*Alan Sweeney & Donie Garrrihy celebrate winning the 2019 Clare IFC title while speaking to Seamus Hayes. Photograph: Willie O’Reilly (Burren Eye Photography)
CONCERN for a number of GAA clubs in West and North Clare came to the fore again at the weekend as the race for this season’s under 21 championships commenced.
Cill Cuil Gaels is a combination of four clubs, Kilmihil, Shannon Gaels, Coolmeen and Kildysart which, just two years ago, won the Clare under 21 A title.
Competing in the B grade this season, they were well beaten in Friday night’s opening round by Wolfe Tones.
It’s just two years since Coolmeen met with officials of Clare GAA to discuss their future amidst fears that they might not be able to field a team in 2023.
With a number of senior members committing to continuing playing, they re-grouped and this season got to the knock out stage in the intermediate championship.
However, they are still operating from a small panel and they don’t compete on their own at any other grade (they are amalgamated with neighbours Kildysart for all other grades)
Neighbours at the other side, Shannon Gaels, also struggle for numbers and, like Coolmeen, don’t field on their own at underage levels
Meanwhile, another four team amalgamation also suffered defeat in Friday night’s opening round in the under 21 A championship. The combination of Naomh Eoin, O’Currys, St Senans (Kilkee) and Doonbeg went under to Lissycasey at Kilmihil where the margin was twelve points.
Operating from a panel of seventeen, O’Curry’s have managed to survive in the intermediate grade in recent years. Naomh Eoin, with a panel of 21, got to the intermediate final this year.
It’s not that long ago since St. Senans, Kilkee contested a Munster senior club final but nowadays they struggle at junior A level and have failed to make it to the latter stages of this championship in recent seasons. The three clubs compete together at underage levels
Doonbeg continue to compete at senior level but have battled relegation in recent times.
However, unlike the other three in this amalgamation, they have a second adult team while they do compete in a number of juvenile grades, albeit at C level, in the underage competitions.
Clann Lir (Liscannor, Kilfenora and Michael Cusacks) conceded eight goals when being beaten by St Joseph’s Miltown in the first round of U21C, they are also struggling with numbers and neither of these clubs have underage teams on their own.
This week came news that Ballyvaughan, in north Clare are concerned that they may not be able to field a team in 2025. Like many of the clubs mentioned earlier, they field just one team while underage players from their club have been assisting St. Breckans.
Clare GAA must make dealing with this issue a major priority going forward No club wants to lose its identity and if this means devising competitions at under 11 or 13 a side so that they can continue to compete, then this must be looked at by the powers that be.
Coise na nOg peil have run a number of 13 a side competitions in recent years
There is a feeling amongst ‘football people’ in the county that there is a disconnect between the football clubs and the county board. It’s been noticeable all year that only a handful of football clubs send a delegate to the monthly county board meeting.
There is little point in people arguing that football is the poor relation in the county if they are not prepared to stand up and express their feelings.
As a matter of urgency something needs to be done to assist these clubs, otherwise they may go out of existence.
