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A STRANGE, tough day for Stephen Cunningham and he says as much as he wheels away from a small knot of Crusheen men as Tulla captain Michael Murphy is about to put his paws all over the Canon Hamilton.

Cunningham turns his back to the stand and runs his mind over the past 60 minutes of hurling. Still hard to stomach. Still impossible to explain.

“You’d have thought the experience of the past couple of years would have drove us over the line at the end,” he says. “Because we were hungry for it. Nobody knows how hungry we were. I just can’t put my finger on why we lost today. There’s something else missing and that’s what we’ve got to find out.”

Straight, honest answers. It’s just over five minutes since the final whis- tle shrilled across the park and the game is still fresh in Cunningham’s head, still waiting to be digested.

“You can look at it any way you

like, but today just wasn’t our day. It belonged to Tulla and we’re the ones who’ll have to live with that. Get- ting to a final is all fine, but today isn’t about losers. A final isn’t good enough for Crusheen any more. We

need to win one. We’ve got to win one. Ah, we’ve been knocking on the door, putting in the hard work, coming close and other management teams have done as well. But this is heartbreak. The lads put in a great

effort and everything but today is about winners. Nothing else.”

High up on the stand, Murphy is holding the cup over his head now and Cunningham allows himself a gaze towards the podium.

“In fairness to Tulla you have to hand it to them. They were a hungry team. We missed some frees – some of them weren’t easy – but we did have a few wides and they cost us. You need to get those. Most other days they were going over for us but today, they just didn’t.”

And at the break, when the game looked like it was moulded for Crusheen, did his team believe they could create history?

“Of course. During half-time we reckoned we were in good shape and wed come back out and try to push forward. It didn’t work out. We knew wed be up against it, but we believed wed do it. The early goal, the wides. They all add up.”

He turns and walks back to the gathering of Crusheen men. A small waterhole of understanding among an ocean of Tulla delight.

SIXTEEN General Practitioners in Clare were among the 600 nationally that received more than €240,000 through the Primary Care Reim- bursement Service (PCRS).

The fees paid by the HSE include medical card fees and separate fund- ing provided for practice support de- velopment.

Practice support usually includes a practice secretary or practice nurse.

As many as six Clare GPs received more than €240,000 in medical card Koro DLO) se

There were no doctors in Clare among the 18 nationally that received more than half a million euro under the scheme.

These figures are only representa- tive of the fees received under the public health schemes and do not include, for example, the earnings receiving by GPs through their pri- vate/retail concerns.

Dentists in Clare were also among the top earners in the country under the Government scheme, although their payments did not reach that of their GP colleagues.

Just two dentists in Clare received more than €100,000 under PCRS.

The Primary Care Reimbursement Service makes payments to primary care contractors (general practition- ers, pharmacists, dentists and op- tometrists/ophthalmologists) | who have contracts with the Health Serv- ice Executive to provide services to medical cardholders.

In addition, the Primary Care Re-

imbursement Service also reimburs- es the primary care contractors for services provided to other eligible re- cipients under a variety of commun1- ty drug schemes including the Drugs Payment Scheme, the Long Term IIIness Scheme, the Dental Treat- ment Services Scheme, the Primary Childhood Immunisation Scheme, the High Tech Drugs Scheme, the Methadone Treatment Scheme and the Community Ophthalmic Serv- ices Scheme.

Publishing the 2006 PCRS Over- view, the HSE confirmed that a total of €2.07bn had been paid in 2006, representing an increase of €194m new Olo

Over 160,000 more people were entitled to benefits under the vari- ous schemes in 2006 compared with PAU Oey

There are now over 2.91 million people registered as eligible for ben- efit under the GMS (Medical Card) Scheme, the Drugs Payment Scheme, the Long Term [lIness Scheme, the Dental Treatment Services Scheme, the Community Ophthalmic Serv- ices Schemes and GP Visit Cards in paul eres

This compares with 2.74 million eligible in 2005.

WORKERS at Moneypoint are pre- paring to strike after talks between the Technical Engineering and Elec- trical Union (TEEU) and the ESB failed to resolve a dispute over pay arrears and security of employment for 200 Polish workers.

The workers employed by ZRE Katowicz, a subcontracting com- pany working on the environmen- tal retro-fit project at the 900 mega- watt station, have not been paid for six weeks and were turned away

from the power station when they turned up for work on Friday morn- ing last.

A second shift of the Polish work- ers was turned away yesterday morn- ing as Lentjes, the German-based company employed by the ESB to carry out the €384 million project, had terminated ZRE’s contact.

In serving strike notice, TEEU’s General Secretary Designate, Eamon Devoy, warned the ESB that should it “continue to refuse to engage in meaningful discussions” the union would immediately initiate a cam-

paign of industrial action.

