The Clare People Archive

Corofin 2-14 – Doonbeg 1-06 at Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown

HOT favourites Corofin justified those expectations on Saturday with a comprehensive victory to win their first Under 21B title in 17 years. A powerful finish that was sparked by Gearoid Kelly’s second goal saw the north Clare side ease to victory but in truth, they held the whip hand throughout.

A hattrick of Kelly points along with scores from Stephen (2) and Kevin Heagney pushed the winners 0-6 to 0-1 clear by the break and once Kelly scored the opening goal in the 43rd minute, Corofin appeared to have put paid to any hopes of a Magpie comeback.

However, a Jamie Russell goal gave Doonbeg a glimmer of hope to bring back the deficit to five in an impres – sive overall scoring display of 1-3 but that fightback was short-lived when Kelly raided for his second major in the final quarter. And with that, Doonbeg’s heads dropped as Corofin ease clear to secure the silverware.

Ruan 2-7 – Crusheen/Tubber 2-5 at Clarecastle

ONE OF the better hurling games played over the Under 15 championship saw two evenly matched sides pitted against each other in the Under 15C title decider in Clarecastle on Sunday morning. Many clashes between these clubs in various forms over the decades will have rarely more been keenly contested, with the impetus switching between the teams with regularity. Ruan were the strongly fancied side to win the laurels but would be first to admit that they were fortunate with a late rally to take the honours as Crusheen/Tubber were the better side for most of the game.

The opening score fell to Ronan Monahan after two minutes and in- deed he was one of the better players on view over the hour and was top scorer for the defeated having been used in a number of positions. Liam O’Donovan opened Ruan’s account before Crusheen/Tubber corner forward Ross Hayes scored his sides first goal in the sixth minute. At the interval Crusheen/Tubber held the advantage at 1-5 to 0-4.

Ruan failed to score a goal until the 40th minute when Lee O’Donovan hit the target and Crusheen responded positively with scores from Donal McMahon and Monahan. O Donovan’s second goal put Ruan ahead and from there they held out despite a late rally from the vanquished. The champions had sterling performances from Michael Lyons, Conal Ó hAiniféin, Lee O’Donovan, Liam O’Donovan, Colm Rice, Jason Courtney and Tim O Connor. Crusheen/Tubber were served well by Ronan Monahan, Colin Waters, Donal McMahon, Cillian Droney, Simon O’Donoghue, Brian McDonagh and Sean Culligan.

Ruan

COUNTY Board chief Michael O’Neill led the tributes to Michéal McDermott at Tuesday’s meeting of Clare GAA, saying that his commitment to Clare football was second to none.

His comments came at the end of McDermott’s lengthy address when he reviewed his two years in charge of the team, in which he parsed Clare league and championship displays in 2010 and 2011.

“As someone who has worked with Michéal McDermott over the past two years, his commitment has been second to none,” said O’Neill.

“The player he had on the panel gave it their all. His commitment, his knowledge of football is very good and I wouldn’t fault Michéal in any way.

“If there was an issue during the year we sat down and discussed it. We didn’t always agree but we worked for the betterment of Clare football,” added the county board chairman.

St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield delegate Joe McNamara also gave an insight into McDermott’s passion for football.

“Last Saturday I was in Gurteen – two mothers came up to me and said there is a seriously long session going on down there. Who was it who was training a group of girls? It was Michéal McDermott,” revealed McNamara. CLARE HURLING REVIEW

MONALEEN! To be or not to be? That is the question.

To be manager of the Limerick City club in 2011 as they chase down their fourth county senior football title since 2002?

Or not to be manager of the Limerick City club in 2011 in tandem with being manager of the Clare football team?

This elephant in a room full of county board delegates was broached towards the end of last Tuesday’s September monthly meeting of Clare GAA by Kilrush Shamrocks representative Colm Browne.

“Do you think it is appropriate that the manager of the Clare team should be managing a club team in a neighbouring county,” asked Browne of outgoing manager Michéal McDermott.

“I take your point on board,” responded McDermott, “but number one I was never manager of Monaleen. When I was appointed manager of Clare back in October 2009 and was ratified by the delegates in this room, at that time I was manager of Kilmurry Ibrickane and it wasn’t an issue then.

“As regards as where my commit- ments lie. Kilmurry Ibrickane had an All-Ireland final on March 17 (2010), the first in their history. On that Wednesday we played in an All-Ireland final, the previous weekend we played in a Division 4 match against London in Ruislip.

