Sports

Cratloe’s Naomi Carroll has been named in the Irish women’s hockey side that will aim to secure qualification for the Olympic Games. Ireland will compete in an eight-team tournament which will take place between January 13th and 21st in Valencia, Spain. This is the final opportunity for nations to reach the Summer Olympic Hockey Tournament in Paris. Carroll, who has been capped 140 times by her country will be aiming to lead from the front as Ireland go in search of a ticket to Paris. Irish hockey stars Chloe Watkins and Beth Harper have been recalled to the national squad for next month’s Olympic qualifiers in Spain. This means that Ireland can call upon nine players who were part of the national side that secured qualification for the Tokyo Olympics. Sean Dancer’s side secured their place at this tournament after a fifth placed finish at the EuroHockey Championships. They lost out to England and Germany in the group stage of …

Weatherwise it was an opening night that lended itself to grit and determination more than anything else as Mark Fitzgerald’s competitive bow as Clare Senior Football Manager got off to a difficult start in Clarecastle on Wednesday evening. Holding a minimum advantage by the three-quarters mark, the home side would be blitzed by defending McGrath Cup champions Cork in a dominant final quarter that produced an unexpected 14 point turnaround to prevail by 2-14 to 0-8, with the Tralee native looking to take the positives from the bulk of the performance. “Look, it’s January football in tough weather but we’re relatively happy. It went away from us a little bit there in the second half but when you’re seeing what Cork are pulling off the bench, some very experienced lads really, it was always going to be tough to hold out,” he said. “We just picked up one or two injuries this week and obviously picked up another in the …

McGrath Cup Group B Round 1 Cork 2-14 Clare 0-8 Holders Cork eventually possessed too much experience as they overpowered hosts Clare coming down the final straight to put one foot back in what would be a sixth successive McGrath Cup Final in Clarecastle GAA Astro on Wednesday evening. Springing five of last year’s championship side from the bench in the second period, the Rebels produced a remarkable 14 point turnaround in the final 20 minutes including 1-5 from substitute duo Mark Cronin (1-3) and Chris Óg Jones (0-2). In contrast to eleven Cork survivors from last year’s Munster Senior Championship Semi-Final showdown, a new-look Clare only possessed five of the 20 used in that memorable victory as Mark Fitzgerald’s reign finally got the mark in earnest. Large injuries to Emmet McMahon and Mark McInerney were frustrating enough besides losing Cillian Rouine in the warm-up which ensured debuts for Darren O’Brien and Josh Guyler in addition to former Westmeath player …

Cratloe’s Podge Collins has announced his inter county retirement in what is another blow for the Clare footballers. As first reported by Clare FM, Collins has decided to step away from the inter county scene after a successful dual career. Collins was an integral part of Davy Fitzgerald’s side that defeated Cork to lift Liam McCarthy in 2013, winning an All-Star in the process. He was also nominated for Hurler of the Year after a string of stellar displays helped Clare secure the ultimate prize. The Cratloe club man also secured All-Ireland hurling medals at U21 level in 2012 and 2013. In the small ball code, he claimed two Munster minor titles and a NHL Division 1 title, which came in 2016. The 31-year-old played both football – under the stewardship of his father, Colm – and hurling with Clare up until 2017, when he chose to focus his efforts on the small ball. He later switched codes to focus on …

Details have been confirmed for Clare’s 2024 National Hurling and Football league fixtures. Mark Fitzgerald’s opening league game in charge of Clare will see his charges host Sligo in Cusack Park on Sunday January 28th with the game pencilled in for a 2pm start. Exactly seven days later, the Banner will enjoy their first away game of their Division 3 campaign as they travel to Mullingar for a showdown with Westmeath. Following a weekend off, Clare’s campaign resumes on February 18th with another road trip. This time Clare will head to Glenisk O’Connor Park for a clash with Offaly before hosting Wicklow a week later. In the fifth round of games, Clare will take the short trip to Mick Neville Park as they face Limerick on Saturday, March 2nd. These sides met in Division 2 and the Munster Championship last year with Clare emerging victorious on both occasions. On St. Patrick’s Day, Clare will host Antrim in Cusack Park in …

26 March, 1972 Newmarket-on-Fergus 5-8 Ballygunner 4-3 at Sean Treacy Park, Tipperary Town A note in The Munster Express the week before the game said much about this Munster final showdown that had been a very long time coming — three years in fact. “It’s been a long time coming and without question the game has lost all of its appeal — except, of course, for the clubs involved,” the short preview noted. And it was true because when it came down to the winning and playing of this 1969 Munster final there were plenty of takeaways from a contest that The Clare Champion said was “tough and uncompromising” before the Blues emerged with an eight-point victory to put Munster Club titles back-to-back. The first half decided it as “after playing into the jaws of a near gale force wind, victory was as good as on its way to Newmarket”. This was all down to their great finish to the …

Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship Final Clonlara v Ballygunner (Waterford) at FBD Semple Stadium Thurles, Sunday 3.30pm (Ciaran O’Regan, Cork) Momentum is a sporting phenomenon that is impossible to manufacture and easy to lose but when that wave does come, one has to make the most of it. Undoubtedly, not unlike Ballyea in 2016, the stars have aligned for Clonlara this year as while their potential has never been questioned, their own application and ability to reach that optimum made most including themselves wonder would regaining a first Canon Hamilton since 2008 ever happen. It’s what has made this journey all the sweeter and heartening as this year’s succession of highs has even surprised themselves at times but scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find that the pieces of the jigsaw have been gradually put into place over the past few seasons. Experienced stars: John Conlon, Colm Galvin, Ian Galvin, Check. Maturing youth: The minor class of 2018 please stand …

The last time Clonlara were in a Munster final Jim Gully was the manager — 16 years on from the club’s provincial victory at intermediate level comes the opportunity of winning a senior title with the family connection being Séimí, who mans the gap in goal, writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh. As dusk fell over Clonlara on a famous evening 15 years ago Jim Gully remembers everything about the day as if it was yesterday. The build-up; the team marching behind the Tulla band with Paul Collins at the head of affairs; the game; the win and Paul’s speech that announced the Canon Hamilton Trophy’s return to the village that gave the GAA the redoubtable cleric. Meanwhile, Jim’s son Séimí can only see the fires burning brightly on the hills as the Clonlara cavalcade made its way back to the village as a senior championship title was won for the first time in 89 years. It’s October 2008 and Clonlara have …