The Clare People Archive

A LOT of people forget that way back when things were rotten, that it was a junior team that showed the way for Clare hurling, winning a Munster final three days after the seniors were pummelled by Tipperary in their final, then going on to win the All-Ireland in Croke Park.

Still, being intermediate manager is a tough station – the seniors are the flagship team, the minors and the under 21 have a higher profile; the juniors are left to pick up the crumbs.

That’s what manager Kevin Kennedy must have thought many times over the past few months as he tried to piece together a panel of players to try and win a first Munster title in grade for 16 years.

“It was frustrating,” he says. “Very frustrating. I’m like Trappatoni. I’m depending on clubs to release players. There are players who don’t want to play for their county. Isn’t that great?

“There were number of players that I asked and they just weren’t interested. Then there were the clubs. Club managers wouldn’t release players for training. It’s practically impossible to prepare a team. What we did was gathered a group of players who were interested and we really pushed it for the last few weeks after the first two rounds of the club championship were over,” adds.

It was the arrival of Niall Gilligan and Tony Carmody into the squad that gave things a huge lift. “It gave lads a huge lift,” says Kennedy, “and now the players we have now are interested and very committed. Whether we’re good enough remains to be seen, because Cork are supposed to be very good.

“There is no doubt about it but there is a team in Clare that could be got together to win a Munster and All-Ireland title in this grade. Two or three years ago we had a good team and we were in a semi-final against Limerick. Ciaran Carey played for Limerick and was the difference between the sides. That’s why I invited the two lads in.”

With Gilligan and Carmody up front, the blend between youth and experience is provided by the younger brigade of Martin Duggan, Ivor Whyte and the precociously talented Daire Keane.

“I would have liked to have got more young fellas,” says Kennendy. “A few under 21s but the problem is that the under 21 management are not interested in having young fellas moving from one panel to the next.

“There are two or three fellas who would on the team, who are under 21 but didn’t join me. I can do nothing about that.

“We played two challenge matches against Galway and Limerick and were impressive in putting up big scores, but unfortunately we were conceding goals.

“That’s a worry, but I think we have the forwards this year to make a difference,” adds the 1997 All-Ireland winning manager.

AN INTRIGUING game for more than one reason on Saturday evening. Firstly, due to their intense rivalry that peaked in the 2006 and ‘07 county finals; the fact that Lissycasey legend Martin Daly is the current manager of Éire Óg while the reverse was true of Barry Keating while there was also the small matter of Éire Óg needing the victory to secure their semi-final place while Lissycasey required the points just to stay alive in the division after a disappointing start.

True to form, it turned out to be an inch tight contest that see-sawed in both directions before Lissycasey snatched it with a late brace of points.

The Townies had the better of the opening half’s exchanges to hold a 0-7 to 0-5 advantage but the second half livened up considerably with Lissycasey mounting a full recovery through a Martin Moran penalty. Éire Óg’s reply was also through the penalty spot from captain Stephen Hickey and it looked to have been enough to take all the points when holding a 1-11 to 1-10 lead with time almost up.

There was enough time to mount one final rally though and a late brace completed by Francis Hayes’ winner could yet be a pivotal score in Lissycasey’s season.

Lissycasey
Joe Hayes, Cyril Sheehan, Gerry Moran, Martin O’Connor, Cathal Hill, Michael Melican (0-1) Martin Moran (1-0) Enda Finnucane (0-1), Daniel Clohessy, OisinTalty, Francis Hayes (0-2) Alan Nagle (0-1), Paul Nagle (0-1) Niall Kelly (0-3) Derek McMahon (0-2)

Subs
Sean Hayes (0-1) for Talty, Fergal Talty for P. Nagle

Éire Óg
Eoin Slattery, Robbie Malone, Conor Healy, Michael O’Regan, Paul Madden, Dean Ryan, Nicky Hogan, Shane Daniels, Donie Lyne, Niall Daly, Stephen Hickey, Brian McMahon, Gary Flynn, Sean Crotty, David Monaghan

Subs
Danny Russell for McMahon, DonaghWalsh for Daly

Referee
Michael Fitzgerald (Ballyea)

Shannon Gaels 1-13 – Clondegad 0-15 at Labasheeda

SHANNON Gaels showed that there’s life after a championship defeat, bouncing back from their reverse against Cratloe the previous weekend to gather two precious league points in their fight against relegation.

