Clare county football team

The Clare county football team represents Clare in men's Gaelic football and is governed by Clare GAA, the county board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The team competes in the three major annual inter-county competitions; the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Munster Senior Football Championship and the National Football League.

Clare
Sport:Football
Irish:An Clár
Nickname(s):Banner men[1][2]
County board:Clare GAA
Manager:Colm Collins (Cratloe)
Captain:Eoin Cleary (Miltown Malbay)
Home venue(s):Cusack Park, Ennis
Recent competitive record
Current All-Ireland status:All-Ireland (QF in 2022)
Last championship title:None
Current NFL Division:2 (5th in 2022)
Last league title:None
First colours
Second colours

Clare's home ground is Cusack Park, Ennis. The team's manager is Colm Collins from Cratloe.

The team last won the Munster Senior Championship in 1992, but has never won the All-Ireland Senior Championship or the National League.

Widely considered to be a Top 8 team.

History
Clare junior football team, 1925

Clare has won two Munster Senior Football Championship (SFC) titles. The county competes in Division 2 of the National Football League.

1917: First Munster SFC title and only All-Ireland SFC final

Clare won its first Munster SFC in 1917, defeating Cork on a scoreline of 5–04 to 0–01. This was after losing deciders in 1912 and 1915 to Kerry and in 1916 to Cork. Clare then faced Galway in the 1917 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC) semi-final and won by a scoreline of 2–01 to 0–05. However, in the 1917 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, Clare narrowly lost to Wexford by a scoreline of 0–09 to 0–05. Wexford had won the All-Ireland SFC in 1915 and 1916 and would complete a four-in-a-row in 1918.

1954: Not part of the Munster championship

Due to 1 sided defeat to Kerry by 6-10 to 0-2 in Ennis in the 1953 Munster semi-final it was decided that they would not be part the 1954 championships.

1979: "Milltown Massacre"

A low point for the county team was the so-called "Milltown Massacre" in 1979. During a game played in Milltown Malbay, Clare lost to Kerry by a scoreline of 1–9 to 9–21, a difference of 35 points.[3] Tommy Tubridy, the father of David, played in that game.

1990–1994: John Maughan and second Munster SFC title

Clare football's greatest day since 1917 arrived in 1992 when, under the stewardship of Mayo native John Maughan, the county won its second Munster SFC by defeating Kerry in the final at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick, by a scoreline of 2–10 to 0–12. This victory was aided in no small part by two second half goals from Colm Clancy and Martin Daly. This victory was also historic in that it is the only year from 1936 to 2020 (when Tipperary won) that neither Kerry nor Cork won the Munster SFC. Clare's luck would run out however, and in the 1992 All-Ireland SFC semi-final, the team lost to Dublin by a scoreline of 3–14 to 2–12. Full back on the team of 1992 was Seamus Clancy, brother of full-forward Colm, and he was rewarded for his performances in the 1992 championship with a place on the All-Star team of that year.[4]

2013–present: Colm Collins

Collins led Clare from Division 4 to Division 2 of the National Football League.[5][6][7]

Clare qualified for a 2016 All-Ireland SFC quarter-final by defeating Roscommon.[8]

Won against Roscommon again, this time at Croke Park, in the 2022 All-Ireland SFC.[9][10]

Support

Clare has its own supporters' club, which is separate from the supporters' club of the county hurling team.[11]

Current panel

Clare squad vs Derry in the All-Ireland Quarter-Final at Croke Park on 25 June 2022