It is now feared that if other mem- bers of the union come out in support of their colleagues and the action escalates, there could be a knock-on effect for local power supplies.

“A very serious and disturbing de- velopment has taken place on the ESB Moneypoint site with the con- sequences that approximately 200 workers, members of the TEEU, are being displaced from their place of work to be replaced by other workers without consultation or discussion with their union.

“It appears from our informa- tion that it is proposed to replace the workers by engaging a new sub-contractor with an alternative workforce in breach of your legal obligations under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings Regulations), and in a disgraceful disregard of any ob- ligations to the employees or proce- dures,’ the union told the ESB in a letter last night.

The letter added that the work- ers had not been paid their wages for over six weeks and been denied some of their other legal entitlements

for Over a year.

As aresult, some face destitution.

In a statement, the ESB said it had met all its obligations including proper payments to its contractor Lentjes, who sub-contracted ZRE to carry out mechanical works on the project.

“ESB at all times acted in accord- ance with the terms of its contract and at all times upheld Irish and EU employment law,’ it said.

Both parties are to take part in bi- lateral meetings this morning at the Labour Relation Commission.

THE bottom line? Tulla hit harder, scored easier and devoured posses- sion when it mattered.

It was raw, powerful hurling and if this game was ever to develop into an intense battle, it was clear where the advantage would fall.

Crusheen simply lost their way. For three quarters of the game, they played with ferocity but in the end, the wides added up and chipped away at their confidence. By the time Ger- ry O’Grady slotted their first score of the second half, 46 minutes into the game, Crusheen were already look- ing like wolves on the prairie who had lost their scent.

Tulla smelled strengthened.

Sean Torpey gathered a couple of raking balls in front of his goal, Ean- na Torpey sped around the midfield area like a cannonball, Michael Mur- phy broke every ball in his orbit and Mark Quinn was his now familiar self at centre-back, dependable and unflappable.

For a second, it looked like Paddy Meaney was about to crush Tulla’s slender lead but his kick skidded left and wide and Crusheen were left with nothing.

It was another tough dose to swal- low and another painful descent from the climb just as the peak was in sight.

This year they got closer than ever — a Stroke of a hurley — but when, in decades to come, last Sunday after- noon is dusted down and recalled, they will realise that Tulla simply out-fought them in the last quarter.

All year, the champions of 2007 have been strong of body and strong of character. Back in Scariff as the summer was ending, they lost to Smith O’Briens and it hurt. Last

the fear. They

week before the final, when they were asked where was the turning point of the season, a few Tulla men pointed their finger east and highlighted that game.

A couple of hundred people sat in the stands that day, looking on as Tulla struggled with minutes left to salvage something. They failed but since then momentum has been with them. They walked away from Scariff quietly and set about turning things around. One main theory has subsequently surrounded that day, that Jim McInerney, in a stroke of genius, over-trained the team before the game to set up a straight knock- out against Scariff.

But according to the Tulla boys, there were no special preparations against Smith O’Briens. They trained as normal and may have played an extra challenge game earlier in the week, but nothing to put lead in their

legs.

It doesn’t matters now, but the loss against Smith O’Briens and the win against Scariuff put them on the way WOR And on Sunday, in front of thou- sands, they followed through on the pace they had gathered, becoming the only team in the county to win championships in three centuries. History makers now live among the locals on the hill of the apostles.

All year, the approach to the sea- son has contrasted between the two. Crusheen sat down in the winter and mapped out their route. They said a final had to be reached and noth- ing else would matter. They were deliberate and steady in everything. On Sunday, they gathered and went to 11:45am mass together in the vil- lage. They stood together and they focused.

In Tulla, they’ve gone about things

the other way. Took each game as a single battle and didn’t look down the line. Before their games in Cu- sack Park, they travelled separately and met a little over half an hour be- fore each game. It’s worked.

With the drape of darkness sinking in above Ennis on Sunday, as they ac- quainted themselves with the Canon Hamilton for the first time, this band of Tulla men could reflect and take heart that simply and in the most ba- sic tradition of the game, they stood up when it counted.

The game was no classic. At one stage Crusheen averaged a wide eve- ry four minutes but as it played out, strangely and suddenly the quality of hurling hardly seemed to matter.

We expected a good old Western duel, back to back stuff and first to fall wouldn’t get to their feet.

It didn’t play out like that but it did eTocs DOA OTALMAY hs

Take this handful of sketches: It took nine seconds for the first hurley to break, 32 seconds for the game’s first moment on the edge when Alan Brigdale planted the boss of his stick into the gut of Brian Quinn.

Then, 55 seconds later, with just over two minutes on the clock, Quinn had dusted himself down and had the netting billowing.

He picked up the scrappy ball that fell before him, turned and over his Shoulder, lassoed the shotar into the net.

