Clare county football team

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

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'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 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 junior football team, 1925

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

Appointed in October 2013, some additions noted.

• Manager: Colm Collins (Cratloe) ^[12]
• Coach: Brian Carson, ^[13] replacing Gerry McGowan (Tourlestrane) at the end of the 2022 season; McGowan succeeded Carson from 2021, while Paudie Kissane, Ephie Fitzgerald and Mick Bohan all coached Clare for one year under Colm Collins's management before Alan Flynn and Brian Carson served two years each ^[14]
• Assistant coach: Mark Doran (Down), from the end of the 2022 season ^[13]
• Goalkeeping coach: Joe Hayes, ^[13] replacing Declan O'Keeffe ^{[15] [16]} at the end of the 2022 season
• Selectors: Enda Coughlan and Declan Downes ^{[15] [16] [13]}
• Strength and conditioning coach: Michael Cahill (Limerick), ^[13] replacing Rob Mulcahy ^{[15] [16]} at the end of the 2022 season

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

For individual player details, see Category:Clare inter-county Gaelic footballers.

• Gary Brennan ^[20]
• Gordon Kelly ^[21]

Records

• David Tubridy became top scorer in National Football League history against Cork in May 2021, ^[22] his total score in the competition after this game (22–412, i.e. 478 points) causing him to overtake the record of Mickey Kearins. ^[23]

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

• All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
  • Runners-up (1): 1917
• All-Ireland Senior B Football Championship
  • Winners (2): 1991
• Tommy Murphy Cup
  • Winners (1): 2004
• National Football League Division 2
  • Winners (2): 1992, 1995
• National Football League Division 3
  • Winners (2): 1987, 2016
• National Football League Division 4
  • Winners (1): 1982
• All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
  • Winners (1): 1929

Provincial

• Munster Senior Football Championship
  • Winners (2): 1917, 1992
  • Runners-up (13): 1912, 1915, 1916, 1919, 1925, 1929, 1936, 1937, 1941, 1949, 1997, 2012, 2023
• McGrath Cup
  • Winners (13): 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2008, 2019
• Munster Football League
  • Winners (1): 1933–34
• Munster Junior Football Championship
  • Winners (1): 1925
• Munster Minor Football Championship
  • Winners (3): 1929, 1930, 1953

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.