Clonakenny GAA

Clonakenny GAA

Cluain Uí Chionaoith
Founded:	1905
County:	Tipperary
Club colours:	Black and Amber
Coordinates:	52°53′11.21″N 7°49′03.56″W / 52.8864472°N 7.8176556°W / 52.8864472; -7.8176556Coordinates: 52°53′11.21″N 7°49′03.56″W / 52.8864472°N 7.8176556°W / 52.8864472; -7.8176556
Playing kits
Standard colours

Clonakenny GAA Club (Irish: Cluain Uí Chionaoith) is a located in the parish of Bournea between the towns of Roscrea (to the North) and Templemore (to the South) in north County Tipperary, Ireland. It plays both Hurling (at Intermediate Grade) and also Gaelic football (at Junior Grade) in the Mid Tipperary Division. The club colours are black and amber.

History

The history of Clonakenny G.A.A. dates back to about 1905 when Paddy Costigan succeeded in getting the use of a field at Gurteen from Jimmy Lloyd for playing on. Fr Crowe who was the Parish Priest at the time and a number of others formed the first club in Clonakenny. Simon Egan was the first Chairman and Jim Sheedy was Secretary. Incidentally, Simon Egan is reported to have made the first hurling ball for the Club.

The Club had a senior team and played in the North division. At that time teams were 17 aside. Another feature of the first Clonakenny team was that they wore a green jersey with a white hoop and it much later before they wore the familiar Black and Amber. About 1910 politics interfered in the smooth running of the club and a split developed which lasted a few years. However the failure of Clonakenny to field a team of its own resulted in players being allowed to play for Moneygall and in 1915/16/17 this Moneygall team got to three North finals. Clonakenny players also played with Clonmore in those years.

Club Facilities

In 1981 it was decided to undertake the purchase off a new playing field both as an investment in the youth of the parish and as a resource for the whole community. For several years Clonakenny teams had trained in "Fr. Kennedy’s" as it was known – it was in fact a parochial field located two fields down from the parochial house in Lismacken. Support for that decision was received from Tom Kirby and Paddy Maher who were Co. Board appointed Development Officers and their advice proved invaluable to the Club Officers. The Club did its own property in Gurteen – a field which had been secured from the Land Commission at the turn of the century. This field would have required too much investment to develop but it proved a valuable asset for the Club and provided the incentive for the officers to recommend the major undertaking of purchasing and developing a pitch.

The search began for a suitable field, eventually a 6-acre (24,000 m²) field was purchased in 1981 from Nicholas Cody in the townland of Corriga. The opening of the new pitch was performed by the then President of the GAA, Mr. Paddy Buggy, on Sept. 16th 1984. Fr. Joe O’Brien P.P. blessed the new pitch prior to a juvenile game between Clonakenny and Killavilla. A junior game followed between the local team and our neighbours and great rivals all through the 80’s – Killea for a trophy presented by Oliver Crampton. Clonakenny won a most entertaining game to complete a wonderful occasion for the Club.

In February 1990 it was decided to add Dressing rooms. The Club now have excellent facilities for all players and indeed other organisations such as Foroige and Community Games have availed of the facilities for their respective members.

Notable players

• Pay Ryan MVP: Corner Back on Tipperary Minor Hurling Team (2009)
• Willie Ryan: Wing Back on Tipperary Minor Hurling Team (2009)
• Geroid Byrne: Played Minor Football and U-21 Hurling for Tipperary
• John Costigan: Played minor, intermediate and senior for the county. Former Chairman of the Tipperary GAA County Board
• Paddy Crampton: Won Minor and Intermediate All-Ireland with Tipperary.
• Liam Maher: Scored 17 goals and 11 points for Clonakenny in their 6 Championship outings in 1967 operating at full forward. Played intermediate hurling for Tipperary.
• Dan Smith: Played minor football for Tipperary.
• Frank Smith: Played Intermediate hurling, junior football and minor football for the county.
• Mick Smith: Former Minister for Defence. Played intermediate hurling and minor football for Tipperary.
• Willie Smith: Played Senior, minor and is holder of an U-21 All-Ireland medal. Won two Fitzgibbon Cup medals with UCD.
• Jim Tracy: Played intermediate hurling for Tipperary.

Mid Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Champions 2003

Clonakenny 2-17 Moyne-Templetuohy 2-10

Thirty-six years of pent up emotion exploded over Templemore on Saturday evening last as Clonakenny reached their holy grail by defeating rivals MoyneTempletuohy in the MacLochlainn Roadmarkings Mid intermediate hurling final in fantastic fashion to claim the coveted title.

Many of the hurlers on the field were not even born when the Clonakenny side of 1967 last won the title with four Smiths, four Cramptons and current County Board vice-chairman, John Costigan, in the line-up. A lot of hurling has been done since then and little did the club officers of the time think that it would be more than three and a half decades before they would lift the trophy again.

It has taken quite an effort to get the club back to this glorious platform and they don't want to stop here. Having been promoted to intermediate this year on the strength of their junior success it is a real tribute to them that they captured the crown at the first time of asking. Their spirit and will to win was never in question, but Coach Declan Pilkington - the former Offaly star - has brought a methodology and purpose to their play which certainly played no small part in their success. The marvelous scenes which greeted referee Noel Cosgrave's final whistle were wonderful to see. Here was a parish at one, celebrating wildly the success of their brave hurlers. Moyne-Templetuohy , despite their huge disappointment, were as sporting as ever and congratulated the victors before applauding their wonderful achievement.