For the rest of half, when they could, Tulla looked to find Quinn with long, high ball and though the full-forward won most of what came his way, he didn’t create another clear-cut goal chance.

But just after his goal, the fuse was lit and we sat back and inhaled and waited for the explosion but the fire began to fizzle out.

Crusheen hit some terrible wides, O’Grady failed to get into the game but Tony Meaney and Paddy Vaughan were moving well in midfield.

If Tulla were to win, it looked like they’d have to score at least another goal to stay in contention. But those Crusheen’s wides just kept mount- ing.

Kieran Brennan bounded onto the field from the bench in the second half and within seconds, he had stretched Tulla’s lead to two. Murphy broke a ball on the half-forward line, Torpey picked it up and passed to Brennan and Tulla were away.

It was a simple, effective move and it summed up the champion’s sea- son.

THE Government has opened a huge area off the Clare coast for explora- tion by oil and gas companies.

New exploration licences will al- low firms to explore a section of the Porcupine Basin, located between 100

and 200kms off the Clare, Galway and Kerry coasts. The 63,500 square kilo- metre area is located beside the Span- ish Point and Burren oil and gas fields which are currently under exploration by Providence Resources.

Speaking at the announcement of the new exploration licences, Green

Party TD Eamon Ryan said profit- able oil and gas fields could reap huge sums for the Exchequer.

“Treland’s oil and gas is a resource of the people. I want to ensure that our waters are fully explored and also that we get a proper return to the State,” he said.

IT WAS a proud day at St Mochulla’s National School in Tulla on Friday when staff and pupils raised their second Green Flag.

The school took their energy use to task to earn the accolade and in the process, cut their power and heating bills by 12.5 per cent.

“Staff parents and pupils were all involved,” said school Principal, Bri- an lorpey.

The pupils designed draught ex- cluders for the doors while reflective

panels were put behind all the radia- tors in the school.

Children formed an SOS – switch off switches – squad and patrolled the school in the morning to make sure there were no lights burning un- necessarily and did the same at going home time to ensure that computers and electrical equipment was not left on standby.

The staff room boiler was fitted with a timer and the schools ther- mostats were regularly monitored to make sure the heat had not been turned up too much.

“A parent came in and gave us a talk about how he is saving energy in his house with things like solar panels – it was very interesting,” said Brian.

Tulla Goalie, Phillip Brennan, did the honours in raising the flag at a special ceremony on Friday.

The school got it’s first Green Flag two years ago after the staff and 262 pupils got involved in reducing the school’s waste mountain.

The Green Flag scheme 1s approved by An Tasice in conjunction with lo- cal authorities and Clare County

Council came to the school to in- spect and approve the energy savings before the flag could be awarded.

And the clean, green school won’t stop there. “Having achieved our second flag, we’re now moving to get our third which is for reducing water waste,’ said Brian.

AS THE success starved Tulla fans flooded the field to greet the players, it was easy to mistake Jim McInerney for the politican who stood before the people in the 2004 local elections. Everyone wanted his hand.

Young kids took photos and asked for autographs and there was no doubting who they believed was the chief architect of this victory. In es- sence, Jim McInerney is the epitome of Tulla hurling. He manages the team how he played the game him- self, throwing everything into it. As he stormed up and down the sideline,

hitting every ball in his mind during the game, his raw emotions came to the fore.

He longed for this day – when Tulla could take their place amongst the club’s great teams of the past. He has always believed in his players and they have equally responded this year. But, he was still in disbelief that it had finally happened.

“It is a proud day, there is no doubt and it’s great to finally win it. That’s what we have always strived for and now we have it, it is hard to believe we have it.”

But he is also quick to remember the other side of the coin too, deem-

ing it rather unfair that Crusheen had to lose such a close final.

“VL tell you, my feelings are with Crusheen too. They gave us a great battle. There was nothing in it in the end, they were very unlucky not to score a goal at the end and I hope someday, they will go on and win the senior title because they are there a long time without it and they have a lot of great work done for hurling. They have been knocking on the door for the last four or five years and hopefully their day will come as well.”

McInerney could certainly feel the tension on the sideline as the game

hung in the balance. He looked as exhausted as any player who played in the decider but felt that despite in- juries to key players, his squad lived up to expectation.

“Andrew Quinn was a huge loss to us and I think it upset our team prob- ably for the last 20 minutes of the first half. But we regrouped at half-time and we played the kind of passion- ate hurling that took us through the quarter and semi finals. Sean Torpey in fairness to him, he got man of the match there. He caught some massive ball inside in the square where it was most dangerous. He dominated that area and came away with the ball.

“But it was a tremendous display by all our backs. Mark Quinn had a great game at centre-back again and our two corners were massive as were the two wing-backs.

