*Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLOSE to 200 players represented Clare on the camogie field this year while the county will not be fielding an intermediate side in 2025.
In presenting a detailed report to the annual convention of Clare camogie, secretary Ann Sanz said “it is hard to compare it to 2023, any year where you win an All-Ireland or two is always going to be difficult to follow. However, considering that the senior team was hit with eleven retirements at the beginning of the year, with those positions being filled by players coming from the junior panel, it is an achievement that they held their own and will remain senior in 2025”.
Continuing she said, “Our new Intermediates were also not relegated despite the losses to their ranks, but unfortunately, as the Association has decided that counties can only have one adult team in 2025, we will not be playing Intermediate next year”.
She went on to say “our club leagues and championships were very successful and mainly competitive. They were also very well attended, particularly the finals”
She congratulated senior champions Truagh/Clonlara on their success in adding the Munster title ans she wished them well in the upcoming All-Ireland final.
“Almost 200 players took to the field to represent Clare over the year from U14 to Senior, and there are over 4000 registered players in the county, out of a total of 5019 registered members. We played over 40 inter-county games and to date have played over 650 club games, with practically all fixtures having been fulfilled. The attendance at all games is up from inter-county to club round games, and the media presence has increased”, according to the secretary who completed her five year stint as secretary at Monday’s convention.
Continuing she said “of course, none of this happens by itself and there are many people to thank. Firstly, our sole purpose is to provide games for anyone who wants to play camogie, and this is only possible because of the hard work and dedication of the clubs, managers and players”.
“Since December 2023 we have held 13 County board meetings, 6 in person and 7 zoom. There have been 7 Munster council meetings, 3 National Chairs and Secretaries meetings (mainly online), and numerous executive, fixtures, grading, referees, field, finance, THDC and development committee meetings”, the secretary told the delegates.
She went on to pay tribute to sponsors, Clare Credit Unions who sponsor the adult club championships and Ei Electronics who sponsor the Senior County team and she also thanked Club Clare for their support.
“Our links with Clare GAA grow stronger year on year and they have yet again been very generous to us in allowing us use of Cusack Park, Caherlohan, Clareabbey and Ballyline whenever we asked for it. Our senior and intermediate teams both played their home games in Cusack Park and trained in both Clareabbey and Caherlohan during the year. We held senior championship games in Clareabbey almost weekly, and most of our games were played in GAA pitches given by the clubs. Thank you to everyone who makes this possible, especially Kieran Keating and Deirdre Murphy. The senior county final in Dr Daly Park in Tulla was a huge success and proved the perfect venue for the game”, she said
Concluding she thanked all the members of the executive for their efforts and said “being secretary for the past five years has been a great experience with some fantastic highs”.
