*Paul Flanagan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill BALLYEA sealed their place in the Clare SHC semi-finals at the expense of Clonlara, experience told with one match-winning performance in particular for Robbie Hogan’s side.
*Paul Flanagan under pressure from Ian Galvin. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. BALLYEA booked their place in the semi-finals of the Clare SHC for the first time since 2022 when coming from four points down in the final 25 minutes to win by three.
*Cathal Doohan holds off the challenge of Cratloe’s Tadhg Lohan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. IT WAS a a complete role reversal for Ballyea as this time the 2022 champions turned up the heat in the second half to produce a stirring revival of their own and advance to the last eight of the Clare SHC.
*Aaron Griffin and Liam Corry in action. Photograph: Ruth Griffin. GIVING game-time to younger players was the primary aim for Ballyea and Éire Óg in this year’s league but both clubs now find themselves sixty minutes away from winning the Division 2 league title.
*Members of the winning team, Thomas Maguire, Colin McGuane, Daire Keane and Tommy Barry accept the prize from sponsors PS Carmody. Photograph: Tom Micks KILMALEY can lay claim to the Toughest Tribe after taking the top prize in their novel fundraiser.
*Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. CLARE’s senior hurlers have four new additions to their panel for 2025 with no players dropped as of yet from last year’s squad.
*Paul Flanagan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. TWO-TIME All-Ireland winner Paul Flanagan has announced his retirement from inter-county hurling.
*Ballyea’s Mossy Gavin. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill IN A determined bid to wrestle back the Canon Hamilton, Ballyea have enlisted the services of Galway duo Barry Cullinane and Joe Hession to try and steer the perennial contenders to a third county senior hurling title in four seasons.
*Paul Flanagan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill ONE irritating stigma that has consistently been thrown at Clare nationally over the past decade is that this team peaked in 2013 and were almost lucky to claim that crown as they failed to back it up ever since.
*Tony Kelly gets away from Walter Walsh. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill CLARE CAPTAIN Tony Kelly never felt that Saturday’s All-Ireland semi-final game was gone from them.