Category: Sport

SOMETIMES economy of words are what the sports psychologist orders. A case of what’s not said, because there’s no need – no need to tell the players what they know already.

There was some of mindset hovering around the Crusheen dressing room on Sunday as the Clare champions faced up to the supreme test of the second half of the Munster semifinal.

They’d been here before, albeit that last year’s championship clash against Kilmallock was a quarter-final. In the dressing room and ready to rumble and kick on for victory – their first ever in Munster championship fare, but they failed.

Surely this is what was said and hammered home? Again and again?

Not so says manager Michael Browne, whose man management and coaching skills has been the catalyst for Crusheen to rise from the ashes of county final defeat in 2007 to back-to-back titles and now the Promised Land of a Munster final.

“It wasn’t what was said,” he says after his side’s tour de force by the banks. “It was just the feeling in the dressing room. Last year we came out after half-time in a comfortable position and looking as if we were in a nice place against Kilmallock. They absolutely destroyed us in the first few minutes, so under no circumstances was that going to happen to us this year. That’s the focus that you saw when they came back out on the pitch.

“We had never won a title in the history of the club until last year – it was a massive thing for us and maybe it was asking a bit too much to expect them to go out and perform in Munster after that.

“This year there was a real determination there that we were going to go at least one step further, the problem being of course that we were in a semi-final in our first game, which made it that little bit harder. We didn’t even think about that, we just thought about the game last year, how we messed up in it last year and how we weren’t going to let it happen again this year. Thanks be to God we didn’t,” adds Browne.

All thanks to those 13 second half points, but also the six in the first half that provided the foundations that Browne points to as the real winning of this semi-final.

“We put in a great performance in the first half. I was very pleased that we were only two points down at half-time,” he says. “I knew that the breeze was strong because we had done a good bit of a warm-up on it. We were conscious of that. I thought that in the first half our backs weren’t as outstanding as they normally are, but I knew that they rise to it in the second half and that’s how it turned out.

“We do have a really good defence and a really good team, everyone of them can play and everyone of them can play really well and I’m really delighted with the performance. Our forwards have been much maligned in Clare, yet they came down here today and took some fantastic scores in the second half.

“We’re in the Munster final now. When you reach a final, everyone has a 50/50 chance. We’ll be going for it.”

Time to celebrate and then Na Piarsaigh. Then go for it.

Inagh 2-07 – Four Roads 2-05 at Clarecastle

INAGH snatched a famous victory over devastated Four Roads in a spell-binding finish to the All-Ireland junior camogie club championship semi-final in pristine conditions at Clarecastle on Saturday afternoon.

The Clare side were four points down entering the 59th minute, but hit their opponents with a remarkable two-goal burst to snatch a place in the final. Four Roads had a 2-5 to 0-7 advantage when Inagh were awarded a 65. Fiona Lafferty had the distance to convert, having already done so twice in building up a personal tally of five points.

Inagh needed more than a point though, and so Lafferty landed the sliotar in around the square. An almighty scramble ensued before Sinead O’Loughlin doubled on the ball in the air to find the net and invigorate the Banner women.

They won possession immediately from the puckout, and Lafferty found Sharon Rynne unmarked around 30m from the posts. The half-forward bore down on goal before sending the net shaking to put her side in front by two points.

Four Roads must have been shellshocked but to their credit, they threw everything into finding a goal of their own in the two and a half minutes of additional time played. They found the Inagh defence in no mood to yield however, and in the end, it was the Clare side who prevailed.

This result was all the more amazing for the fact that the Roscommon champions had a nine-point advantage after just 20 minutes, and with the scoreline reading 2-3 to 0-0 in their favour, seemed certain to advance to an All-Ireland final.

They began with three points from play before goals from Gertie Dowd and Sinead O’Brien put them in a commanding position.

Like the Inagh brace that denied them victory, these two goals arrived inside a minute, with O’Brien’s major coming straight from the puckout after Dowd’s score.

Dowd and Orla Gately gave Four Roads a midfield dominance throughout, while half-back Donna Kelly also ensured that there was plenty of ball going the forwards’ way.

Crucially though, the Inagh mentors made a switch after Four Roads’ second goal that was to have a telling impact, with centre-forward Fiona Lafferty swopping roles with centreback Christina Glynn to help shore up the defence.