“When I was manager of Kilmurry Ibrickane it wasn’t an issue. During the year when I was manager of Clare I was asked to help out Monaleen, because they had lost their manager. I said I would because a good friend of mine was involved. I ended up doing a favour for a fella and I don’t have it in my heart to say no. That’s me. I enjoy football six, seven nights a week. Should that be taken away from me?, he asked.

However, Browne responded by saying “it’s different, you were actually the incumbent (with Clare) when you were appointed to Monaleen.”

“My commitment never waned when I was involved in Monaleen,” retorted McDermott. “When I was appointed day one I was with Kilmurry Ibrickane and it never affected my performance with Clare.

“Anthony Cunningham managed Galway under 21 hurlers to an AllIreland final and won. On Sunday he’s manager of Garrycastle in the Westmeath senior football championship. Pat Flanagan is manager of Westmeath football team, he is also manager of Clara who are in the Offaly football final.

“If I had felt my responsibility with Clare and not given 100 per cent I would be the first to put my hands up. My involvement with Monaleen did not detract whatsoever from my commitment to Clare.

“I was never manager and despite being quoted in media circles I am not manager – I’m there helping out, but I never missed a training session with Clare, I never missed a gym session with Clare. I give 100 per cent to Clare. It wasn’t an issue when I was appointed day one.”

MICHÉAL McDermott is prepared to walk away from Clare football if county board delegates feel that he’s not the man to lead the county senior team into the 2012 season.

McDermott first became involved with Clare teams in 1996 under John O’Keeffe’s senior management reign and has now put it up to delegates to decide if he’s still the right man for the senior job.

“Is it time for change?,” he asked delegates. “That’s for people in the room here tonight. If you feel there’s change needed, so be it. If I’m not the man to bring forward Clare football for one more year, so be it.

“I will walk away with my hand held high and say that I’ve given it everything and I couldn’t have given it anymore. The long and short of it is that it’s up to you guys to decide. Is Michéal McDermott the man to bring Clare forward? If I am, I would be proud to do it and would give 100 per cent.

“If it’s decided that Michéal McDermott isn’t the man to bring Clare forward, I have no problem in walking away and saying fine, so be it. I’ll say I gave it my best shot. I’ll say I thought I did what was right and I’m never going to fall out with anybody over football.

“I’m living in Clare for 15 years. I have given time for Clare juniors, to Clare under 21s and seniors. What I do is I love football. Without football I don’t know what I’d be doing.

“For my two years with the Clare football team, I’ve done everything in my power to try and bring success, not for Michéal McDermott, not for these men at the top table, but for the players,” McDermott added in his impassioned appeal to win the backing of county board delegates.

And, in making his case for a third year in charge, McDermott has forecast that success is around the corner for Clare – citing the DNA of current Clare players, their commitment to the cause and the ageing profile of the Kerry team as rays of hope for the future.

“People will say league was a disaster for Clare this year,” said McDermott, “but if anything I think we played better football this year in the league than we did the previous year but we didn’t get results.

“What ever people say about Clare football, it’s not as bad, if the breaks would only come our way. If we had every player out there of the quality that’s out there, willing to give everything to Clare, it would be brilliant.

“Most of all you want to have 25 or 26 players who have the DNA to give everything for Clare football. That’s what it’s all about. It’s about the players, to have a bit of pride.

“There is no given right to come out of Division 4. Every game is like an All-Ireland final. It’s a rat-race to get out. They are so close to coming out of Division 4, if a couple of breaks go our way. That’s what we need. We are not far off the mark.

“At the present moment Cork and Kerry are strong but things could level out. Look at the Kerry team this year – five of their six backs are over 30 years of age.

“There is not the same conveyor belt of talent coming through in Kerry. They could be coming down to a level.”

HEATED exchanges erupted at Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the county’s Gaels with chairman Michael O’Neill accused by one delegate of getting “personal” when issuing a trenchant challenge to anyone who questioned his commitment to confronting the football crisis within the county.

The fires of controversy were stoked by Doonbeg delegate Michael Neenan, who called on Michael O’Neill – who admitted that Clare football was “at rock bottom” – to lead the way by giving a commitment to institute a Director of Football post within Clare.