It was all down to their inside line in which John Paul O’Neill and Michael Coughlan contributed 110 between them as the Gaels just edged this entertaining encounter that ebbed and flowed as much as the nearby Shannon Estuary.

It was O’Neill’s goal seven minutes into the second half that kick-started the Gaels’ strong second half showing, coming at time when Clondegad had kicked on from their 0-7 to 0-6 interval lead with points from Paudge McMahon (2) and Gary Brennan to lead by four points.

However, O’Neill’s strike, coupled with his brace by points by the 39th minute as he gave his marker Paddy O’Connell a torrid time of it, teed up a fight to the death in which the Gaels’ greater experience held sway.

It was close all the way through – points by Michael Coughlan (2), John Paul O’Neill and Shane Tubridy to replies by Gary Brennan (2) and Paudge McMahon left the Gaels 0-4 to 0-3 ahead by the 15th minute.

Clondeged forged 0-7 to 0-5 clear by the 22nd minute thanks to three more McMahon points and another from Brennan, with O’Neill and Coughlan keeping them within their sights with points before the break to leave the minimum between the sides.

With John Paul O’Neill moved to full-forward in the second half it turned into a battle between the two last lines of the attack – Brennan and McMahon leading the Clondegad charge early on before the complexion of the game changed radically after O’Neill’s goal.

Clondegad did bounce back with a four-point blast via Brennan, Kenneth Kelly and Paudge McMahon by the 48th minute to lead by 0-14 to 1-8, but the closing ten minutes were dominated by the Gaels when their final resurgence was flagged by a Francis Cleary point when he thundered up the field from corner-back.

It was followed by points from John Paul O’Neill, Michael Coughlan to level matters by the 54th minutes before Sean Reynolds hit the lead score in the 57th minute. From there the Gaels were not to be denied as another John Paul O’Neill point edged them two ahead before Paudge McMahon eighth of the day left the minimum between the sides at the end at the end.

Clondegad
Declan O’Loughlin, Brian Murphy, Paddy O’Connell, Conor Gavin, Flan King, Kieran Browne, Francie Neylon, James Murphy, Paddy Breen, Kenneth Kelly (0-1), Francis O’Reilly, Kieran Donnelly, Flan Enright, Gary Brennan (0-6, 2f), Paudge McMahon (0-8, 2f).

Shannon Gaels
Keith Ryan, Frank Cleary (0-1), Tomas Madigan, Fergal Kenny,Tomas Cleary, John Neylon, John Bermingham, Michael O’Donoghue, Sean Reynolds (0-1), Noel Kennedy, John Paul O’Neill, Fergal O’Neill, ShaneTubridy (0-1), Nigel Hehir, Michael Coughlan.

Subs
Brian O’Shea for Tubridy, Cathal O’Neill for Fergal O’Neill, Ruairi Norrby for Hehir.

Man of the Match
John Paul O’Neill (Shannon Gaels) Referee Michael Rock (Ennistymon)

St Joseph’s Miltown 1-7 – St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield 1-4 at St Michael ’s Park, Kilmihil

IT was emotional for Doora-Barefield players after the death of their team-mate Niall White, but honouring his memory and contribution to football in The Parish by way of a victory wasn’t to be on Friday night as Miltown ground their way to the two points in this battle of the two St Josephs’.

The Josephs’ from Doora-Barefield were left to rue what could have been – they hit seven very bad wides when playing against the wind in a first half they dominated for periods, a profligacy they paid a high price for at the game’s end.