No. Player Position Club
1 Tristan O'Callaghan Goalkeeper St. Breckan's, Lisdoonvarna
2 Manus Doherty Right Corner Back Éire Óg, Ennis
3 Cillian Brennan Full Back Clondegad
4 Cillian Rouine Left Corner Back Ennistymon
5 Cian O'Dea Right Half Back Kilfenora
6 Ciarán Russell Centre Back Éire Óg, Ennis
7 Jamie Malone Left Half Back Corofin
8 Darren O'Neill Midfield Éire Óg, Ennis
9 Cathal O'Connor Midfield Coolmeen
10 Pearse Lillis Right Half Forward Cooraclare
11 Eoin Cleary (c) Centre Forward Milltown Malbay
12 Emmet McMahon Left Half Forward Kildysart
13 Podge Collins Right Corner Forward Cratloe
14 Keelan Sexton Full Forward Kilmurry-Ibrickane
15 Aaron Griffin Left Corner Forward Lissycasey
No. Player Position Club
16 David Sexton Substitute Kilmurry-Ibrickane
17 Eoghan Collins Substitute Ballyhaunis (Mayo)
18 Gavin Cooney Substitute Éire Óg, Ennis
19 Ciarán Downes Substitute Kilmihil
20 Darragh McDonagh Substitute St. Joseph's, Miltown Malbay
21 Joseph McGann Substitute St. Breckan's, Lisdoonvarna
22 Ciarán Morrissey Substitute Kilmurry-Ibrickane
23 Brendan Rouine Substitute Ennistymon
24 Alan Sweeney Substitute St. Breckan's, Lisdoonvarna
25 David Tubridy Substitute Doonbeg
26 Daniel Walsh Substitute Kilmurry-Ibrickane

Current management team
Apppointed in October 2013, some additions noted.

Managerial history

Clare have a history of appointing "foreign" managers, with John Maughan, from Mayo, proving to be the most successful; Maughan led Clare to the 1992 Munster SFC (a first in 75 years). Other outsiders to manage Clare include Frank Doherty (Galway) and the Kerrymen Donie Buckley (who managed jointly with Michael Brennan from Galway), John Kennedy, John O'Keeffe, Mick O'Dwyer and Páidí Ó Sé.[17] However, Colm Collins (from Clare GAA club Cratloe) began managing the team in 2013 and lasted so long that RTÉ called him "an icon of stability" in 2022, in contrast to less successful managerial appointments elsewhere.[18]

Dates Name Origin Provincial titles National titles Championship record
1990–1994 John Maughan Crossmolina (Mayo) 1992 McGrath Cup
1992 Munster Senior Football Championship
1994 McGrath Cup		 1991 All-Ireland Senior B Football Championship
1992 NFL Division 2		 P6
W2 D0 L4
1994–1998 John O'Keeffe Austin Stacks (Kerry) 1995 McGrath Cup
1997 McGrath Cup		 1995 NFL Division 2 P5
W1 D1 L3
1998–2000 Tommy Curtin St. Breckan's, Lisdoonvarna — — P2
W0 D0 L2
2000–2002 Pat Begley Ennistymon 2000 McGrath Cup — P5
W2 D0 L3
2002–2005 John Kennedy Ballylongford (Kerry) 2002 McGrath Cup 2004 Tommy Murphy Cup P12
W5 D1 L6
2005–2006 Donie Buckley Castleisland (Kerry) — — P8
W3 D0 L5
Michael Brennan St. Grellan's (Galway) — —
2006–2007 Páidí Ó Sé An Ghaeltacht (Kerry) — — P3
W1 D0 L2
2007–2009 Frank Doherty Caltra (Galway) 2008 McGrath Cup — P5
W1 D0 L4
2009–2012 Micheál McDermott Kilmurry-Ibrickane — — P7
W1 D0 L6
2012–2013[19] Mick O'Dwyer Waterville (Kerry) — — P2
W0 D0 L2
2013–present Colm Collins Cratloe 2019 McGrath Cup 2016 NFL Division 3 P33
W16 D1 L16
as of 8 November 2022

Players

Notable players

Records

All Stars

Clare has one All Star.

