*Clooney/Quin senior hurling manager, Fergal Lynch. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
A CLARE SHC winner with Sixmilebridge is to join the management of the Clooney/Quin senior hurlers for 2026.
Beaten finalists in the 2025 Clare SHC, Clooney/Quin will be eager to go one step further in their efforts to lift the Canon Hamilton.
2013 All-Ireland winner, Fergal Lynch is to return for a third year as manager of the Clooney/Quin side with one addition to his management team for the coming season.
Cyril Crowe, a Clare SHC winner with Sixmilebridge in 2002 who has lived in Quin since 2012 is joining the Clooney/Quin crew as a selector. A former Clare minor and U21 hurler, Cyril’s father Tim trained Sixmilebridge to win the Clare SHC in 1977 and was manager for their back to back successes in 2019 and 2020.
Having been involved in the underage section of the club, Cyril takes on his first role with an adult team, he has been involved with their championship winning minor sides. He had received a nomination from Fine Gael to contest the 2024 local elections but withdrew six months out from the election and was given a strong chance of claiming one of the five seats on offer in the Killaloe Municipal District.
Crowe won’t be the only member of the management with a Clare SHC medal in his back pocket. Clarecastle native Derek Quinn who is the side’s goalkeeping coach won two Clare SHC titles with the Magpies.
Francis Browne who guided Clooney/Quin to win two Minor A hurling titles in three years remains involved as a coach and selector with the senior side. He also managed Clare camogie at U16 and minor level.
Their extensive backroom team includes Victor O’Riordan (S&C), Stevie McHugh (stats), Mike Browne (stats), Ciara Grogan (stats), Don Hayes (stats), Ed Manley (stats), Dr Maire Quigney (doctor), Kathleen Doyle (medical), Maureen Duggan (medical), Dan Palache (logistics), Liam Keating (logistics). Well-respected sports psychologist Kieran Shannon was also involved with the side in 2025.
On their way to reaching a first Clare SHC final since 2017, Clooney/Quin recorded wins over Broadford, Inagh/Kilnamona and Corofin before dethorning Feakle in the quarter-finals and seeing off Ballyea in the last four.
When they contested the 2017 decider, Lynch was their captain. The primary school principal over the intervening years has managed the Clare minor hurlers and has held coaching roles with Castlegar, Craughwell and the Galway U20 hurlers.