Meanwhile, in celebrating a winning start to their 2011 campaign the Miltown St Joseph’s were left to praise the left boot of Dessie Molohan – the one that ignited their challenge in the first half with a brilliant 18th minute goal; the one that thumped over three points in the second half, with the final one from play in the 59th minute finally killing off the limited DooraBarefield challenge.

If you haven’t guessed already, this was a turgid, low-quality affair, one that was only illuminated by Molohan’s goal that came eight minutes after Aidan O’Connor had marked his first senior championship game in eight years (he played with Éire Óg in the 2003 campaign) with a tenth minute goal when he latched onto a David O’Brien centre and lashed to the net from five yards.

It should have been the spark for Doora-Barefield to drive home their early supremacy that was built on Mark Hallinan’s aerial ability in midfield and an impressive defensive unit in which Kevin Dilleen and Sean Flynn were outstanding.

However, the Doora-Barefield forwards were lamentable and a point via a 22nd minute free from O’Connor was all they had to show for their labours as Miltown amazingly found themselves 1-2 to 1-1 up at the break.

A Gordon Kelly burst from centre back helped tee up Molohan’s goal that he drilled to the net from a very tight angle, while Micheál Malone, who grew into the game made a burst in the 23rd minute and landed a fine point.

Those scores and the way they came about were a portent of things to come, because on the turnover it was Miltown who showed the greater resolve – Gordon Kelly carried from deep, they dominated midfield, while sub John Meade made a telling contribution as they forged 1-4 to 1-1 clear by the 35th minute thanks to points from Gearóid Curtin and a Dessie Molohan free.

After points by Cathal Duggan (2) and Aidan O’Connor had DooraBarefield level by the 45th minute it Dessie Molohan who showed the way for Miltown when drilling a 45 in the wind and over the bar in the 47th minute.

Miltown never looked back; Barefield waited too long to bring on subs in the forwards and paid the price when captain Eoin Curtin and Molohan closed out the game with points from play.

Doonbeg 2-10 – Liscannor 0-07 at Liscannor

DOONBEG were already assured of the semi-final berth before making the journey up the N67 for this 2010 county final re-match against Liscannor, but there was still no letting up as they comfortably claimed their fifth win of the campaign.

Liscannor were without their midfield talisman Brian Considine because of a broken nose, while the Magpies fielded 12 of the side that started the championship opener the previous weekend against Lissycasey.

In truth they had the points wrapped up by half-time as they stormed into a 1-7 to 0-3 interval lead – David Tubridy showing the way with points, while Paul Dillon further staked his claim for a permanent starting spot with a goal that helped open up that seven-point gap.

Liscannor looked to the half-forward line for scores, with Niall Considine chipping in with two points over the hour, while Alan Clohessy hit five. However, any hope of retrieving the situation in the second half was killed off by a David Tubridy goal as the Magpies eased to a nine-point victory.

The defeat keeps Liscannor in relegation trouble ahead of their final game this weekend against Kilmurry Ibrickane. However, victory could still catapult them to safety and into a semifinal at the semi-final. That’s the thin line they’re walking on.

Doonbeg
Nigel Dillon, Joe Blake, Padraig Gallagher, Conor Whelan, Brian Dillon, Padraig Aherne, Richie Vaughan, ColmDillon, Enda Doyle, Conor Downes (0-2), Brian Egan, Frank O’Dea (0-1), JamieWhelan, DavidTubridy (1-4, 3f), Paul Dillon (1-2).

Subs
Jim Bob Griffin for Conor Whelan, EamonTubridy (01) for O’Dea, Philip Smith for JamieWhelan.

Liscannor
Noel Kilmartin, Shane Canavan, Davy McDonagh, Darragh Blake, Robbie Lucas, Ronan Slattery, Denis Murphy,Alan Flaherty, Michael Foley, Davy Commane, Niall Considine (0-2),Alan Clohessy (0-5, 3f), Paul Guerin, Kieran Considine,Alan McDonagh.

