*Donal Tuohy saves a Seamus Callanan penalty during the National Hurling League. Photograph: Martin Connolly
No knockout club game in Clare will be decided by penalties after a motion from Sixmilebridge received unanimous support at the County Convention, provided it is not a replay.
Broadford became the first GAA club in Clare to win a game on penalties last year. They defeated neighbours Sixmilebridge in the 2019 IHC quarter-final after it finished 2-15 1-18 after normal time.
Sixmilebridge missed all four of their penalties with Sean Lynch, Niall Gilligan, Tiarnan Agnew and Shane Whyte failing to put the sliotar past JC McMahon in their last eight clash. Although Padraig Hickey missed the target, converted penalties from Stiofan McMahon and Diarmuid Moloney was enough to send Tom Howard’s men on their way to the semi-finals and eventually their return to the senior ranks.
That September fixture at Dr Daly Park proved to be the motivation for a motion from The Bridge submitted to the 2019 Clare GAA Convention. They proposed that “no club knock-out championship games shall be decided by penalties should both teams draw after extra time on their first meeting”.
“There is no doubt the excitement generated from penalties is great from a supporter’s point of view,” Sixmilebridge PRO Syl O’Connor admitted. “There has to be an opportunity to avoid this on game one. To have trained all year and be knocked out in this way is very unfair,” the Clare FM commentator added.
Ruan’s Ger Lyons seconded the call. His request to take their motion which requested replays for knockout games which ended in draws after extra time was rejected and will be dealt with at a structures meeting in January.
“We may have to start the club championships in April,” Chairman of the County Board, Joe Cooney warned clubs as they supported the Sixmilebridge motion.