Glynn also had an impact at the other end, and got her side off the mark with a point. Lafferty followed up with two points (one from a 65) and it was 2-3 to 0-3 at the interval.

The margin was soon down to four but a point from Lizzie GlennonTully stemmed the tide. Even though Inagh got one back, it hardly looked enough with time running out, but the goal heroics of O’Loughlin and Rynne saved the day.

DERMOT Coughlan has bowed out as manager of Clondegad, but as he goes the Kilmurry Ibrickane stalwart who was a member of Clare’s Munster final winning squad of 1992 has said that the county intermediate champions he guided over the past four years can be a real force at senior level in the coming years.

Speaking to The Clare People on Monday, after Clondegad’s agonising one-point defeat to Miltown-Castlemaine in the Munster intermediate semi-final, Coughlan has paid tribute to his charges after their heroic display against the Kerry champions.

“We’ve had four years and had a great time,” said Coughlan in stepping down. “We’ve had two promotions and got up to the Cusack Cup final, we’ve played in two county finals and won the intermediate championship and played in Munster.

“I’d like to pay tribute to the mentors I had with me. Kevin Tighe, Helen Murphy and Dermot Gavin – they have been brilliant over the last four years. The team needs a fresh voice now, someone else to take it on and build on it because there is great potential there,” he added.

As he spoke, Coughlan reflected on what might have been after his side saw their chance of taking the first step towards emulating Kilmihil, Cratloe and St Breckan’s, who have reached Munster finals in the last three years scuppered for a controversial late goal.

“We were unlucky. We played all the football and we can’t ask any more of the team. They were tremendous. Going into the game we knew we had to go up two or three notches – our county final performance wasn’t going to be good enough, but we had tremendous belief in our- selves,” he said.

“We started with 13 lads who were under 23 years of age and the pace they played the game at was unreal. They took the game to Miltown-Castlemaine. There was no blanket defence, no dropping back a man. We just tore into them and they gave it everything.

“The goals killed us. The first goal was from a kick he put across the square – it was going over the bar or going wide, but held up in the breeze at the last second and dipped under crossbar. If he tried it again a hundred times he wouldn’t do it. It was a freak goal.

“We moved on from that, but there was a nine-point turnover with the goal they got, the penalty we missed and then the goal we had disallowed. Things go for you are you don’t.

“The goal we got was debatable. Some say Shane Brennan was in the square, others say he was out. Gary Brennan kicked a sideline right into the square, Shane ran in and fisted it to the net. It’s easy for me to say it was a good goal, but when you’re 60 or 70 yards away, you can’t call it, but from our side it looked good.

“Kieran Browne soloed out with a ball. He was literally bundled to the ground and the ref was blowing for things like that all day. When he was bundled to the ground the ball spilled and the ball was kicked into the corner forward, who had that bit of space. The backs came around him again but his shot just trickled into the corner of the net. It was purely against the run of play. They’re the things that win tight matches,” added Coughlan.

Newmarket-on-Fergus 5-06 – Sixmilebridge 3-03 at Éire Óg Grounds, Ennis

THE Blues had nine points to spare in this Cla re People sponsored decider on Sunday afternoon, thereby denying their neighbours Sixmilebridge an historic minor hurling/minor camogie winning weekend.

It may have taken Newmarket 14 minutes to get off the mark, but when it came it was a goal that put them on their way to the title, giving them a lead they never looked like surrendering.

The ‘Bridge had been camped in the Newmarket half for much of the early exchanges, but all they had to show for it was a pointed free, before they were hit for the goal that teed up the Blues

Eimear Murray blocked the first shot from Kate O’Neill and the loose ball was sent to the back of the ‘Bridge net by Caroline Feehily. Niki Kaiser then converted a free and when Laura McMahon goaled to put the Blues 2-1 to 0-1 clear, the writing looked to be on the wall for the ‘Bridge.

Maire McGrath pulled back a point for the ‘Bridge in the 18

Clarecastle 3-09 – Meelick 1-05 at Fr Murphy Park, Newmarket-on-Fergus

SECOND HALF goals from Niamh Daly and Elaine Lyons proved crucial as Clarecastle who just reformed their Ladies Football Club earlier this year claimed the Junior B Shield Championship title when they overcame Meelickt on Sunday.