Subs
Johnny Considine for Commane, Declan Fawl for Kieran Considine, Gerry Considine for Lucas, Joe Considine for Flaherty.

Man of the Match
Paul Dillon (Doonbeg) Referee Michael Talty (Kilmurry Ibrickane)

Kilmurry Ibrickane 2-6 – St Joseph’s Miltown 0-7 at Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown

KILMURRY Ibrickane’s unbeaten run in this year’s Cusack Cup continued with this local derby victory on Sunday morning as goals by Noel Downes and Stephen Moloney steered them to a deserved five-point victory over a Miltown side, playing their second game inside 48 hours.

The main business of Miltown’s hectic weekend was championship on Friday – proof, not that anyone needed it, came when their matchwinner from their meeting with Doora-Barefield, Dessie Molohan was marked absent.

He was missed, as were the likes of Eoin Curtin and Darragh McMahon as a much-changed St Joseph’s succumbed to a Kilmurry side playing well within themselves to record their fifth successive league win.

Miltown started well with the wind and three Kevin Keavey points inside the first 13 minutes had them in control, but their early advantage was wiped out by a 1-1 Kilmurry blast by the 19th minute.

Stephen Moloney opened their account with a point in the 18th minute, while a minute later a great run from deep by Paul O’Connor carved open the Miltown defence before Noel Downes clinically finished to the net beyond Niall Quinn to put Kilmurry 1-1 to 0-3 clear.

It was the winning of the game really, even though closing Miltown points from Gary Egan and Micheál Malone in response to an Ian McInerney free in the 21st minute, left the side deadlocked at the interval.

It was because of the wind advantage that Kilmurry eventually drove home in the second half. They opened the scoring through a Noel Downes effort from play in the 35th minute, only for Miltown to hit back with points from Gary Egan and Kevin Keavey by the 45th minute.

However, Miltown failed to raise another flag and a brilliant Seamus Lynch point in the 47th minute levelled the sides, before Ian McInerney put the winners ahead with another free in the 50th minute.

Then they killed off the game in the 54th minute when Downes cut through the Miltown rearguard to tee up Stephen Moloney for his matchwinning goal.

Kilmurry Ibrickane
Peter O’Dwyer, JohnWillie Sexton, Darren Hickey, Declan Callinan, Martin McMahon, Evan Talty,Thomas Lernihan, Mark McCarthy, Paul O’Connor, Stephen Moloney (1-0), Michael Hogan, Ian McInerney (0-2f), Noel Downes (1-1), Enda Coughlan (0-1), Seamus Lynch (0-1).

Subs
Seamus Murrihy for Hogan.

St Joseph’s Miltown

Niall Quinn, David Cleary, Kevin Burke, Enda Malone, Gearóid Curtin, Gordon Kelly, Ian Sexton, Peter Cleary, John Meade, GrahamKelly, Micheál Malone (0-1), Gary Egan (0-2f),Thomas Flynn, Kevin Keavey (0-4, 3f), DavidTalty.

Subs
Gearóid Malone for GrahamKelly.

Man of the Match
Declan Callinan (Kilmurry Ibrickane) Referee TomStackpoole (Ennistymon)

Clarecastle 0-15 – Wolfe Tones 0-13 at Shannon

TWO SIDES badly in need of a lift after disappointing starts to the season and in the end, it was the Magpies who got over the line but only just. Nine points up entering the final quarter, Clarecastle appeared to be cruising but their failure to hit the target for the remainder allied to a spirited wind assisted recovery from the home side ensured an extremely nervy finish before finally collecting the points.

Confidence was blatantly low on both sides and no wonder as Wolfe Tones had yet to register a competitive victory all season while the Magpies fared only mildly better with one victory in seven outings.

Player losses have devastated Tones’ senior set-up but after an inspirational opening victory in the senior football championship, it was hoped that it might rub off on the hurling side as well.

