Clare Senior Football Championship
The Clare Senior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association club competition organised by Clare GAA between the top twelve gaelic football clubs in County Clare, Ireland. The winners represent the county in the Munster Senior Club Football Championship, the winners of which progress to the semi-finals of the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship. The Clare SFC final is generally held in the month of October and is played at Cusack Park in Ennis.
| Clare Senior Football Championship | |
|---|---|
Current season or competition: 2022 Clare Senior Football Championship | |
 | |
| Irish | Sraith Peil Sinsir Co. awn Chláir |
| Founded | 1887 |
| Trophy | Jack Daly Cup |
| Title holders |  Éire Óg, Ennis (19th title) |
| Most titles |  Kilrush Shamrocks (21 titles) |
| Sponsors | Pat O'Donnell & Co. |
In 2014 Cratloe completed a historic first Clare Senior Championship 'Double' in eighty-five years since the famous Ennis Dalcassians in 1929.
In 2016 a Football Review Agreement decided that from 2019 onwards the Clare Senior and Intermediate Football Championships would both involve twelve teams in an effort to make both more competitive. This meant that five clubs would lose their senior status and be relegated down to the Clare Intermediate Football Championship. The eleven remaining senior clubs would be joined by the intermediate champions to form the new senior championship, and thereby increasing the intermediate championship from eight to twelve teams. 2018 saw the relegation of Doora-Barefield, Kilfenora, O'Curry's, St. Breckan's and Wolfe Tones down to the intermediate championship.
As part of the 2016 Football Review Agreement, a pathway was left open for any amalgamations that wished to enter the senior championship. Two intermediate clubs - Naomh Eoin and O'Curry's - from the Loop Head Peninsula in West Clare took up this opportunity for 2019. After their relative success, their near neighbours St. Senan's, Kilkee will join them under the name Western Gaels for the 2022 senior championship. Once again all amalgamations will be exempt from potential relegation.
The 2021 champions, and holders of the Jack Daly Cup are Éire Óg, Ennis who won their nineteenth overall title.
Senior clubs
- The thirteen clubs that will participate in the 2022 Clare Senior Football Championship are:
| Club | Last Title |
|---|---|
 Clondegad |
- |
| Corofin (2021 Intermediate Champions) |
- |
 Cratloe |
2014 |
 Doonbeg |
2010 |
| Éire Óg, Ennis |
2021 |
 Ennistymon |
- |
 Kilmihil |
1980 |
 Kilmurry-Ibrickane |
2020 |
 Lissycasey |
2007 |
| St. Breckan's, Lisdoonvarna |
- |
| St. Joseph's, Doora-Barefield |
1898 |
 St. Joseph's, Miltown Malbay |
2019 |
 Western Gaels (Naomh Eoin-O'Curry's-Kilkee) |
- |
Roll of honour
| Rank | Club | Titles | Winning Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kilrush Shamrocks |
21 | 1902, 1903, 1912, 1924, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1937, 1938, 1951, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1987 |
| 2. | Éire Óg, Ennis |
19 | 2000, 2006, 2021
|
| 3. | Doonbeg |
18 | 1955, 1961, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2010 |
| 4. | Kilmurry-Ibrickane |
16 | 1933, 1935 (as Quilty), 1936 (as Quilty), 1939 (as Quilty), 1963, 1966, 1993, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2020 |
| 5. | St. Joseph's, Miltown Malbay |
15 | 1905, 1906, 1916, 1923, 1925, 1927, 1932, 1949, 1953, 1959, 1985, 1990, 2015, 2018, 2019 |
| 6. |  Cooraclare |
10 | 1915, 1917, 1918, 1944 (with Kilmihil), 1945, 1956, 1964, 1965, 1986, 1997 |
| 7. | St. Senan's, Kilkee |
8 | 1926, 1928, 1942, 1984, 1989, 1992, 2003, 2005 |
| 8. | Shannon Gaels, Labasheeda |
3 | 1900 (as Labasheeda), 1970, 1971 |
| 9. |  Coolmeen |
2 | 1919, 1922 |
| Cratloe |
2013, 2014 | ||
| Kilfenora |
1941, 1950 | ||
| Kilmihil |
1944 (with Cooraclare), 1980 | ||
 Newmarket-on-Fergus |
1887, 1888 | ||
| 13. | Clarecastle |
1 | 1908 |
| Kildysart |
1889 | ||
| Killimer |
1896 | ||
| Liscannor |
1940 | ||
| Lissycasey |
2007 | ||
| O'Curry's, Doonaha |
1946 | ||
| St. Joseph's, Doora-Barefield |
1898 (as Doora) |
List of finals
| Munster Champions | |
| Munster Finalists |
- North Clare were a temporary amalgamation of the Ballyvaughan-Fanore, Corofin, Kilfenora, Liscannor and Michael Cusack's football clubs at two separate periods. They competed together at senior level when they were all competing at either intermediate or junior level individually. North Clare played in three county finals in 1934, 1977 and 1978, losing on each occasion to Kilrush Shamrocks.
- Ennis Faughs were an amalgamation of two Clare GAA clubs, one based in Ennis and the other in the neighbouring parish of Doora-Barefield between 1944 and 1956.