“You have to front it Mr Chairman,” said Neenan. “What has happened over the last ten years is not working. I think we should be putting in place a Director of Football and starting at the ground level up and doing proper coaching,” blasted the outspoken delegate. “We should take lead from the Tipperarys in football and the Dublins in hurling and look at it from that point. We have to take it seriously. A Director of Football should be immediately set up to look at the standard of football. We have too look at it more deeply. “We need proper coaching at ground level up and full backing from the county board. We have to over the next four to five years put a plan in place and working with a plan and everybody working together and people who are genuine about bringing Clare football to the top again. “Chairman, are you going to look into and put in place a Director of Football, putting proper structures in place at ground level, proper coaching done. It’s going to cost money and the clubs will have to raise money for that.

“Unless we do that we are fooling ourselves. We will be here next year talking about the same thing. If this is not addressed we are going to go further down the ladder. I am proposing that,” added Neenan.

“I honestly believe because of the financial implications it’s not a proposal we can take,” the county chairman responded.

“If you’re not serious about if Mr Chairman, we are not going to get off the ground,” responded Neenan. “Will you put a Director of Football in place? he added.

“No. I will work towards it. I’m not giving a commitment here tonight that I would put a Director of Football in place,” said O’Neill.

“Will you outline to the meeting here tonight how you’re going to go about it?” said Neenan hitting back.

“No. I won’t outline it,” responded O’Neill before saying “I want to tease it out to see what we can do”.

“But Mr Chairman we’re at rock bottom,” said Neenan.

“I couldn’t agree with you more,” said O’Neill, “but have I all the answers tonight? I don’t think so”.

“What are you afraid of about putting a Director of Football in place,” said Neenan.

“I’m not one bit afraid of anything, until we have the groundwork done and to make sure it’s the way to go and that we have the funding in place to pay that person. You can’t come in here blandly and say that we put a Director of Football in place. End of story. Michael O’Neill as chairman cannot do that.”

“This is where it can be put in place,” retorted Neenan.

“It can be discussed here tonight and can work towards it over the next couple of months. If we can come up with the finance and if it’s the right thing to do, it is part of the way forward,” admitted O’Neill.

“There is a better structure in place for the hurling,” said Neenan , “and it annoys me and it sickens me to think, why are we afraid to go down that road for the football. You have to take it seriously,” he added.

“I take exception to you saying I’m not taking it seriously,” said a visibly angry O’Neill. “If I’m not taking it seriously get me to hell out of here at the December meeting and come up to this table yourself, but you’ll have a job to get up here. I can assure you that.”

“There’s no need to get personal about it,” said Neenan, before the chairman claimed that the work is being done with football in the county. “We have worked very hard,” he said. “A lot of work has gone on on the ground. It won’t reap rewards for some years to come. There is an awful lot of good working going on in the county with football.

“Maybe a Director of Football is the way to go. I don’t disagree with you on that, but I’m not going to say blandly here that we are going down that route until we tease it our properly. What ever will be changed will be changed here by the clubs. It won’t be changed by me,” the chairman concluded.

CLUB commitments and championship structures are a barrier between Clare and success at senior intercounty hurling, outgoing manger Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin told club delegates when giving a detailed report on his two-year as county senior manager.

In his wide-ranging comments on the state of Clare senior hurling as he hands over the management reins to fellow All-Ireland winner Davy Fitzgerald, O’Loughlin urged clubs to “look at the bigger picture” to help the flagship hurling team in the county prepare properly for the Munster championship and All-Ireland.

This, said O’Loughlin, demands a more streamlined and smaller county senior championship, while he also hammered home the need for the county senior manager to be given a two-month lead-in to the Munster championship, which would be free of county championship fixtures.

The two-time All-Ireland winner said that progress could can only be achieved as senior inter-county level “if we continue to work hard at all levels and the co-operation of clubs will have a significant bearing on this.

“I cannot stress loud enough that the incoming management must be given the most important months of May and June to prepare the team for what is their most important time at championship,” said O’Loughlin.

“We cannot have a situation that I faced this year when two rounds of the senior hurling championship was played in mid-May, which ultimately brought the Clare preparation to a halt and out of these two games we got four injuries, whereby we lost two players for the rest of the season and the other two could hardly train up to the week before the Tipperary game,” he added.

And, O’Loughlin said that a restructuring of the county championship by way culling eight clubs from the senior grade – a figure that represents 40 per cent of senior clubs – and re-grading them intermediate was his radical blueprint to benefit club and county hurling.

“I firmly believe we need to reduce the number of senior teams in Clare from 20 down to 12 and start playing mid-week championship matches over a shorter period of time,” he said.

