Council vows to help Clare clear backlog of club fixtures

Munster Council chairman Robert Frost has promised to work closely with his native Clare to alleviate the Banner County’s club fixtures crisis.

As things stand, Clare are facing a race against time to provide representatives for the forthcoming AIB provincial club football and hurling championships. The county’s march to U21 and senior All-Ireland hurling glory led to a complete shutdown of club activity in the county since May. And the senior final replay also robbed them of three weekends that could have been used to help clear the backlog.

County board chairman Michael ‘Malty’ McDonagh has already admitted they may not be able to field clubs in this year’s provincial championships, unless they receive some leeway from the Munster Council.

Clare will be hard pressed to have hurling champions crowned in time for the Munster semi-final against the Cork kingpins on November 10. And there is also pressure to have the county SFC completed before Clare’s champions take on the Waterford or Limerick champions a week later.

Frost confirmed Munster Council representatives met with a Clare delegation a fortnight ago, in an attempt to find some common ground.

“We had a meeting two weeks ago with a few people from the Clare county board,” he said.

“They’re looking for a bit of leeway but they are fortunate enough to have a bye in the first round of the football and hurling.

“We told them to go back and talk to the counties involved. We haven’t heard from them since.”

Frost admitted it’s “very hard to say” how the situation will pan out as any movement of fixtures is dependent on the goodwill and agreement of the other counties involved.

“I wouldn’t say there would be a huge amount of sympathy for Clare’s predicament. Only for the draw in the All-Ireland, things wouldn’t be too bad.

“We’d be hoping Clare clubs will go forward to compete in Munster and we will work very closely with the Clare county board to ensure that that is the case. We will also talk to the opposition counties and work closely with all involved to see if we have a solution.”

Frost was present at Croke Park last Saturday evening when Clare captured the All-Ireland senior hurling crown. He was Clare county board chairman in 1995 and 1997 when the Banner County won the Liam MacCarthy Cup and now sits in the top Munster chair.

“I just take it as it comes. I was lucky to be in the right place in the right time. I was delighted for Clare and the hurlers,” Frost smiled.

“I was in Ennis on Monday evening and there was a nice crowd there. I also attended the function on Saturday evening and I visited the Cork function as well. I was there for both of them.

“Cork, in fairness, were very gracious in defeat. They felt that the better team beat them. But from where they were, they have come a long way.

“The draws are on Thursday night and I’m looking forward to that. We have five very strong teams in Munster, with Waterford, Tipp and Limerick — the Munster champions — all looking to get up to the same level as Cork and Clare.”