“It was a great performance defen- sivewise. But Crusheen have great backs too and they made life awful hard for us and our forwards. As a result, with two great sets of backs, it was a low scoring game. It was a very tight battle right to the end and we just got through it in the end. Just about!”’

But justified as well. A one point victory and McInerney is on top of the pile.

CLARE is in line to become com- pletely self-sufficient for energy in less than a decade through the con- struction of a state-of-the-art wave energy system off the county’s west coast.

An area of water some 15 miles off Spanish Point has been earmarked by the Irish Marine Institute as an ideal location for the creation of the world’s first full-scale wave energy testing centre.

The institute will next month choose from three shortlisted sites for the test centre, with locations off the Kerry and Mayo coast also in the running.

A Galway-based company is likely to be the first to put its technology to the test in the centre and has already expressed an interest in developing a 200-megawatt wave farm off the Clare coast.

Wavebob is one of just 90 wave en- ergy companies worldwide, and one of just three who have managed to produced electricity in large-scale eet hS

“There is a recognition out there that Clare has huge potential in Ire- land for wave energy. Clare is a very attractive area, not just because of the waves, but also because of the strong erid connection at Moneypoint,” said

Andrew Parish of Wavebob.

‘The ESB have also said that they have an interest in developing a wave energy facility off the Clare coast.”

The construction of a Wavebob farm off the Clare coast would pro- duce up to 200 megawatts of energy, or roughly twice the domestic annual energy required for the county.

Moneypoint currently produces some 900 megawatts of electricity annually. However, the Government has committed to producing 75 meg- awatts before 2012, and 500 mega- watts before 2020 from wave energy, with Clare likely to produce a large proportion of this.

“Even if the Marine Institute de- cide to go elsewhere for the test cen- tre, private companies like ourselves will be looking very closely at the undoubted potential that Clare has for wave energy,” continued Mr Par- 0

“Any farm in Clare would be locat- ed roughly on the horizon, so people will be barely able to see them, if at all. At worst they would look like a fishing boat at the very tip of the ho- rizon.

“As well as this, Wavebobs have no impact at all on surfing. Unlike other facilities, like the Wave Dragons in Cornwall, the Wavebobs are much smaller and won’t impact on the waves at all.”

COUNCILLOR Cathal Crowe has been given a commitment from one of the main contractors in the Shan- non Tunnel construction that they will carry out repairs to roads in east OE

After meeting with representatives of the Roadstone company last week, Cllr Crowe said he was “given a firm commitment that they will carry out repair work on the Woodcockhill Road. I requested the meeting to

discuss the much deteiorated Wood- cockhill Road. My meeting with the official lasted for almost an hour and during this time we drove the length of the road and surveyed it’s various bad points.”

The councillor said that he has been raising concerns regarding the state of Phairs Road and the Wood- cockhill Road for the past year. He had met with a number of residents in the locality on several occasions “and their frustration 1s palpable. Many people living in the area have

complained to me not only about the poor condition of the road but also the untold damage that heavy good vehicles are causing to their front boundary walls. There can be no de- nying that most of the damage caused to these roads has been inflicted by the countless trucks that carry sand and gravel from the Woodcockhill sandpit to the nearby construction site of the Shannon Tunnel.”

At a council meeting last Decem- ber, Cllr Crowe tabled a motion call- ing for a fund to be set up to provide

for the immediate restoration and ongoing repair of Phairs Road. “I believe that the financing of any re- pair work should be the responsibil- ity of the relevant authorities / bodies involved in the construction of the Shannon Tunnel. The Shannon Tun- nel is a project of national impor- tance and whilst nobody in Meelick wants to get in the way of progress we feel that something urgent needs to be done to ensure that our local roads are restored to an appropriate standard.”

RYANAIR, Aer Lingus’s largest shareholder, has confirmed that it has submitted a formal complaint to the Irish Financial Regulatory Services Authority (IFSRA) concerning the alleged breach by Aer Lingus of Irish Company Law and Stock Exchange Rules.

The low-cost airline says the breach was in the Aer Lingus “*’selec- tive briefings to one shareholder (the Department of Transport) of market sensitive information (the closure of the Shannon-Heathrow route) some eight weeks prior to the announce- ment through the Stock Exchange

notice.”

A Ryanair spokesman said it is of grave concern “that one shareholder (the Department of Transport) which only holds a 25 per cent interest in Aer Lingus was repeatedly briefed on this market-sensitive informa- tion…before the Stock Exchange an- nouncement of this route closure on August 7.

“This repeated and selective dis- semination of market sensitive in- formation to one shareholder up to eight weeks prior to making all oth- er shareholders aware of the facts is a clear violation of Stock Exchange rules and Irish Company Law,” he claimed.