Moroney's Bar

This weekend end will be a very special one for Paddy Collins,Sean Heeney and his brother Michael when the head to Clonmel for the Classic Club Champion Stakes with their dog Grayacre Star.This is a fantastic achievement for the lads and no doubt their will be a big Banner roar when he goes to slips with Skellig Eoin on Sunday afternoon.They are all great doggie men and everyone at Moroneys wish the boys well and look forward to being regailed with stories of how the Star ran.HULAHUL

On Sunday next at 2pm in Sixmilebridge the Clare senior hurlers will take to the field for their first appearance since the All Ireland replay last September when they take on near neighbours Limerick in the quarter final of the Waterford Crystal Cup. Now that all the celebrations have died down and the squad are back from their team holiday it's back to the grind stone for the hurlers.

It is a very experimental team that Davy will line out on Sunday with only two of the first fifteen that started the repay taking their place, Cian Dillon and Pat O Connor.All the Clare players that are at college will be lining out with their respective third level institutions so there is a big opportunity for the extended squad to show there talents. Now is the time for lads to stake their claim and with the National League starting in February… Read more

Well 2013 has been a uplifting experience for all Clare folk after the fantastic exploits of our senior and U21 hulers in winning their respective All Ireland titles. We knew we had a good U21 team having won the All Ireland title in 2012 but the seniors took us completely by surprise and gave us our best sporting summer ever here in The Banner County. Along with Ireland officially exiting recession in September and then exiting the bailout programme on 16th Dec it has been a positive time for the country. Hopefully 2014 will continue in the same vein.

Now with festive season upon us it's great to see so many faces home from far and wide for the Christmas and New Year as this is a time for family and friends. Here we'd like to make a special mention to Sean (Bombs) McCarty and his wife Maureen and family… Read more

Last Friday 23 members (including five ladies) of Ennislusc flew from Shannon to Liverpool on their way to Leeds for their annual winter trip. It's strange how times fly as this is now the club's 24th trip since our first trip on 17th March 2002 when we faced Blackburn Rovers in The Premiership.Incidentally on this trip two sons of members (Eoin O Loughlin and James Barry) were making the trip up from London to add to the occasion.

On the plane over to Liverpool our ex President Cyril (Slim) Corry gave all on sundry a tip for the 3.40 at Haydock with a horse named Desoto County. There were six Everton supporters on the plane who also heard the tip and said they would back it.True to form from our tipster Slim, Desota skated home at odds of 10/3 and those that backed him got their weekend off on a high.… Read more

Often a topic of discussion when hurling is discussed at work or in the pubs of Clare is how many All Stars have The Banner county won since their inception in 1970. As time passes by the old memory can fade and one can forget the great Clare stalwarts who won them before the class of 2013 won a record 8 All Stars this years. So to put you out of your misery here is a list of those 50 great Clare hurlers who have won the coveted All Star Award Award.

Clare's 50 Hurling All Stars

4 - Brian Lohan 1995, 1996, 1997, 2002
4 - Jamesie O'Connor 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001

3 - Seanie McMahon 1995, 1997, 1998
3 - Anthony Daly 1994, 1995, 1998
3 - Seamus Durack 1977, 1978, 1981
3 - Davy Fitzgerald 1995, 2002,2005

2 - Brendan Bugler 2012, 2013
2 - Colin Lynch 1997, 2002
2 - Davy Fitzgerald 1995, 2002
2 - Ollie… Read more

It's that time of the year again when Ennis comes alive to the sound of traditional music,song and dance as it plays host to the 20th Ennis Trad Festival.As always there is a huge programme of events with master classes returning this year in fiddle, flute, banjo, accordion and whistle. For the dancers there is a céilí with the Four Courts Céilí Band, a sean-nós dancing workshop with Suzanne Leahy and a set-dancing workshop with Geraldine Greene.

On of the most popular part of the event is the Pub Session trail with sessions on in most pubs over the weekend includind Moroney's. With the county hurling final on in Cusack Park on Sunday between local rivals Newmarket and Sixmilebridge there certainly will be a buzz around the town and after the game you can head down to Moroneys for our regular Sunday session with Blackie O Connell, Karol Lynch and… Read more

In what has already been a fantastic year for the Clare hurlers there was further good news today when eight Clare players were selected for the 2013 All Stars Team. There are 12 new recipients on the team with only Brendan Bugler (Clare), Liam Rush (Dublin) and Anthony Nash (Cork) having won All Stars previously.No less than five U21 hurlers are included with four of Clare's winning U21 winning team named David McInerney, Colm Galvin, Tony Kelly and Paidge Collins and they are joined by Danny Sutcliffe from Dublin. The All Stars were first selected 1n 1971 when they were know as the Bank Of Ireland All Stars and since then have become an integral part of the GAA calender.Incidentally it's the first time since 1996 that there has been no Kilkenny player on the team.

