KILMURRY-IBRICKANE captain Enda Coughlan believes his side’s recent practice in playing against 14 men was instrumental in achieving victory in Sunday’s bad-tempered All-Ireland Club SFC final against Portlaoise.

NATIONAL referees chief Mick Curley has insisted that weekend refereeing mistakes which saw two Gaelic football matches being concluded when the ball was in play were simply a result of ‘human error’.

GIVEN its impoverished recent history, yesterday in the Gaelic Grounds was a momentous afternoon for Clare football.

GAA chiefs are set to investigate the unruly scenes during yesterday’s All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final in the Gaelic Grounds, as 13-man Portlaoise crashed to defeat against Clare champions Kilmurry-Ibrickane.

Portlaoise (Laois) 0-8 Kilmurry-Ibrickane (Clare) 1-14

THE recent history of Tyrone-Kerry clashes in Croke Park have swung in the direction of the northerners, and Cookstown maintained that with a hard fought win over Spa in yesterday’s All-Ireland Club IFC final.

WHAT with all the off-field ructions in the midlands lately, no-one could be chastised for forgetting the fact that there is actually football to be played before the Christmas lull.