As the start up date for domestic GAA competitions fast approaches, clubs across the county are busy putting plans in place for the 2023 season.
Finalising management teams for the new season is the main focus of many clubs at this time.
Kilmurry-Ibrickane’s Aidan Moloney will be in charge in Lissycasey in 2023. A member of Clare’s Munster championship winning team in 1992, he has enjoyed a lot of success as a coach including leading his home club to a number of Clare titles.
He has also coached teams in Cooraclare, Shannon Gaels and Kilrush to mention some. Former club chairman Pakie Keane (he was chairman when the club won it’s only Clare senior title in 2007) along with Danny Lynch, a member of that senior championship winning team with the club, will be part of the management team with Moloney who takes over from Limerick native and Cratloe resident John Ryan who managed Lissycasey for the past three seasons during wwhich time they contested two championship semi-finals, won promotion back to the Cusack cup and also won the O’Gorman cup.
Beaten county finalists Ennistymon will have the same senior management team for the coming season. Mark Shanahan will continue as manager and his backroom team will include Ger Quinlan (coach), Brendan Rouine, John McInerney and Brian Conway.
St. Breckans will have a new manager in 2023 after Donie Garrihy opted not to seek another term. During his four years in charge Garrihy led the club to intermediate championship and cusack cup (senior league) honours while the team contested back to back senior championship semi-finals as well as getting to the O’Gorman cup final.
Speculation is that All-Ireland winning goalkeeper with Kerry, Declan O’Keeffe, a member of Garrihy’s management team, will front the new set up which is also expected to include a number of the outgoing management.
Martin Daly, a member of Clare’s Munster senior title winning team in 1992, has been appointed as manager of beaten intermediate finalists Cooraclare. Daly led his native Lissycasey to the inaugural Clare under 19 championship in 2022 as well as managing the club to junior league honours.
Amongst the clubs who have yet to finalise their adult management teams for the coming season are Miltown St. Josephs, Kildysart and Kilmurry-Ibrickane who are all understood to be near ratifying the personnell that will be in charge for 2023.
Meanwhile this Friday (January 27) is the closing date for affiliations while it is expected that the February board meeting will have a proposed fixture schedule for the seson from the masters fixtures committee.