“There is no doubt that we have not got 20 senior teams capable of playing to a decent senior level and we would be best served with a more competitive senior championship. We need to look at the bigger picture for once and for all to see what’s best going forward for Clare hurling,” he added.

Bride Rovers 1-13 – Shannon Gaels 4-02 at Sean Tracey Park, Tipperary Town

SHANNON Gaels’ Munster club campaign was brought to an end on Saturday when they went down by two points to a fine Bride Rovers side in a keenly contested Intermediate semi-final at Tipperary Town. While the east Cork side registered fourteen scores to Shannon Gaels six and were the better team overall, much credit has also to be given to Shannon Gaels who played with great passion and were right in this contest up to the final whistle courtesy of their four goals.

The Clare Intermediate champions couldn’t have asked for a better start. Colette Corry won the throw-in and found Sarah Bohannon who in turn shot towards Bride Rovers goal. Her effort came back out off the crossbar and in raced Edel Dillon to boot it to the net all inside 30 seconds.

The impressive Sinead Walsh got the Cork side off the mark while in the eighth minute, Sarah Bohannon scored a second Shannon Gaels goal when her free went all the way to the top right after Michelle Madigan had been fouled on the 30 me- tre line at the end of a fine Shannon Gaels move. Elaine Dee replied with a point for Bride Rovers before a foul by Adrienne Nugent gave away a penalty which Sinead Walsh made no mistake with. The Cork side dominated the next 15 minutes in terms of scores adding three points while they also kicked seven wides to the Gaels’ two in the opening half. Grace Lynch was introduced for Ger Corry in the 18th minute and despite carrying an injury, she made a telling contribution. Four minutes from half-time, she rattled the net when expertly finishing a move that put the Gaels back in the lead and Sarah Bohannon pointed to see the Clare side lead 31 to 1-5 at the interval, much to the delight of their large following.

A feature of Shannon Gaels game was their workrate with Maryruth Neylon, Helena Flanagan, Susan Neylon and Adrienne Nugent particularly impressive in defence while Colette Corry and Sarah Bohannon really worked hard with the latter covering a lot of ground. Michelle Madigan and Carmel Bohannon all played their part but needed a better supply up front. The win against Clashmore of Waterford in the quarter-final definitely boosted their confidence and they battled hard for every ball.

The second half started very like the first for Shannon Gaels and Grace Lynch scored her second goal when she perfectly connected in flight to palm home her team’s fourth goal. Five points ahead, it was a pity that Shannon Gaels could not capitalise on this lead. Bride Rovers didn’t panic however and gradually, by kicking point after point they kicked seven unanswered scores, one from Colette Hogan, three from the impressive Grace Kearney, an All Ireland medal winner with Cork six days earlier, and three frees from Sinead Walsh to lead by two.

With three minutes of normal time remaining, Lynch pointed a Gaels free but Grace Kearney had the final say with her fifth point from play as her side held on for a deserved two point win despite playing the last ten minutes with fourteen players due to the sin-binning of wing-back Caroline Broderick for a high tackle on Colette Corry.

The season is now over for Shan- non Gaels and while they will be disappointed not to have reached the Munster Intermediate Final, they will look back on the year with satisfaction as they finally captured the county title and will look forward to playing senior championship football next year. Incidentally, Bride Rovers will play St. Ailbee’s of Limerick in the final on October 16.

Shannon Gaels
Serana Carmody, Eilis Moran, Maryruth Neylon, Imelda Kennedy, Helena Flanagan, Susan Neylon, Adrienne Nugent, Colette Corry, Kate O’Brien, Croidhe Glynn, Sarah Bohannon (1-1f), Michelle Madigan, Edel Dillon (1-0), Carmel Bohannon (Capt.), Ger. Corry

Subs
Grace Lynch (2-1 1f) for G. Corry (18 mins), Carla Beehan for Glynn (HT), G. Corry for Dillon

Bride Rovers
CatrionaVaughan, Emma O’Keeffe (capt.),Arlene O’Callaghan, Bridget Forde, Niamh Barry,Annette Raher, Caroline Broderick, Michelle McAteer, Jennifer Barry (0-1), Grace Kearney (0-5), Elanor Ahern, Colette Hogan (0-1), Jennifer Cahill, Elaine Dee (0-1), SineadWalsh (1-5 3f, 1-0 pen)

Subs
Sinead O’Driscoll for Cahill, Mary Hazelwood for O’Keeffe

Referee
Sean Joy (Kerry)

Banner Ladies 3-13 – Cappawhite 3-11 (after extra-time) at Sean Tracey Park, Tipperary Town

NOBODY said it was going to be easy. This proved to be the case on Saturday for Banner Ladies who won their first ever Munster club match in a pulsating Senior B semi-final. It took extra time to separate the sides for a finish and the feat was made all the more remarkable as for six of the Banner side, it was their second game in a matter of hours.

