*Cooraclare manager, Martin Daly. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. MANAGING is “ten times more stressful” than playing according to one of Clare’s greatest forwards Martin Daly.
*Brian McNamara reacts to a breaking ball. Photograph: James Downes. COORACLARE want to be ready for senior football when they earn their promotion and Brian McNamara is hopeful that time will arrive this weekend.
*Pearse Lillis. Photograph: James Downes. PEARSE LILLIS’ return to Cooraclare was akin to that of the prodigal son and his arrival back to West Clare has helped the Milesians advance to a first Clare IFC final in three years.
*Cooraclare goalkeeper Harry O’Gorman. Photograph: James Downes COORACLARE have qualified for a first Clare IFC final since 2022 after defeating Banner.
*Cooraclare’s Kevin Marrinan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill IN THE first major shock in this year’s Clare football championship across all grades, raging hot favourites Kilrush have been dumped out of the race for intermediate honours by Cooraclare.
*Cian O’Dea. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill TWO FORMER Clare footballers made their debuts in the Connacht senior football championship over the weekend.
*Ciaran Russell is among the players not available for Clare boss Mark Fitzgerald. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill MARK FITZGERALD’s first Allianz National Football League campaign as Clare manager begins in earnest this Sunday when they welcome Sligo to Cusack Park.
*Eoin Cleary. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill COLM COLLINS’ successor as Clare senior football manager is going to oversee a period of transition with the exits mounting from the county panel.
*Ballyea’s talisman, Tony Kelly. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill While their second successive Canon Hamilton trophy success last October was a historic breakthrough for Ballyea, one would have to search back half a century to find the last time that a Clare club managed to garner a three-in-a-row of county senior crowns.
*Jamie Malone. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill CLARE’S SENIOR footballers went narrowly down to Monaghan in Round 2 of the All-Ireland Football series at a sun-drenched Clones last Sunday. However, this was only part of the full story.