The winners who led by two points at half time registered their opening score in the fifth minute when impressive midfielder Zelma Power saw her 35m free take a deflection to the net from a Meelick defender. At the end of the first quarter Clarecastle had pushed 1-4 to no score ahead thanks to points from Power, Sharon Quinn (2) and Niamh Daly but then Meelick came storming in to the match.

Full forward Suzie Harnett scored a fine goal in the eighteenth and further points followed from Claire Dolan and Katie Moore (2). During this time Clarecastle just registered a single point thanks to their top scorer Elaine Lyons. However, despite Meelicks comeback it was the magpies who led 1-5 to 1-3 when Alan Hehir blew the half time whistle.

It was all Clarecastle in the second half. They had added a further 2-2 similar to the opening half before South East Clare side twice troubled the umpire for a white flag. Niamh Daly 1-1, Elaine Lyons 1-1, Charlene Reynolds 0-1 and Sharon Quinn were the winners second half scorers.

Clarecastle were well served on the day by Sinead Reidy, Jane Scanlon, Ruth O’Gorman, Elaine Lyons, Sharon Quinn and Niamh Daly while Zelma Power was their stand out player. Brid Walsh had a fine game between the posts for Meelick while Emma Scanlon, Claire Dolan, Rachel Ryan, Katie Moore, Dionne O’Sullivan and Christine Gibbons all played their part.

After the game Clarecastle captain, Claire O’Loughlin was presented with Shield by Co. Board Chairman, Johnny Hayes.

Clarecastle
Sinead Reidy, Claire O’Loughlin (capt.), Grainne Lynch, Liz. Murphy, Maria Lyons, Jane Scanlon, Niamh Keogh, Zelma Power 1-1, Marie Lynch, Rochelle Broderick, Charlene Reynods 0-1, Ruth O’Gorman 0-1, Elaine Lyons 1-2, Sharon Quinn 0-3, Niamh Daly 1-1.

Subs
Catherine Curran for N. Keogh, Sinead Frawley for L. Murphy,Alison Shortt for T. O’Gorman, Catriona Reynolds for N. Daly,Aisling Frawley for R. Broderick. Management: Eoin Brennan, Dave Mullen, MaryTorpey, Declan Clohessy.

Meelick
BridWalsh, Mairead Gavin, Sarah Daly, Mairead Broggy, Sharon Neville (joint captain), Emma Scanlon, Christine Howard, Claire Dolan 0-1, Zara Hehir, Rachel Ryan, Katie Moore (joint captain) 0-2, Dionne O’Sullivan 0-1, Christine Gibbons 0-1, Susie Harnett 1-0, Stacey Hehir.

Sub
Jean O’Reilly for M. Gavin. Management: Robin O’Connell, Brendan Healy.

Referee
Alan Hehir (WolfeTones)