Earlier in Shannon, Emma O’Driscoll, Shonagh Enright, Katie Cahill and Sinead O’Keeffe played key roles in Kilmaley’s county senior championship camogie semi-final win over a Clooney/Quin side that included Louise Henchy while Naomi Carroll was a member of Limerick Institute’s Hockey side that defeated U.C.C. in a league match.

Back to football and in the third game of a triple header. a total of six goals and 24 points kept the small attendance on their toes right up to the final whistle.

Cappawhite full-forward Siobhan Costello had her first of eight points in the third minute while Niamh O’Dea equalised with her first score of what would be a whopping tally of 2-9. Sinead Buckley put the Tipperary side back in front with a goal but by the tenth minute, the Banner had responded with points from Rebecca Culligan and Louise Henchy. Two O’Dea frees put the Clare senior champions back in front but what O’Dea could do at one end, Costello could equally accomplish at the other. She also pointed two frees while also causing endless problems for the Banner rearguard. Another O’Dea free and a point from play from the outstanding Naomi Carroll put the Banner ahead again but Costello with two points from play, sent Cappawhite in with a point to spare at the interval at 1-5 to 0-7.

Banner resumed with Laurie Ryan at full-back marking Costello while Louise Woods and Shona Enright exchanged positions. And those switches appeared to have the desired effect as the Banner got the half off to a great start when full forward Niamh O’Dea goaled after Henchy picked her out from a ‘45 to put her side 1-7 to 1-5 in front in the 37th minute. Credit to Cappawhite though as within a minute Sinead Buckley struck for her second goal when she shot low to beat Emma O’Driscoll who had a fine hour. Another Costello point was cancelled out by Eva O’Dea who had been introduced just three minutes earlier. Her sister added two from frees and the scoreboard now read 2-9 to 2-7 in favour of the Clare champions. Costello again and Shauna Quirke with a point apiece levelled matters with 58 minutes played. And before the whistle sounded to complete the normal time, the game’s top scorer O’Dea had edged the Ennis side in front but during the additional time of which there was a justified six minutes, Quirke levelled for Cappawhite to send the game to extra-time as the evening closed in.

Cappawhite dominated the first half of extra-time. A goal from midfielder Sheelagh Carew and a point from Claire Mullins pushed them four ahead while the Banner failed to score in that ten minute period.

When Costello pointed her eighth score early in the second half, it looked like curtains for Banner Ladies who trailed by five with eight minutes remaining. 1-1 from the mighty Niamh O’Dea, who took a lot of punishment over the hour, brought them to within a point and with about a minute to go, centre-forward Naomi Carroll had the ball in the back of the Cappawhite net to crown an unbelievable Banner comeback and send them through to the Munster Senior B final against Kerry’s Sliabh Luachra next Saturday.

Apart from O’Dea and the outstanding Naomi Carroll, Banner had solid performances from Katie Cahill, Louise Woods, Sinead O’Keeffe, Laurie Ryan, Louise Henchy and Emma O’Driscoll.

Avenue United 7 – Coole FC 0 at The County Grounds, Doora

AVENUE United reigned supreme in this one-sided cup decider on Sunday afternoon – cruising to victory over their Galway opposition when rattling home seven goals to take home the silverware.

It was a stroll for the Ennis side as they led 5-0 at half-time, with Evan Courtney leading the way with a brace, while he then crowned his brilliant afternoon’s work by grabbing another in the second half to claim his hat-trick.

It was the other Evan in the Avenue starting line-up that opened the scoring – defender Evan McNamara getting the all-important goal to set his side on their way in the tenth minute.

From there the floodgates opened with Evan Courtney adding a second five minutes later before Barry and Brian Guilfoyle added to Avenue’s total, while Evan Courtney had the final say of the half with his second. Courtney notched his third early in the second half while Cian Crim- mins completed the scoring.

Coole kept trying though with Stephen McCarthy putting in a great display despite the tidal wave of goals against his side, while Calvin Finn was also prominent throughout.

The win keeps alive Avenue’s hopes of a league/cup double for 2011. The league is still up for grabs as they chase down their county capital rivals Ennis Town as the campaign enters its concluding stages.