2013 GAA GPA All-Stars sponsored by Opel

Goalkeeper

1.Anthony Nash (Cork)

Full backs

1. Richie McCarthy (Limerick)
   …

Growing up in the Market one often heard the older generations speak of a graveyard in the Upper Market area known as Garraunakilla. Now thanks to the dedication of Tony and Robert McCarthy (Hermitage) who organized a commemoration ceremony with a plaque erected on the house of the late Fred Coffey and Larry Brennan for his fantastic commemorative booklet the history of this part of Ennis will live on for generations.

While it is not certain if a church existed in the area it may be more appropriate (per Editor Larry Brennan notes) to associate the burial grounds with the church at Chapel Lane which was erected in 1735.What is certain is that gravestones where found there the most well know been that of Jane Percy.This was discovered when work was being done to build piers for gates at McCullough's fuel yard and it can be see on the wall at… Read more

The Gaelic Players Association announced their nominations for their All Star Hurling team of the year and included in the 45 nominations are 13 Clare players who lined out in the All Ireland Final replay last Saturday evening (Cian Dillon and Pat O Connor are the exceptions). These awards are voted on by the players and the team will be announced at an awards dinner in Croke Park on Friday November 8th.

On the night the Young Player of the Year will be announced and the three nominations are all Clare men, Tony Kelly, David McInerney and Paidge Collins. And it that wasn't enough Tony Kelly and Paidge Collins are also nominated for the Player of The Year along with Cork's outstanding goalkeeper Anthony Nash. Great times for The Banner and these outstanding young men who have brought such honour to the county. Long may they continue.

Hurling All Star nominations… Read more

All Ireland Hurling Final Replay 28th Sept Clare 5-16 Cork 3-16

You couldn't write it or dream it but what a game we had on Saturday.It had everything from fantastic scores, edge of the seat excitement right to the 72nd minute and a dream start for Eire Og's Shane O Donnell who was only told by Davy Fitzgerald at 2.50 that he would be starting in place of Darach Honan. In a Man Of The Match performance 19 year old Shane notched 3-3 and etched his name in the history books forever. This will go down as one of the greatest All Ireland's of all time and is the first time any Clare hurling team (junior, minor, U21, intermediate or senior) have beaten Cork in a final since 1932.

In front of 82,276 spectators O’Donnell hit all three goals in the opening 19 minutes of the first half and while Cork… Read more

Well the big day is here again and at 5pm this evening the county will come to a standstill as Davy's men line out once again vs Cork in the All Ireland Hurling Final replay. It's as you were for the Clare team with the same XV taking the field while Cork have made one change with Cian McCarthy starting in place of Jamie Coughlan. More importantly for the Clare fans some extra tickets came back to the clubs on Thursday evening though while not sufficient to satisfy the demand. However there will be some roar when Pat Donnellan leads out his team on the hallowed turf of Croke Park and lets home we finish the job this evening and bring Liam McCarthy back home to The Banner County. CLARE ABU

This evening outside the Clare FM office in Francis Street the radio station held a competition to find the best banger(car) draped in the Clare colours and offered a prize of €500 to the winning entry with €100 to the runner up. On a beautiful evening there was a good turnout of cars (and one tractor) and spectators with plenty of banter with the boys from O Briensbridge winning the top prize. It was a colourful occasion and when these cars hit the road to Dublin for the All Ireland replay they certainly will raise a eyebrow or two along the way.Well done to all concerned for the fantastic effort in doing up the cars and adding to the euphoria around the county for the replay.

Check the Photo Gallery under Banner Bangers for photos of the cars and their slogans.

No matter who you speak to on the street, in the pub, outside the church or in the supermarkets in Clare the question is the same, have you got a ticket for Saturday's All Ireland Hurling replay. It's nearly three weeks since that epic draw and while everyone has been on a high for the last two weeks that has turned to frustration this week in the hunt for that elusive ticket.

Everyone one expected that with no minor game before the main event that there would be extra tickets available but the opposite has been the case. From talking to people in Eire Og, Clarecastle, Ballyea and Inagh-Kilnamona the allocation to the clubs has been considerable less than for the drawn game.In the case of Eire Og they have received 47 tickets less for Saturday and the big question on everyone's lips is why ? Where are the tickets going… Read more

All Ireland U21 Final Thurles 14th Sept Clare 2-28 Antrim 0-11

This was a truly unusual feeling for Clare supporters being the hottest of favourites to land back-to-back Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland Under 21 hurling titles and they didn't disappoint with a superb exhibition of point taking from play and place balls. The Banner County led throughout,held a 2-16 to 0-04 interval advantage with Eire Og club mates Davy O'Halloran (Man Of Match) and Shane O'Donnell netting their goals. Clare opened up a 22-point lead inside seven minutes of the restart and this allowed Joint Managers Gerry O Connor and Donal Moloney to take of seniors stars Tony Kelly, Paidge Collins, Colm Galvin and David McInerney.

