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*Ex Clare manager, Gerry O’Connor is back for a second stint as Éire Óg manager. Photograph: Martin Connolly
AS the new domestic GAA season approaches, clubs across the county have been busy putting plans in place while many have commenced training for what they hope will lead to title winning performances.
Five of Clare’s sixteen senior hurling clubs have retained the same management teams as they had in 2023 while nine clubs will have new managers for the 2024 season.
County champions Clonlara will have the same management team with Donal Madden again in charge as they seek to retain the Canon Hamilton cup.
Beaten county finalists Crusheen will also have an unchanged management team this year, having re-appointed the group a couple of days after last year’s final. The management group is comprised of Michael Browne, Cronan Dillon, Paddy Vaughan, Alan Tuohy and Gearoid O’Donnell with coach Aidan Harte and Pa McEvoy overseeing S&C.
Scariff, Kilmaley and Feakle have also retained the same managements for the coming year. Ger Conway remains as Feakle boss with Ciaran Callinan as coach, it is understood that John Punch is a new addition to their management team.
After a year in charge at Inagh/Kilnamona, Louis Mulqueen wasn’t re-appointed. Tomas Kelly, a member of the management two years ago when they got to the county final, has been chosen by the club executive to fill that role.
A member of the Clare under 20 backroom team, he was part of the management team which led St Joseph’s Tulla to Harty Cup glory two years ago.
Former manager Eugene Cullinan had put his name forward for the position and it is understood that Corofin native Matthew Shannon was part of his proposed management team.
Shannon has stepped down as Éire Óg manager after four years in charge of the town side while he has also stepped away from his involvement in the management team with his native Corofin.
Former Clare captain Sean Stack did not seek re-election to the manager’s post with his native Sixmilebridge having filled the position for the past two years. Amongst the clubs he led to championship success over the years are Toomevara in Tipperaary and Na Piarsaigh in Limerick while he was also manager of Clonlara when they reached the Clare SHC final in 2015.
The Bridge have appointed joint managers in Tommy Liddy and Stiofan Fitzpatrick to succeed Stack.
Former Sixmilebridge club chairman and championship winning manager in 2002, Paddy Meehan has crossed the border and will manage Broadford in 2024. He served as a selector with the club’s under 21 B championship winning team last year. He takes over from Jimmy Browne who was in charge of the East Clare club for the past three years.
Brian Culbert continues at the helm with Kilmaley meaning there will be four Bridge men over senior clubs in Clare for the coming season. He sticks with the same set-up that includes ex Clare defender Conor McMahon.
Clare’s All-Ireland winning centre forward from 1995 and 1997, P.J O’Connell is the new manager with his native O’Callaghans Mills. A member of the outgoing selection committee which led the club to the Clare Cup title last year, he takes over from Limerick’s Pat Keane who, it is understood, will be involved with Nenagh this year.
Ballyea’s management team will be headed up by Galway duo, Barry Cullinane (manager) and Joe Hession (coach) this year. They replace Leonard McNamara who managed the side last year. Cullinane is a former dual player with Galway who has served as coach of the Cork senior ladies footballers, the University of Galway Sigerson Cup side, the Galway U20 footballers and the Turloughmore senior hurlers. Hession was joint manager when Turloughmore reached the Galway county final in 2020 where they lost to St Thomas’ with Cullinane also involved. On the field, Hession came up against current Clonlara boss Madden during the 1997 All-Ireland minor hurling final when he was lining out with Galway and Donal with the successful Clare side.
All-Ireland medal winner from 2013, Fergal Lynch will manage his native Clooney-Quin this season replacing Tommy Corbett who has joined Brian Lohan’s Clare management team. Galway’s Brian Hanley, Francis Browne and former Clarecastle player Derek Quinn will be part of the backroom team for the former Clare minor manager.
Newly promoted to senior level, Corofin, will continue with Joe Cahill as manager while John Fitzgerald, Pat Curtis and Cyril Killeen (S&C), will continue in his backroom team. Cahill may add a coach to his ticket following the departure of Matt Shannon.
