Sports

The underage teams at Ennis Rugby Club began their seasons with some promising results over the weekend. The U13 team came out ahead of a close encounter with Thomond/Richmond in their first game of the season during the U13s Development League last Sunday. In the first half of the game, Ennis moved ball wide and moving the opposition pack around during early exchanges. This tactic soon paid off as Robbie McMahon raced through for the first try and then shortly after, a second try. Both tries were converted by Ben McAllister. After Thomond/Richmond scored their first try, Ennis stretched their lead through a powerful run and try from Colm O’Gara. Ennis defended well and maintained the lead until the final whistle, winning by 19 points to 15. The players included Alexander Labuhn, Ben McAllister, Cian Friel, Colm O’Gara, Conor McMahon, Dara Ryan, Donnchadh Warner, Dylan O’Loughlin, Finn Ellingstad, James Howard, Luke Phillips, Michael Meere, Mícheál Thornton, Niall O’Connell, Oisin Hough, …

All but the senior decider are down for decision on Sunday week (October 1st) as eleven clubs vie for adult ladies’ football championship honours at intermediate and junior levels. The Intermediate Final clash of West Clare rivals Kilrush and Miltown Malbay takes precedence as a coveted place at senior level is on the line for two sides that have certainly paid their dues when it comes to finals. Newmarket-on-Fergus’ welcome return to adult football has proven hugely encouraging so far as they look to halt Fergus Rovers’ remarkable momentum-fuelled run from Junior B in the A decider while Rovers’ successors will be either Burren Gaels or Kilrush’s second strings. The make-up of the Shield Finals at intermediate and Junior A will be confirmed this weekend as Clooney-Quin host Clarecastle on Sunday evening (5pm) for the right to take on Doonbeg in the intermediate version while Wolfe Tones and Banner Ladies must meet again to book their place in the Junior …

The Junior A quarter-final draw held last Monday evening ended with Killimer v St Joseph’s Doora Barefield, Michael Cusacks v Ballyvaughan, Kilmurry Ibrickane v Eire-og, Parteen/Meelick v Clondegad. All games to be played over the weekend September 30th/ October 1st. EireOg………….0-14     St Breckans………..0-5 The footballers of Eire Og can do little wrong at the moment as they overcame the challenge of St Breckans. Former Clare star Denis O’ Driscoll well known to the students of Ennis opened the scoring early in the game. Luke Pyne and Andrew McElwee were central to the first-half dominance of Eire-og as they led (0-8) to (0-3) at the break. For most of the second-half Eire Og were the better side but could not turn possession into goals despite keeping the scoreboard ticking over even though Colin Reidy saw a great effort come off the crossbar. With Colin Smythe and Alan O’ Neill dominating at midfield and Kevin Brennan busy upfield the Ennis side were …

Two Clare Camogie stars have been nominated for the PwC GPA Camogie Premier Junior Player of the Year. Kilmaley’s Caoimhe Cahill has been nominated for the gong alongside Newmarket-on-Fergus’ Ellen Casey. The three-player shortlist is completed by Tipperary’s Jean Kelly. Clare claimed the All Ireland Junior Camogie title when they defeated Tipperary in the final 3-7 to 1-9 last month. The victory was significant for Clare as they claimed their first title at this grade since 2008. John Carmody’s charges endured a nervy start, falling to an early six-point deficit but they refused to panic as they gradually reeled in and overtook the Premier County. Cahill netted a crucial goal as Clare produced a stirring comeback on a day when the Kilmaley clubwoman received the Player of the Match award. Cahill also notched three points in her side’s 0-22 to 2-15 win against Armagh in the semi-final. At centre back, Ellen Casey offered a physical presence throughout the campaign for …

There will be no shortage of motivation as the race for the intermediate ladies football championship is reduced to just two on Sunday. After all, a harrowing 2022 at senior level has seen Cooraclare understandably rebuild confidence once more in the second tier as they look to bounce back even stronger but face a Kilrush side with their own point to prove after being edged out in last year’s decider by Fergus Rovers. It’s a West Clare derby to savour on Sunday at 2pm, with Cooraclare’s senior experience giving them the slight favourite’s tag. Miltown Malbay’s issue hasn’t been the penultimate stage, more a final hoodoo as three successive intermediate decider reverses between 2019-21 have fuelled their return to form after a disappointing 2022. Éire Óg caused an upset in the final group match to lower Miltown but will face a much sterner task this time around for their rematch as the recently crowned Minor A champions look to maintain …

Premier Division Soccer League Cup Group B Round 1 Shannon Town 1 3 Newmarket Celtic The first flagship silverware of the new Clare District Soccer League season will be contested by perennial title chasers Avenue Utd and Newmarket Celtic after the latter edged out neighbours Shannon Town in Lynch Park, Shannon on Wednesday evening. Scheduled to be both side’s competitive bow almost three weeks early, this derby refixture was still a much-anticipated barometer of where they currently stand as the assimilation of fresh blood only added to the intrigue of both side’s first real test. Far from showcasing their new talent, the home side, under former Newmarket Celtic coach Donal Magee, opted to remain steadfast to their tried and trusted, with left winger Jack Ryan the pick of that bunch as Town’s chief threat. Newmarket Celtic meanwhile mixed old and new, with former Lifford playmaker Nathan Redenze (now Boaventura) an existing addition to an already multifaceted attacking arsenal while impact …

Kildare 2-11 Clare 2-10 Clare’s Lilywhite hoodoo continued to haunt in Croke Park after seeing their late backlash come up agonisingly short at the death, writes Eoin Brennan. Having failed to reach the heights of previous displays for the majority, the Banner sprung to life with a rousing brace of goals for chief threats Fidelma Marrinan and Chloe Moloney to slash an eight point deficit to just the minimum by the 55th minute. However, despite further opportunities including a last gasp Fidelma Marrinan free from 45 metres, Wayne Freeman’s side simply couldn’t locate an equalising score to force extra-time. Clare’s electric finish was in contrast to a stuttering first half showing that saw Clare start brightly with a brace of Marrinan frees but falter significantly after two timely goals for Trina Duggan and Ellen Dowling. Having previously been opened up by Claire Sullivan’s overlapping run and shot that cannoned off the crossbar while Amy Lenihan somehow repelled Neasa Dooley’s rebound, …

Clare’s last appearance in an All-Ireland intermediate final was in 2016 when they were edged out by Sunday’s opponents Kildare, writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh, in recalling a contest that will give motivation to the current crop, particularly the four survivors from that day out in Croke Park seven years ago. With a Dr prefix before her name it goes without writing that Laurie Ryan is a seasoned academic, so the chances are that if you kicked or hand-passed a quote from German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche at her that she’s control it straight away without breaking stride, know it, own it and pass another one right back to you. “Out of life’s school of war,” he stated, “what doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger,” he added. He coined it in 1888 when the GAA was just a couple of years young, but it could have been minted with the Clare ladies’ footballers in mind as they face down Kildare and some …