It was a superb family occasion with a official attendance given of 11,148 but with U 16 allowed in free the true attendance was nearer to the 18,000 mark.Even before the final whistle was blown thousands… Read more

What a week for The Banner County.Following on from our fantastic result in the All Ireland Hurling Final coming back fro the brink there was more fantastic news for the county on Monday morning last when Ennis was named Ireland's Tidiest Large Urban Centre for the fifth time in the 55-year history of the National Tidy Towns Competition. The result was announced by Mr. Phil Hogan, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government at the 2013 National Super Valu Tidy Towns Awards Ceremony in Dublin and is a unbelievable achievement from the hard working committee members of Ennis Tidy Towns.

Ennis has won this year’s Midwest Regional Award and has also retained the Clare County Award for the 15th successive year while it has received its 13th Gold Medal in as many years.The town was amongst 10 towns to receive a Tourism Towns Award, a category sponsored by Failte Ireland.… Read more

All Ireland Hurling Final 8th Sept Clare 0-25 Cork 3-16

The All Ireland Hurling Final of 2013 had everything,fantastic hurling,superb score, unbelievable levels of fitness from both teams and what can only be described as a magical finish from Domhnall O Donovan to salvage a well deserved draw for The Banner. Having lead from the very first minute at various times by 3,4 and 5 points and four points up with 62 mins on the clock it looked like Clare were going to win their fourth All Ireland.However in the space of two minutes Conor Lehane and a Pa Cronin goal had Cork level. In the build up to Cork's third goal an attempted shot for a point from substitute Cathal McInerney (on for Darach Honan 61 mins) came back off the crossbar and Paidge Collins went to kick the rebound to the net but Anthony Nash saved and from the… Read more

The exodus has begun from the county with upwards on 35,000 Banner fans expected to descend on Jones Road tomorrow for the eagerly waited All Ireland Hurling Final against Jimmy Barry Murphy's Cork boys. It is 16 years since we have had an all Munster All Ireland Hurling final when Clare beat Tipperary in a repeat of the Munster Final thanks to a last minute point from Jamesie O Connor. While The Rebels won ( Cork 0-23 Clare 0-15) when these teams met on 23rd June in the first round of the Munster Championship many GAA experts put this down to an over confidence on the part of this Clare team but this was more exuberance on the part of these young hurlers who play with no fear.This will be the fifth meeting between the teams this year but previous clashes will count for nothing when the two teams line… Read more

Grant me ,O Lord, a Hurler's skill

With strength of arm and speed of limb,

A cunning eye for flight of ball,

And luck to catch it where'ere it fall,

My my stroke be steady,my aim be true,

My actions manly,my misses few,

And no matter way way the game may go,

May I rest in friendship with every foe,

When the final whistle for me is blown,

And I stand at last at God's judgement throne,

Mat the Great Referee when He calls my name say:

You hurled like a man and you played the game.

Good Wishes from all at Moroney's to Davy and the Clare Team this weekend.

COME ON THE BANNER

Last Tuesday one of ENNISLUSC staunchest members Frankie Woods celebrated hid 50th birthday on the island of Maderia. Well if he couldn't celebrated it at home what better place for our sun worshipping Frankie to enjoy this auspicious occasion than with a beer and the rays beating down.

Frankie is on a three year assignment in The Hague and has already a year completed. Next week will see some of Frankie's friends head over for a few days and no doubt reminisce and celebrate the big 50 in style. Congratulations and Best Wishes Frankie from all your friends at MORONEYS and ENNISLUSC. MARCHING ON TOGETHER

U21 All Ireland U21 Hurling S/F Thurles Sat 24th: Clare 1-16 Galway 0-07

The dream continues for Clare hurling fans with the U21 into their 2nd consecutive All Ireland to follow their senior counterparts and they will meet surprise packets Antrim in the Final on Saturday 14th Sept with thrown in at 5pm in Thurles. While the first half was one to be forgot for hurling purists with the Clare shooting eight wides to Galways seven and the score standing at 0-05 to 0-03 in Clare favour the second half was what we have come to expect from theses talents young Banner Boys. Clare started with four seniors(Tony Kelly, David McInerney, Colm Galvin and Podge Collins) who togged against Limerick but none of the senior stars shone in the first half.Full-back David McInerney was the most positive but he was the one caught for all three Galway points in the opening… Read more