Clarecastle for their part were also severely understrength, being without eight of the 17 players used against Tulla last time out, along with long term casualties Conor Plunkett and Mark McNamara but while they were the more dominant side for long periods, they will be very disappointed to rack up 21 wides over the hour, most of which were struck from close range.

In between that plethora of missed chances, the majority of Clarecastle scores came in three separate purple patches. Firstly when recovering from a 0-2 to 0-1 defecit after four minutes to hit the next six points in a ten minute period through Tyrone Kearse (2), Eamon Callinan, Patrick Kelly, Alan O’Loughlin and Aaron Considine. They also had two glorious goal opportunities in the same period but Aaron Considine’s shot was straight at goalkeeper Paul Hogan while at the end of the first quarter, Alan O’Loughlin made a superb catch but was off balance when striking his shot just wide.

The second flurry came in the five minute period either side of half-time when hitting another five without reply to open up a 0-12 0-04 advantage by the 33rd minute. Despite now playing into the sizeable breeze, the visitors appeared comfortable and had the dominance of Seanie Moloney, Patrick Kelly, Tyrone Kearse and Aaron Considine to thank for their cushion at that stage. However, even though they grabbed three more points through Darragh Moloney, Kearse and Considine to push 0-15 to 0-06 clear by the 45th minute, they were to be severely tested in the final quarter.

The switch of Daithi O’Connell to midfield was a masterstroke as the former county senior struck Wolfe Tones first point in 20 minutes in the 40th minute and followed up with three more as they slowly grew in confidence with every chip at the deficit.

Clarecastle didn’t help themselves as they were not to score for the final 19 minutes of the contest despite a host of opportunities while the Tones hit seven points without reply by the 57th minute. However, having dispatched a pack of cats to play among a flock of pigeons, Wolfe Tones were unable to find the goal that would complete a memorable turnaround, with the best chance falling to Declan O’Rourke whose pull was cleared off the line by Eric Flynn late on.

The Magpies may not have been firing on all cylinders up front but some dogged defending, particularly from Seanie Moloney, the aforementioned Flynn and Kelly ensured the visitors would hold onto the points and ease their relegation worries. However, their championship clash in August could be equally anxious.

Clarecastle
Donnagh Murphy, Seanie Moloney, Garrett Barry, Kevin Clohessy, Fearghus Ryan (0-1), Patrick Kelly (0-1), Eric Flynn,Tyrone Kearse (0-3 1f), Eamon Callinan (0-2 1f), Darragh Moloney (0-2), Jamie O’Connor,AdamHealy (0-1), Niall Dunne,Alan O’Loughlin (0-1),Aaron Considine (0-4 1f)

Sub
AndrewPage for O’Connor (43 mins)

Wolfe Tones
Paul Hogan, Joe McGauley, Patsy Keyes, Eamon O’Neill, Shane Chambers, Bobby McPhillips (0-5 4f), Barry Loughnane, Brendan Hughes, Niall Murphy,Alan Hehir, Declan O’Rourke, Garret McPhillips (0-2 1f), Paul Walsh (0-1), Ronan Hehir, Daithi O’Connell (0-4)

Subs
Mark Regan (0-1) for Murphy (37 mins), Gary Leahy for A. Hehir (48 mins), Richie Lillis for Walsh (48 mins)

Man of the Match
Seanie Moloney (Clarecastle) Referee JimHickey (Cratloe)

Kilmaley 1-25 – Sixmilebridge 0-12 at Kilmaley

KILMALEY maintained their unbeaten start to the Clare Cup and moved a step closer to bouncing back to Division 2A after an expected victory over Sixmilebridge’s second string on Thursday evening. The senior side led by 1-14 to 0-6 at the interval with the goal coming from Brian McMahon and they contin- ued that freeflowing scoring after the break with McMahon and Daire Keane contributed a good chunk in the scoring stakes.

Kilmaley
Kieran Dillon; Colin McGuane,Anthony Cahill, Sean Talty; Noel Casey, Conor McMahon, Eoin O’Malley; Kenneth Kennedy, John Clohessy; Daire Keane,

Brian McMahon, John Cabey; Niall McGuane, Seamus Hurley, PadraigTalty

Subs
Shane Culligan, Mikey O’Neill.