Clonlara’s Oisin O’Brien is the new manager with St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield. Coach to the squad for the past two years, he takes over the manager’s position from Shane O’Grady who has stepped down from the role.
James Carrig is the new manager of Newmarket-on-Fergus, taking over from Tomas Ryan. A member of the outgoing management team for the past three seasons, he formerly managed Wolfe Tones and Crusheen as well as serving as a selector with the Clare minor hurlers.
In Scariff, the long-serving Mark McKenna will remain in the hotseat where he will be joined once again by Donal Moloney and Ger Rodgers in his management along with Michael Long and Jim Minogue.
Former joint Clare senior, under 20 and minor manager, Gerry O’Connor, will manage Éire Óg in 2024, for what will be his second stint in the hotseat. O’Connor had been a selector during Shannon’s tenure and will be joined by Liam Cronin (coach), and former club players, John Russell and Ronan Keane.
John O’Gorman continues as Cratloe manager but he has added to his backroom team. Mike Deegan who managed the club to win the 2009 county championship and was a selector on the All-Ireland winning Clare side of 2013 returns to the management.
The management teams for Clare’s sixteen senior clubs for 2024 are:
Clonlara: Donal Madden (Manager), Niall Hogan, Mike Stritch, Ger O’Connell, Alan Murnane, Eric Finn (S&C)
Crusheen: Michael Browne, Paddy Vaughan, Gearoid O’Donnell, Cronan Dillon, Alan
Tuohy, Aidan Harte (Coach), Pat McEvoy (S&C)
Feakle: Ger Conway (manager), Ciaran Callinan (coach), Stephen Moloney, Donal O’Grady.
Scariff: Mark McKenna(Manager); Michael Long, Jim Minogue, Ger Rodgers, Donal Moloney, Hugh O’Neill (S&C), Michelle McNamara, Adrian Whelan (Physios);
Éire Óg: Gerry O’Connor (manager), Liam Cronin (coach), Ronan Keane (assistant coach), John Russell (selector), Owen Tarrant (S&C)
Newmarket-on-Fergus: James Carrig (Manager), Alan Duggan (Coach), Cathal Fleming (coach), Cathal O’Brien (S&C), Aimee McInerney, (Nutrition), Keith Begley, Concepta O’Connor.
Clooney/Quin: Fergal Lynch (manager), Francis Browne (coach), Brian Hanley (coach), Derek Quinn, Victor O’Riordan (S&C)
Kilmaley: Brian Culbert (manager), Conor McMahon (coach), Eoin O’Malley (Coach), Padraig McGough, Martin Bennett (S&C).
Ballyea: Barry Cullinane (Manager), Joe Hession (coach), Alan Hehir, and one more selector to be appointed.
Sixmilebridge: Tommy Liddy, Stiofan Fitzpatrick (Joint managers), Barry Coffey (Coach), Adrian Chaplin.
Inagh/Kilnamona: Tomas Kelly (manager/coach), Hugh Paddy O’Byrne, Damian O’Halloran, Milo Keane, Conor Shannon (S&C)
Cratloe: John O’Gorman (manager), Timmy Danaher, Dermot Quain, Mike Deegan, Oscar O’Dwyer (S&C),
O’Callaghans Mills: P. J. O’Connell (Manager), Seanie McNamara, John Cooney, Noel Nash, Kevin Gaffney (S&C).
Broadford: Paddy Meehan (Manager), Ger Hickey (coach), P.J. Moroney, Martin Conlon (S&C).
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: Oisin O’Brien (manager/coach). Aaron Devane (coach/selector), Vinnie Sheedy, Denis Maher, Evan Hennessy (S&C) Sean Conroy (Logistics).
Corofin: Joe Cahill (Manager), John Fitzgerald, Pat Curtis, Cyril Killeen (S&C),