When Ennis Dalcassians won the Clare Junior Football Championship in 1943 they offered to join up with local rivals St. Joseph's, Doora-Barefield who were another junior football club to enter a combined team at senior level. This was a hugely successful amalgamation as during this period they competed in eleven county finals, winning four senior titles (1947, 1948, 1952, 1954).
When Ennis Dalcassians were relegated back down to junior level in 1945, the Ennis Faughs also entered a team at intermediate level. The Ennis Faughs subsequently won the 1946 Clare Intermediate Football Championship.
- In 1994, Éire Óg and Doora-Barefield were both competing at intermediate level. They came together once again to try and replicate the success of the previous amalgamation. The new Ennis Faughs won the Clare Senior Football Championship in 1994 after a replay, and also contested the county final again in 1995.
Éire Óg, Ennis won the Clare Intermediate Football Championship on their own in 1995, thereby earning promotion to senior level for 1996. As a result of this promotion the Ennis Faughs were disbanded.
St. Joseph's, Doora-Barefield subsequently earned their own promotion to senior level when they themselves won the Clare Intermediate Football Championship in 1997.
Records and statistics
Consecutive championships
- 5-in-a-Row:
- Once by Kilrush Shamrocks (1975-1979)
- Once by
- 3-in-a-Row:
- Twice by Doonbeg (1967-1969), and (1972-1974)
- Once by Ennis Dalcassians (1909-1911)
- Twice by
'The double'
The following clubs have won both the Clare Senior Football Championship and Clare Senior Hurling Championship in the same year:
- Four times by Ennis Dalcassians (1980, 1911, 1914, 1929)
- Once by Cratloe (2014)
By decade
The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Clare Senior Football Championship titles they won, is as follows:
- 1880s: Two titles for Newmarket-on-Fergus (1887, 1888)
- 1890s: Three titles for Ennis Dalcassians (1890, 1897, 1899)
- 1900s: Three titles for Ennis Dalcassians (1904, 1907, 1909)
- 1910s: Four titles for Ennis Dalcassians (1910, 1911, 1913, 1914)
- 1920s: Three titles for St. Joseph's, Miltown Malbay (1923, 1925, 1927)
- 1930s: Five titles for Kilrush Shamrocks (1930, 1931, 1934, 1937, 1938)
- 1940s: Two titles for Ennis Faughs (Ennis Dalcassians-Doora-Barefield) (1947, 1948)
- 1950s: Three titles for Kilrush Shamrocks (1951, 1957, 1958)
- 1960s: Four titles for Doonbeg (1961, 1967, 1968, 1969)
- 1970s: Five titles for Kilrush Shamrocks (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979)
- 1980s: Three titles for Doonbeg (1982, 1983, 1988)
- 1990s: Five titles for Doonbeg (1991, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999)
- 2000s: Four titles for Kilmurry-Ibrickane (2002, 2004, 2008, 2009)
- 2010s: Four titles for Kilmurry-Ibrickane (2011, 2012, 2016, 2017)
Barren spells
The longest gaps between successive Clare Senior Football Championship titles are:
- 70 years: Shannon Gaels, Labasheeda (1900-1970)
- 42 years: St. Senan's, Kilkee (1942-1984)
- 30 years: Kilmurry-Ibrickane (1933-1963)
- 27 years: Cooraclare (1918-1945), and Kilmurry-Ibrickane (1966-1993)
- 26 years: St. Joseph's, Miltown Malbay (1959-1985)
- 25 years: St. Joseph's, Miltown Malbay (1990-2015)
- 21 years: Cooraclare (1965-1986)
- 17 years: St. Joseph's, Miltown Malbay (1932-1949)
- 15 years: Ennis Dalcassians (1914-1929), and Éire Óg, Ennis (2006-2021)
- 14 years: St. Senan's, Kilkee (1928-1942)
- 13 years: Kilrush Shamrocks (1938-1951) & (1962-1975)
- 12 years: Kilrush Shamrocks (1912-1924)
- 11 years: Cooraclare (1945-1956) & (1986-1997), and St. Senan's, Kilkee (1992-2003)
- 10 years: St. Joseph's, Miltown Malbay (1906-1916)
See also
References
- "Clare SFC final: Sweet sixteen for Kilmurry-Ibrickane". Hogan Stand. 26 September 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
- "Late Surge Sees St Joseph's Miltown Claim Clare SFC Title". RTÉ Sport.
- "O'Dwyer provides the spark for holders". Irish Examiner. 30 October 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
- "Kilmurry Ibrickane win 11th Clare title". Irish Examiner. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
- "St Joseph's end 25-year famine". Irish Examiner. 19 October 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
- "Clare SFC final: Podge purrs as Cratloe complete double". Hogan Stand. 12 October 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- "Champagne on ice as Cratloe make history with first-ever senior football title". The Score. 17 November 2013. Archived from the original on 19 November 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
- "Kilmurry Ibrickane's guile sees them home". Irish Examiner. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
- "McInerney exposes gulf in class". Irish Independent. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- "Tubridy takes centre stage in dull show to deliver title for Doonbeg". Irish Independent. 11 October 2010. Retrieved 11 October 2010.