All Star winners
Awards Players
1
 Seamus Clancy (1992)

Competitive record

All-Ireland SFC final record

List of appearances
# Date Venue Opponent Result W/L/D
1 9 December 1917 Croke Park, Dublin Wexford 0–05 : 0–09 L

Honours

National

Provincial

Minor team

Clare have won one All-Ireland and three Munster titles at minor level. They won the first of their three Munster Minor Football Championships defeating Waterford in 1929. Clare then proceeded to qualify for the inaugural All-Ireland Minor Football Final. In the final they faced Longford and prevailed by 5-03 to 3-05, to crown Clare All-Ireland Minor Champions. Clare defeated Tipperary in the 1930 Munster final to retain their provincial crown. The Banner County had to wait until 1953 for another Munster title. On this occasion Clare defeated Cork in the decider.

Competitive record

All-Ireland Minor Football Championship Final appearances

List of appearances
# Date Venue Opponent Result W/L/D
1 22 September 1929 Croke Park, Dublin Longford 5-03 : 3–05 W
2 27 September 1953 Croke Park, Dublin Mayo 1-06 : 2-11 L

References
  1. "Team news: Tubridy back for Banner men". Hogan Stand. 21 May 2021.
  2. "Clare storm past Kildare to maintain winning start to National League Division 2". The Clare Champion. 23 May 2021.
  3. Ó Muircheartaigh, Joe (2000). The Chronicle of Clare 1900–2000. Ennis: Fág an Bealagh.
  4. "The Banner roar, Jacko's last game, Marty's phrase - 25 years today since Clare shocked Kerry". The42.ie. 19 July 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  5. "July Road: Colm Collins has instilled real resilience in his Clare charges". The Irish Times. 13 June 2022.
  6. "Every point will be precious in Division 2 – Collins". Clare Herald. 6 February 2017.
  7. "Collins 'delighted' to stay in Division 2". Hogan Stand. 25 March 2019.
  8. "Gary Brennan the catalyst as Clare break on through". Irish Examiner. 25 July 2016.
  9. "Clare football manager Colm Collins says his 'incredible' players are never beaten". Sky Sports. 13 June 2022.
  10. "Watch: Malone's late winner sends Clare into All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals". Hogan Stand. 11 June 2022.
  11. "Can Cork GAA afford not to have its own supporters' club?". The Southern Star. 1 August 2016.
  12. "Colm Collins' appointment as Clare football manager last October garnered but a few inches of space in the national papers". Irish Examiner. 1 February 2014.
  13. "Collins shakes up backroom team". Hogan Stand. 5 October 2022. According to Clare FM, former Banner goalkeeper Joe Hayes has replaced ex-Kerry All-Ireland winning 'keeper Declan O'Keeffe as goalkeeping coach, while Brian Carson returns as head coach after being previously involved in 2018 and '20. He replaces Gerry McGowan. There is also a new assistant coach in Mark Doran from Down. Another man returning to the set-up is Limerick native Michael Cahill, who will act as strength and conditioning coach. Declan Downes and Enda Coughlan are set to continue as selectors under Collins
  14. "Former Sligo Star McGowan Looking Forward To New Role As Clare Football Coach". The Clare Champion. 2 April 2021.
  15. "McGowan appointed to Clare coaching role". Hogan Stand. 29 March 2021.
  16. "Sligo's McGowan confirmed as new coach of Clare senior footballers". Clare Echo. 29 March 2021.
  17. Breheny, Martin (24 November 2012). "The import and export business". Irish Independent.
  18. Neville, Conor (10 September 2022). "Collins an icon of stability in time of managerial flux". RTÉ.
  19. Mac Lochlainn, Ronan (8 July 2013). "O'Dwyer quits after Laois batter Banner". Independent.ie.
  20. "Clare's Gary Brennan announces inter-county retirement". RTÉ. 29 January 2021.
  21. "Gordon Kelly: one of the longest-serving defenders in inter-county football hangs up his boots". The42.ie. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  22. "Tubridy's record haul cannot stop Rebels but Banner qualify with Division 1 now in their sights". Irish Independent. 31 May 2021.
  23. "Banner hero David Tubridy already has more history in his sights after becoming highest league scorer of all time". Irish Independent. 1 June 2021.
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