IT WAS A football filled weekend for Clare’s Ladies U11, U13 and U15 development squads, who were all in action last Saturday. The U11s under the care of coordinator Gordon Drummy (Kilrush) with Pat Keane (Miltowm), Tara Kelly (Shannon Gaels) and Linda Russel fielded three teams in the PJ O’Halloran competition which was also attended by teams from Galway, Kerry and Tipperary, two hundred and ten girls overall. Tipperary won the plate, Galway took the Shield and Clare defeated Kerry in a super game of football to take the Cup. The PJ O’Halloran is one of the key events in the development calendar and always well attended by Intercounty development teams and was conducted at the Kilrush Shamrocks and Moneypoint pitches in Kilrush. Clare Development Officer Michael Murphy must be commended for organising the event again this year, and parents did a fantastic job of providing food for all the visitors in the clubhouse, not a small task. U11 Panel: Banner Ladies:Albina Aliu, Erona Aliu, Grace Copley, Ciara Corbett, Eabha Keane, Leah Morgan, Laoise Ryan, OlivaTouhy. Clooney-Quin: Rachel Beg, Mary Connelly, Michelle Meere. Coolmeen : Emma McMahon. Cooraclare: Caoimhe Corry, Megan Downes, Megan Garry, Alana Hehir, Sarah Looney, Kayla Morrissey, Sarah Morrissey. Doonbeg: Ciara Breen, Niamh Keane, Roisin Kelly, Orla O’Mahoney. Doorabarefield: Emer Hanranhan,Amy Lenihan, Laura McDonal, Aine Moloney, Niamh O’Keefe,Abby O’Connell, Aisling Reidy, Leah Ryan, Chloe , J Towey. Fergus Rovers:Alana Hanranhan, Lauren Hill,Aine Slattery, Eimear Stephens. Kilmihil: Catriona Callinan, Ciara Lernihan. Kilrush: Lucy Bermingham, Mykayla Kelleher, Lizanne O’Brien,Abigael Drummy,Aoife Drummy. Liscannor: Lisa Conneely, Karen Hillery, Aoife Nagle. Miltown: Megan Brennan, Caoimhe Carmody,Aoife Hehir,Aimee Keane, Emer Keane. Newmarket-On_Fergus:Alice Sheedy, Mary Enright,Tara O’Neill. Shannon Gaels: Mairead Grogan,Tara Kelly,WillowSwire, BiancaTully. West Clare Gaels:Aoife Lynch, Fidelma Marrinan, Michelle Marrinan, Sarah Marrinan.WolfeTones: Jenifer Ryan, Meave McInerney. The U12 Development Squad will travel to Thurles this Saturday 12th Nov. to play in the Tipperary hosted development blitz and will display their skills against Cork, Tipp, Waterford and Limerick teams. The U12s had a great run in the recent Michael Cullinan competition winning over Galway, Tipperary and drawing with Kerry before the event was washed out and prematurely ended. The Clare U13 development squad also had a fruitful day out in a Mun

ster development programme fix- ture with the Kingdom. The event was conducted at the Killimer GAA pitches who kindly facilitated the fixture at short notice. Two Clare teams got a great run against four Kerry teams and brought in wins in four out of seven mini-matches. The U13s squad will compete next in the Munster U13 development blitz in Rathkeale on Nov 19th which is the culmination of the twelve week programme. Ladies football clubs from all over Clare will then be invited to send girls born in 1998 to attend the Clare U14 trials which will be conducted during the three week Marian Keane Tournament, starting on Nov. 26th. The U15 development programme conclusion was reached when they went to Fermoy last Saturday with two teams and won six games out of six, a great achievement. The event was attended by teams from Clare, Cork, Waterford and Limerick. Coordinator Joe Downes (Cooraclare) with Edel Carmody (Fergus Rovers), Sharon Malone (Eire Og), Annmarie Callinan and Roisin Garry (Kilmihil) will be looking forward to conducting the U16 trials after a brief break. Details to be announced.

AFTER SUCH a historic day and match for Pat O’Rourke and his fellow Meelick clubmen one could have expected to find a very stressed and distraught losing manager. However this was not the case and instead this experienced mentor was brimming with pride both for his club and the panel of players who had just served him so well for sixty minutes against a superior Kerry outfit Dromid Pearses.

“I thought our performance out there today was absolutely excellent. We kept our heads throughout the game. We never dropped them. We played a good style of football and fought hard in every position on the field.

“Bearing in mind that Dromid Pearses are everybody’s’ favourites to go on and win this All-Ireland title I felt we did very well. It was always going to be a very difficult challenge but overall I thought we tried our best and put it up to them.”

The final margin of nine points was probably a bit unfair on Meelick who battled on for the duration of the contest and he first half in particular pleased O’Rourke but the concession of such a vital score was always going to make it an uphill struggle after the restart.

“The first half was great apart from the very soft goal we let in. It was very disappointing as we had fought our way back into contention before that but what can you do.

“Overall I don’t think it would have altered the final result. They are a super team and at the end of the day it would have been awful hard to beat them the way they especially played in the second half.”

A glimpse of hurt was evident in his voice but again this pain was swiftly moved away from and transformed into a positive.

“Clare was the main aim for us this year and we won that championship. We have to be delighted with that. Of course then a game in Munster was a huge bonus for the whole club. The lads really enjoyed it and were looking forward to it.

“The year though still isn’t over for us. We now have to prepare for a league final next weekend. This was definitely a very good work out for us today. Even for next year games like this give you great experience and preparation.