The Clonakenny men really took the game to Moyne-Templetuohy from the start and despite the fact that they gave away two goals in the opening half they still led by a point at the break - 1-6 to 2-2. Crucially though it was seven scores to four - an indication of the level of dominance of the Clonakenny men.

Full forward Donncha Murray had a fine game for good work from Simon Clonakenny bagging 1-6 of their total from play. He started the ball rolling for them with a point in the 6th minute. However Moyne-Templetouhy with Dan Egan and Damien Bergin doing a lot of work at midfield, goaled in the 10th minute through Simon Everard after Enda Everard had set him up. Eddie Kelly followed up with a pointed free but the game was level a minute later when Willie McLoughney poked the ball to the Moyne-Templetuohy net after the ball bounced high from keeper Joe Leahy.

The Clonakenny men really took over at this juncture with points from Donncha Murray (2), Michael Bourke, Alan Abbott and Gerard Byrne giving them a four point lead. The Moyne-Templetuohy lads had lost Michael Ryan through injury but they were fortunate to have had the returned county player Colm Everard to come into the fray. Their defence had to be re-shuffled though and it took time for them to settle again.

Full forward Donncha Murray's injury time after some Murray had a fine game for good work from Simon Clonakenny bagging 1-6 of Everard left Moyne-Temtheir total from play. He pletuohy just one behind at started the ball rolling for the break and they were them with a point in the 6th flattered to be so close realminute.

A John Hassett goal in injury time after some good work fron Simon Everard left Moyne-Templetuohy just one behind at the break and they were flattered to be so close really. They were not playing with the same purpose as their opponents but were still in with a real shout.

Within three minutes of resumption Moyne-Templetuohy had reclaimed the lead. John Sweeney struck a fine point after just 10 seconds and Eddie Kelly followed up with a pointed free to shove his side in front for what was to be the last time. Gearoid Byrne came into the game for Clonakenny and had three pointed frees to add to Michael Bourke's effort to restore the lead again - Simon Everard struck one for his side in between.

Moyne-Templetuohy sub Tomas Egan had the ball in the Clonakenny net with his first touch in the 13th minute, but he was adjudged to have been in the square and the goal was disallowed. This was to prove crucial as three minutes later the ball was in the Moyne-Templetuohy net. Donncha Murray who was causing huge problems at full forward struck another beauty and in the 16th minute he latched onto the ball and struck to the net despite the attention of a number defenders. This was a real rousing goal and it gave the victors a six point lead.

John Sweeney replied instantly for Moyne-Templetuohy and he added another two minutes later. However Gearoid Byrne and Gerard Byrne had two pointed frees to steady the Clonakenny ship and from then onwards it was score for score. John Hassett (2) and John Sweeney traded points with Donncha Murray (2), Gerard Byrne and Gearoid Byrne to give Clonakenny the seven point victory. From the time they got their second goal the Clonakenny win was never in doubt. They were not going to relinquish a six point advantage - instead they built on it. MoyneTempletuohy were guilty of some needles fouling and Clonakenny punished them to the full.

This was a marvellous win for Clonakenny and one which wilt go down as another wonderful chapter in their history. Some real leaders emerged on the day including Donncha Murray, Gerard Byrne, Martin Joe Murray, Eoin Ryan, Bobby Martin, Michael Smith and Michael Bourke. But they were backed extremely well by their colleagues and everyone played a really big role in this fantastic win. It was great to see many of the men of '67 revelling in the success afterwards as well.

Clonakenny will take some beating in the county championship if they apply themselves as they did in the Mid Final. They showed great hunger and their supporters will hope that their insatiable appetite has not yet been satisfied.

It was a huge disappointment for Moyne-Templetuohy. They have been knocking on the door for some time and must surely have felt that this was their year. To their credit they battled right to the end but they were blown away by the intensity of the Clonakenny challenge. On the night they lost Michael Ryan which was a big blow but they must also be conscious of the fact that they gave away far too many frees. Seven of Clonakenny's scores came from placed balls - Moyne-Templetuohy lost the game by seven points.

Dan Egan, Damien Bergin, John Sweeney, Simon Everard and Martin Costigan were best for them while John Hassett and Eddie Kelly also had their moments.

Teams and Scorers: Clonakenny: S Nolan, J Costigan, M. J. Murray, J Madden, B Martin, M Smith, M Ryan, Gerard Byrne 0-3, M Talbot, Gearoid Byrne 0-4, E Ryan, A Abbott 0-1, W Moloughney 1-0, D Murray 1-6, M Bourke 0-2. Sub: J Stapleton for J Costigan.

Moyne-Templetuohy: J Leahy, L Everard, T Bergin, C Ely, M Esmonde, M Costigan, M Ryan, D Egan, D Bergin, E Kelly 02, P Costigan, J Sweeney 0-4, J Hassett 1-2, E Everard, S Everard 1-1. Subs: C Everard for M Ryan; T Egan for P Costigan; J Doyle for E Everard. Referee - N Cosgrave (Clonmel).

The Clonakenny panel that defeated Moyne-Templetuohy in the MacLochlainn Road Markings sponsored Mid Tipperary intermediate hurling final included:

Michael Murray, Gearoid Byrne, Michael Burke, Mark Ryan, Gerard Byrne, Joe Bourke, Bobby Martin, Declan O'Dwyer, Eoin Ryan, John Stapleton, Peter Jennings, Brian Bourke, David Crampton, Leo Crampton, Michael Leamy, William Moloughney, Seamus Nolan, Michael Smith, Allan Abbott, Mark Talbot, Martin Joe Muray,Johnny Madden, Donnacha Murray, Jim Costigan, Colm Murray, Thomas Carroll, Walter Byrne.

External links

• Official Clonakenny GAA Club website