CLARE’s masters football team will be chasing a third successive win in this season’s competition when they take on Kerry at Kilkee on this Saturday at 2pm.
Having competed for a number of years in the masters competition which is for players aged 40 and over, Clare struggled in last year’s competition when a number of walkovers were conceded.
Earlier this year a new committee was formed which sees Kieran Carkill from Corofin as chairman and Patrick Geary from St. Senan’s Kilkee as secretary. Treasurer is Johnnie O’Brien of Clooney/Quin with Kevin O’Malley from the Banner is the PRO.
Clare are affiliated to the Gaelic masters association and in this year championship they will play six games after which, depending on results, they can proceed to the latter stages of the competition.
Early indications are that they will be challenging strongly to progress as they have won their opening two games. They beat Cork by five points in a game played at Lissycasey and they followed this with a one goal win over Limerick at Kilmihil. Their opponents this Saturday at 2p.m. in Kilkee are Kerry who have also won their opening two games.
In their remaining games they will travel to play Mayo on June 29, travel to play Galway on July 5 and finish the group stage with a game against Westmeath at a neutral venue.
Clare secretary Patrick Geary is also the team manager this year and his selectors are Kevin O’Malley and Kevin Hennelly, both from the Banner club.
The team is captained by Micheal Keane from St Senan’s Kilkee with Michael O’Dwyer (Kilmurry Ibrickane) as vice captain and other players on the team include Gordon Kelly and Brian Curtin (both St. Joseph’s Miltown), Padraig Hickey (Broadford), Philip Ryan (Kilmihil), Brendan Smith and Senan Larkin (both St Senans Kilkee) Ger Bobby Kelly (Kildysart), Barry Duggan (Cratloe) and Pajo McGrath (Kilrush).
“Things are going well. We have thirty six registered players who have committed for this season. We have a jersey sponsor (XL Vets), training gear sponsor (Structúr Roofing) who are based in Ohio in the US and we got great financial support to help us run things”, according to the secretary and team manager Patrick Geary.
A draw took place amongst subscribers to their fund to determine what name would go o n the jerseys and what name would go on their training tops
Patrick and all involved with the team are hoping to see good support at Kilkee for this Saturday’s game.
The full panel comprises; Barry Duggan (Cratloe); Brian Curtin, Gordon Kelly (St Joseph’s Miltown), Brendan Smith Micheal Keane, Patrick Geary, Senan Larkin, Robert Harte (St Senan’, Kilkee), Conor Crowley, Michael Haugh, Philip Ryan (Kilmihil), David Hedigan, Justin Ryan (Cooraclare), David Wixted, Padraig Hickey (Broadford); Enda Keenan, Eoin Glynn, Mark Kelly (Éire Óg), Flan Enright (Clondegad), Gerry Moran, Noel Finnucane (Lissycasey), Ger Kelly, Shane McNeilis (Kildysart), John Roche (O’Currys), Johnnie O’Brien, Paddy Tiernan (Clooney/Quin), Kevin Hennelly, Kevin O’Malley (Banner), Kieran Carkill (Corofin), Mark Fitzgerald, Noel Nash (O’Callaghans Mills), Michael Hogan, Michael O’Dwyer (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Pajo McGrath (Kilrush Shamrocks) Philip Ryan, Robert Kilkenny (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield),