“We will be facing far better opposition in the 2012 championship and if all things go well next weekend we might be up in division three in the league as well.

“Last year when we got promoted a division we were afraid we wouldn’t win a game but now we have managed to reach another final. It’s been a great year.”

Dromid Pearses 2-12 – Meelick 0-09 at Meelick

AS EXPECTED it is Kerry champions Dromid Pearses who comfortably march on to a Munster Club Junior Semi-Final after accounting for a spirited but limited Meelick challenge. The Clare club’s home advantage was not enough to halt the eventual onslaught inflicted by the superior Kingdom outfit who raced out as winners by double scores.

With a minute on the clock Seán Ó Curráin laid down an early marker to open the game’s scoring after brilliantly securing possession from a Meelick kick-out before unleashing his perfectly judged shot between the posts.

Pearses full-forward Niall Ó Sé soon added a second before Meelick’s midfield maestro Kevin Harnett eventually set his team on their way after five minutes. Ó Sé was proving to be in the form of his life and it was his terrific goal after a quarter of the encounter had surpassed, that was the ultimate difference between the teams at the interval on a score of 1-6 to 0-6.

This goal was a huge blow to the ever-improving Meelick momentum. The east Clare club may have stolen five out of the last six scores in the opening half but the concession of such a soft goal when they were temporarily minus a full-back due to injury, meant their hardworking efforts were to no avail and left trailing by three points at half-time.

The second half saw Pearses seize complete control with double All-Ireland winning Kerry captain Declan O’Sullivan at the fore of everything good for the South Kerry side. His individual tally of four points was important but his influence as key play-maker was even more crucial to his team’s second half master class.

A Tomas Ó Curráin penalty added more gloss to their ever-increasing scoring haul to quell any hope of a miraculous Meelick come-back. A duo of Meelick defenders combined to drag him to the ground to leave Limerick’s Richard Moloney with an easy decision.

Unfortunately Shane Daly who had already made two match win- ning saves was left with no chance and was beaten for a second time by a perfectly struck kick low into the bottom corner of the goal. Both teams lost players to second yellow cards, William O’Shaughnessey for Meelick and minutes later captain Aodán Ó Concubhair for Pearses as a bad tempered clash got even worse. In fact the Kerry club were lucky not to have been reduced to 13 when wing back Micheál Ó Siochain’s received a yellow instead of read card, much to the dismay of the Meelick faithful.

Meelick deserve significant credit however for their maintained effort for the duration of this Munster tie. Pat Finucane excelled at centreforward while Kevin Harnett was equally impressive around the middle but will be disappointed with two missed frees towards the end that he would usually convert with ease.

Their combined total of eight points almost accounted for all their team’s scores with full-forward Brian O’Neill the only other player to add his name to the home side’s score sheet.

The more ruthless and powerful team deservedly came out on top and the pre-match favourites for Munster and All-Ireland honours have already justified these claims with this impressive nine point victory.

Dromid Pearses
Alan ÓHógáin (7), Padraigh ÓSuilleabháin (7), Domnic ÓSuilleabháin (7), Donal ÓSuilleabháin (7), Donnacha ÓSuilleabháin (7), Caoimhin Ó Sé (7), Micheál ÓSiocháin (7),Tomas ÓCurráin (8) (1-1, Pen.), Cian ÓhÁilliosa (7), Gearóid Ó Suilleabháin (7) (0-1), Declan ÓSuileabháin (8) (0-3, 2f),Aodán ÓConcubhair (6), Eoin ÓLaoire (6), Nial ÓSé (9) (1-4), Seán ÓCurráin (7) (0-1)

Subs
Croistóir ÓFearcheallaigh (7) (0-1) for G ÓSuilleabháin, Micheál ÓConcubhair (6) (0-1) for ÓLaoire, Pól McGearailt (6) for ÓhÁilliosa, Micheál ÓSé (6) for ÓSiocháin, Seamus (6) Ó Suilleabháin for Donal ÓSuilleabháin.