Sixmilebridge
Sean Chaplin; Jayme Keogh, Eoin Quinn, David O’Meara; Jonathan Downes, SamO’Sullivan (0-4f), Cathal Walsh; Christy Griffin (0-1), Donald Devanney;Thomas Liddy (0-5f), Stiofán Fitzpatrick, Michael O’Halloran (0-1);Adrian Chaplin, Ronan Hayes (0-1), Rory Liddane.

Sub
Wayne Kennedy for Keogh

Referee
Fergie McDonagh (St Joseph’;s D/B)

Crusheen 3-14 – Clarecastle 2-15 at Clarecastle

CRUSHEEN strengthened their position at the top of the Division 1 table after a late injury-time brace that halted the home side’s dramatic fightback. Four points clear with two minutes of normal time remaining, having led since the 12th minute, Crusheen appeared to be cruising towards their fifth unbeaten game but had to endure a nervy finish after Clarecastle hit 1-1 to level the game up on the hour mark.

Crusheen replied immediately with a Darragh O’Doherty point while Clarecastle did have a glorious opportunity to share the spoils but didn’t avail of it and Crusheen punished them at the other end, again through O’Doherty to cement the points.

Considering the absence of so many first team regulars on both sides, this was a surprisingly entertaining and open game that either side could of won but Crusheen did thanks largely to three opportunistic strikes from Paddy O’Grady who scored his second successive hat-trick of goals against the Magpies this year.

Those strikes were the difference for the majority as they were aptly timed to keep the Magpies at bay. The first came after Clarecastle’s bright start that saw Patrick Kelly point after only 11 seconds and Kieran O’Dwyer add to that tally. There was also a goal chance for Niall Dunne at the back post but his shot was straight at goalkeeper David McMahon.

That save was given greater significance when Paddy O’Grady stole in for the opening goal of the game a minute later and despite three Adam Healy points in riposte, the momentum was now with Crusheen who held that goal advantage until the break at 1-5 to 0-5.

The second goal halted another Magpie fightback on the restart when points from Aaron Considine and Healy had dented Crusheen’s lead. It came after a Shaun Dillon delivery that broke to O’Grady to pull to the net in the 36th minute and open up a five point gap.

Once more, Clarecastle came back at the county champions, this time hitting four points without reply, three from the stick of Tyrone Kearse by the turn of the final quarter to cut the deficit to two.

However, O’Grady’s third major in the 48th minute appeared to have put paid to any hopes of a revival until that late Magpie burst which should have earned a much needed point for the home side but instead Crusheen ground out another trademark victory.

Crusheen
David McMahon, John Brigdale, Cronan Dillon, Alan Brigdale, Jason Greene, Shaun Dillon, Brendan McMahon,Tony Meaney, Gerry O’Grady (0-4 3f, 1’65), Gearoid O’Donnell (0-1), Niall Fitzgibbon (02), David Forde,AlanTuohy (0-1f), Paddy O’Grady (3-0), Darragh O’Doherty (0-5)

Subs
Fergus Kennedy (0-1) for Meaney (23 mins, inj), Padraic O’Malley for Forde (25 mins, inj)

Clarecastle
Donnagh Murphy, Seanie Moloney, Garry Farmer, Kevin Clohessy, Fearghus Ryan, Patrick Kelly (0-1), Eric Flynn,Tyrone Kearse (0-4 1f, 1’65),Andrew Page, Jamie O’Connor, Kieran O’Dwyer (0-2), AdamHealy (0-5 1f), Niall Dunne,Alan O’Loughlin, Aaron Considine (1-2 1f)

Subs
SeanTalty (1-0) for Dunne (HT), David Green (0-1) for O’Loughlin (48 mins)

Man of the Match
Paddy O’Grady (Crusheen) Referee Seanie McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus)