*Photograph: Ruthie Griffin. CLONDEGAD, Cooraclare, Kilrush Shamrocks and Banner who are all tipped to be in the knockout stages of the Clare IFC won their opening games as the title race commenced this weekend.
*Shane Meehan of Banner and Cooraclare’s Pearse Lillis in action during last year’s semi-final. Photograph: James Downes TWELVE teams take off in their quest to win promotion to Clare football’s top competition but the second tier brings with fierce competitive and tight group fixtures that will play out over the next month.
*Cian McAllister on the attack for Clondegad. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. CLONDEGAD’s footballers toasted their Garry Cup success but were adamant they have “bigger fish to fry” as they turn their attentions towards trying to win promotion back to the senior ranks.
*Clondegad captain Tadhg Ó Uallacháin accepts the Garry Cup from Joe Garry. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. CLONDEGAD have claimed local bragging rights and their first piece of silverware of the year by defeating Kidysart to win the Garry Cup.
*Lissycasey’s Darragh Killeen. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. LISSYCASEY have qualified for the final of the Cusack Cup with St Breckans and St Joseph’s Miltown to meet in the semi-finals while Ennistymon relegated St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield.
*Diarmuid Boyle of St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield is tackled by Cathal Talty from Kilmurry Ibrickane. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. FOURTEEN of the sixteen teams involved in the Cusack and Garry cup leagues have something to play for in the final round of games as the race for places in the play offs along with the battle to …
*Padraig Kelly of St Breckans charges past Lissycasey’s Conor Finnucane. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography WITH just two rounds of games to go before the play-offs in both the Cusack and Garry Cup football leagues, the picture is becoming a little clearer as to where teams are likely to finish on the league tables.
*Darragh Killeen has been one of Lissycasey’s strong performers so far in the Cusack Cup. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. LISSYCASEY sit top of the table of the Cusack Cup at the halfway stage of the league competition.
*Rowan Danaher of St Breckan’s takes on Ennistymon’s John Murphy. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography ST BRECKAN’s have moved to the top of the Cusack Cup table after overcoming rivals Ennistymon while St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield are rooted to the bottom after a third successive defeat.
*Cian Meaney of Lissycasey battles with Éire Óg’s Eoin Guilfoyle. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. LISSYCASEY, St Breckan’s and St Joseph’s Miltown share top spot in the Cusack Cup with two wins in the opening rounds of the league.