Meelick
Shane Daly (8), Mickey Kelly (7), Sean Cooney

(6), Gary Kennedy (7), Stephen Hayes (7), Barry Harnett (7), É Mulvihill (7), Niall Mullen (7), Kevin Harnett (8) (0-4, 3f),WilliamOShaughnessy (6), Pat Finucane (8) (0-4, 2f), Gary Moloney (7),Andy White (7), Brian ONeill (7) (0-1), Oisin Hickey (7)

Subs
Damien Moloney (7) for Cooney, Daragh Quinn (6) for ONeill, Sean OConnor (6) for White, Gary Callinan (6) for Hickey, Luke Davis (6) for Mulvihill.

Man of the match
Niall Ó Sé (Dromid Pearses) Referee Richard Moloney (Limerick)

NEWMARKET manager Bob Enright was delighted with his team’s win on Sunday, not just the manner of the victory in Cusack Park, but the attitude his players have shown since their championship exit at the hands of Crusheen back in August.

“Our season could have fallen apart when we lost to Crusheen, but instead the entire squad showed a marvellous attitude and commitment to stay going and today they got their reward,” he said after the game.

Enright was also quick to point out the role the Senior B championship played in the Blues late season revival.

“The Senior B win was huge for us. Very important. We won three games in a row and that included the final. That started the momemtum that brought us to today. Winning is a good habit and I’m particularly pleased the way we have ended the year now, with a Senior B championahip and a Clare Cup,” he said.

While no doubt the loyal Blues supporters crave the Canon Hamilton Cup, there is no doubting the progress Newmarket made this year. The Clare Champion Cup is their first piece of senior silverware since their last championship back in 1981 and added to their Senior B success marks a decent return from 2011. Bob Enright agrees:

“Yes, it’s the right way to end the year. We’ve had some lows this year and there’s no doubt the loss to Crusheen was main one but I’m delighted we’ve come back, won three on the trot in the Senior B and taken this today against a very committed Inagh Kilnamona side,” he said.

“The performances have been good, the players have been tuned in and you could see today what it meant for them. Winning finals like today can only be a good habit to develop. Hopefully we can use this now as a stepping stone into 2012,” he added.

Of course winning the Clare Cup has been a stepping stone for plenty of clubs in recent years, including Sixmilebridge who won it last year on their way back towards the top of Clare hurling, while Clonlara won it twice on the trot in 2008 and 2009 as they established themselves as a force in the county.

Beside the benefits on the field there is also the generous sponsorship attached to the winners of the competition, Newmarket GAA club receiving a cheque for € 4,000 from Clare Champion General Manager John Galvin after the game, while runners up Inagh Kilnamona received a cheque for € 2,000.

Cratloe 2-12 – St Breckan’s 0-07 at Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown

ANOTHER rousing football year for Cratloe was rounded off in some style on Sunday afternoon as they moved up to Garry Cup competition for 2012 as Division Three champions thanks to this 11-point win.

The final scoreline did scant justice to a battling St Breckan’s side, but Cratloe were still full value for the win that was achieved thanks in no small way to their ability to rattle Craig Flanagan’s net.

The first came in the 24th minute from Padraic Collins at a time when St Breckan’s enjoyed a 0-4 to 03 lead, the second from substitute Patrick O’Gorman in the 56th minute finally killed the game as a contest for a Cratloe side that looked impressive once they got into their stride.

Both sides were missing a number of regulars – St Breckan’s being particularly hit with players like Denis O’Driscoll, Conor Cormican and Greg O’Leary, Cathal Blood absent, while others missing included Eric Murrihy, Michael Reddan and Michael Hogan.

Cratloe were without their midfield championship pairing of Conor Ryan and Brendan Bugler, but the absence wasn’t felt thanks to the industrious displays of Michael Hawes and Sean Collins around the middle as they added the league crown to the Under 21 A and Minor C titles already in the club coffers for 2011.

Cratloe’s greater spread of scores was key – four of the six starting forwards got their names on the scoresheet, while St Breckan’s were too dependent of the brilliant freetaking exploits of Pat Nagle for their scores.

Cratloe
Jamie Joyce, Sean Chaplin, Barry Duggan, Sean Hynan,Wesley de Loughery, LiamMarkham(0-1f), Enda Boyce, Michael Hawes, Sean Collins (0-1), Padraic Collins (1-1), Padraigh Chaplin (0-2), Robert Conlon, Cathal McInerney (0-5, 3f), Conor McGrath (0-1), Gearóid Ryan (0-1).

Subs