Sporting bodies across the county are awaiting further clarity on when competitions can resume while the adult season will be cancelled, the Munster branch of the IRFU have informed clubs.
Most organisations have accepted at this stage that the best they will get in 2021 is a restricted season.
This includes the GAA which got to run off most of their adult championships last year. However, the various club leagues did not take place while, at underage level, just two competitions were played. The junior A and minor division 1 and 2 football competitions have yet to be concluded.
With level 5 restrictions set to be in place for at least another month, it’s unlikely that a league programme will be run off in 2021. Clare GAA is awaiting an announcement from Croke Park on when competitions might be returning.
Soccer and rugby have been particularly badly hit. As their seasons cover the winter months running from September to April, the soccer and rugby clubs in Clare have, effectively, lost an entire season.
“We have had nothing at all. We have lost an entire season. In fact the adult season has been cancelled, a decision taken by the Munster branch of the IRFU. There is still scope to play friendlies if restrictions are lifted but there is no appetite for that”, according to Ennis rugby club president, Richard Murphy.
Murphy added, “There is hope for some under age competition but it depends on when restrictions are lifted. Normally the season would come to a conclusion around the end of March or early April. At best we might get a few games in April but it’s nor looking great. We are banking on having all systems go come August/September”.
He is worried about keeping players in the 18 to 21 age group involved. “That’s the big worry as if players in this age group stop playing, it’s very hard to get them back. However, as there is no real outlet to go abroad, hopefully all will return to the game. All the adult players are mad for road when the games resumes”.
It’s a similar situation for Clare soccer. According to the chairman elect, Jason Ryan from Kilrush, “we are ready to go once we get the green light. We haven’t had a thing since we finished last season. There is nothing we can do at the moment. We are awaiting guidance from the FAI”.
Jason is the only nominee for the position of chairman of the Clare league whose annual general meeting will take place next Monday.
Recently elected chairman of the Clare ladies football board, Seán Lenihan is “disappointed that we haven’t been able to commence the inter county leagues. At club level we will run off as many competitions as we can when we get the green light. There were a couple of competitions not finished last year, the under 14 and minor in particular, and if we get a chance to complete them, we will. For now, however, we are awaiting the national directive”.
A meeting of Clare camogie board on Monday night put provisional plans in place. According to Clare camogie PRO, Brid MacNamara, “a plan for the season was ratified at Monday night’s meeting but, obviously, it is dependent on what the Goverment, the HSE and the camogie association decide. The plan can be tweaked once we know what is happening”.
For the record, the following groupings for 2021 have been agreed
Senior: Feakle/Killanena, Inagh/Kilnamona, Kilkishen/Bodyke, Kilmaley, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Scariff/Ogonnelloe, Sixmilebridge, St. Josephs Doora/Barefield, Truagh/Clonlara.
Intermediate: Clarecastle/Ballyea, Clooney/Quin, Corofin, Éire Óg, Tulla, Whitegate.
Junior A: Broadford, Inagh/Kilnamona, Kilkishen/Bodyke, Ruan/Crusheen, St. Josephs Doora/Barefield and Scariff/Ogonnelloe.
Junior B: Clooney-Quin, Eire Og, Feakle-Killanena, Kilmaley, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Parteen, Sixmilebridge, Truagh/Clonlara
Junior C: Banner, Broadford Clarecastle/Ballyea, Cratloe, Kilkee/Bealaha, Éire Óg, Whitegate.
U-21 A: Feakle/Killanena, Inagh/Kilnamona, Kilkishen/Bodyke, Kilmaley, Scariff/Ogonnelloe, St. Josephs Doora/Barefield, Truagh/Clonlara;
U-21 B: Broadford, Clarecastle/Ballyea, Éire Óg, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Sixmilebridge, Tulla, Whitegate, Clooney/Quin,
U-21 C: Banner, Corofin, Cratloe, Parteen, Ruan
U-18 A: Clarecastle/Ballyea, Clooney/Quin, Inagh/Kilnamona, Kilkishen/Bodyke, St. Josephs Doora/Barefield, Scariff/Ogonnelloe, Truagh/Clonlara
U-18 B: Broadford/Parteen, Crusheen/Banner, Feakle/Killanena, Kilmaley, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Ruan, Sixmilebridge, Tulla,
U-18 C: Éire Óg, Corofin, Cratloe, Whitegate
