Madden takes on the mantle as new Clonlara manager

*Donal Madden, Ray McInerney and Ray Stewart with the Tulla intermediate hurlers in 2020. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill

CLONLARA have turned to one member of their championship winning side from 2008 to manage their senior hurlers this year.

Donal Madden has been ratified as the new manager of Clonlara’s senior hurlers. He was coach the last time the club contested the Clare SHC final in 2016 when Damien Power was manager.

In the intervening years, the 1997 All-Ireland minor winner served as coach to the Clare U20s managed by John Carmody, the Kilmaley senior hurlers also managed by Carmody and the Tulla intermediate side that Ray McInerney was in charge of.

Ex Clare senior camogie manager, Ger O’Connell will be part of Madden’s management, a fellow minor All-Ireland winner in 1997, O’Connell is also involved with the U16 Clare hurling panel. Niall Hogan, Seamus Hogg and Mike Stritch complete the new-look management team.

Having won consecutive Senior B titles, Eddie Horgan and his management team of Darach Honan, Paul Nihill, Fearghal Marren, Aaron Hogg and Dave Clohessy stepped down.

The Clare Echo understands that Clonlara held interviews for the vacancy with the Newport College principal chosen above candidates such as former senior selector Tommy Galvin.

When Clonlara were crowned Clare SHC champions in 2008 defeating the Diarmuid O’Leary managed Newmarket-on-Fergus to grab hold of the Canon Hamilton for the first time since 1919, Madden played a key role hitting 0-07 in their 1-12 1-09 victory. He added a Junior A championship medal to his collection in 2015.