan C is and they know that. They know that they have the opportunity to prove themselves and I think they are honest enough to admit that.”

That competition for places will be vital ahead of the squad’s toughest test to date in this derby clash. And for Fennessy and Co, Galway have been the side they would have outlined out as the county to watch out for since the outset of the championship, having played them twice in challenge games during the year.

“We always picked out Galway and even when they came down here to play us, they showed that they are a big powerful team. People have made us favourites for the All-Ireland but we are saying ‘look hang on a second, we have a new panel’ and okay we have lost an All-Ireland but Galway are the form team that have All-Ireland’s won, especially under Mattie Murphy. He never picks a team that are just going to turn up. We know that they are a formidable outfit. They came down here and played us and it was helter skelter until half-time and they give us a lesson on where we needed to be.

“And the one thing we knew from last year was that from the Munster final, there is a huge step up to an All-Ireland semi-final. People thought we are just playing Dublin but no, it was a complete step up again and that’s the education that these fellas got and the players that are lucky enough to have been on the panel since last year are reflecting that back to the new guys. They are saying that ‘hang on now, whatever you thought of playing in Cork, Croke Park is a different animal’ and Galway are definitely the team, as far as I’m concerned, to beat. They are the form team and we would have put them in there with Waterford from the start. Kilkenny are always an unknown entity until you get them out onto the field but Galway are the ones we have been targetting all year, as well as Dublin to be fair.”

Facing Galway is a daunting task in itself but there is also the Croke Park factor that inevitably brings with it an intensity far greater that anything this year’s side have faced up to this point.

“It is a nervous thing. I think when you go to Croke Park, you suddenly realise that it is a different level, a different pace, a different intensity, a different physicality and it’s an education for these fellas. We have planned to go up there beforehand and take them all out there for a walk and explain to them about last year. We will also get the players that were there last year to explain to them where they felt they went wrong so we are hoping that this time our preparation will be better and that we are more prepared for it. The players themselves from last year will be able to pass on the advise of the higher intensity that is needed and focus that is needed from now on.”

And Fennessy is confident that Clare can hit the ground running, just as they did for the majority of the Munster final against Waterford last time out.

“People said our second half against Waterford was poor but people hadn’t realised that Tony Kelly was in hospital for 24 hours, that Colm Galvin hadn’t trained since the Tipp game and there was always going to be a period of the game where fatigue was going to set in but we know now, that for the full 70 minutes aainst Galway that we just can’t afford to take our foot off the pedal. If we go a goal down, two goals down or even three goals, we still have to keep hammering away. If we get the start that we did against Waterford, which is always out focus in training, then there is no reason why we won’t give Galway a good game of it.”

The waiting is over. It’s time to let their hurling do the talking in the country’s biggest stage.

IN AN effort to introduce greater certainty, the Clare District Soccer League (CDSL) has agreed to give clubs confirmed fixtures for the first and final three rounds of the 2011/12 league season. At last week’s AGM, the league executive and club delegates reached a compromise over fixtures for the coming season. Following requests from Eoin Madden (Shannon Olympic) and Lenny Franks (Hermitage), fixtures secretary Michael Lydon said that clubs would know their first three and their final three league games of the season. Lydon said the league would also consider giving clubs fixture details for immediately after the Christmas break, but this was dependant on the weather. There had been calls for the league to produce a master fixture list but in an address to delegates, Lydon explained that too many obstacles exist to do so. He told the meeting that a fixture list had been drawn up by the committee for the past three years. He said that each year changes had to be made because of problems with the availability of pitches; scheduling of Munster junior cup and FAI junior cup fixtures; Clare Cup fixtures; the Oscar Traynor and Inter League Youths Cup and the weather.

Lydon said that while a master fixture list is good in theory, “in reality it does not happen”. He said that no other soccer league in Munster publishes a master fixture list.

Ger Delaney of the Munster Football Association (MFA) told delegates that the Cork Schoolboys Soccer League had attempted to follow a master fixture list but “it created a lot of problems”. He said that the Waterford junior soccer league issued monthly fixture lists.

The discussion was prompted by three clubs – Corofin Harps, Kilmaley Fern Celtic and Shannon Olympic – who put forward three respective motions. They were: (1) could a master fixtures list be drawn for all league games; (2) That no team should have more than three games in hand at stage during the season; (3) The league has to provide each club and team with a list of all league fixtures for the season ahead, no later than two weeks before the relevant league is due to begin. In addition, the last two league games for each team are final and cannot be changed so any games that are re-fixed during the season are played before the last two games.

Brian McAllister of Ennis Town Rock said fixtures should be drawn up in a way that all teams play each other once in the first half of the season. He said teams should not be drawn to play each other twice in the space of a week. Lydon acknowl- edged that while this sometimes happened, it was his view that it is better for teams to play rather than not be in action. The meeting also heard calls for teams not to have too many games in hand during the season. Avenue United were among the clubs particularly affected by this last year, when they were left with seven games in hand over eventual premier league champions Newmarket Celtic. Lydon said the league hopes to avoid a repeat of a similar situation next season. However he explained that this might mean that some teams do not play for a couple of weeks.