CLUB FOCUS: Clonakenny GAA

Clonakenny GAA club is located in the parish of Bournea between Roscrea and Templemore, on the border of the Mid and North Division.

By Jonathan Cullen - Tipperary GAA PRO

Around the time of its foundation in 1905, Clonakenny played in the North division for a few years but for the lifetime of present club, it has played in the Mid division. Ironically, they won a number of North finals in recent years as part of a combination with Moneygall with whom we have joined forces underage.

Clonakenny is one of the smallest rural clubs in the county, drawing on a parish with less than two hundred households. Scarcity of numbers has meant that the club has mainly played in lower grade competitions at underage level. However, they have had their share of success winning county finals in Minor and U21 ‘C’ hurling and football over the last twenty odd years.

In 1967 Clonakenny defeated Kilsheelan/Kilcash in the County Intermediate (Junior No.1) final. That same group of players also brought the first county junior football title to the parish in 1966. As often happens, a few barren years followed this great team of the 60s. They did manage to win the Mid No. 2 junior hurling final in 1973 and went on to contest three Mid intermediate finals in the 1980s without success.

Clonakenny were Mid Junior ‘B’ hurling champions in 1995 but were defeated by Toomevara in the county final. They competed at Junior ‘A’ level from 1996 and also were able to field a second team at Junior ‘B’ level. In 2001 & 2002, they won the Mid Junior ‘A’ hurling championship but failed to capture a county title, the closest bringing Ballinahinch to a replay in the 2002 County Final. In 2003 Clonakenny went Intermediate again and won the Mid final but Kilruane MacDonaghs defeated them in the county semi-final. They also won the Mid Junior ‘B’ football title in 2001 and 2005.

The last decade saw four successive Mid titles at intermediate hurling level in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 only to fall at county quarter-final or semi-final on each occasion. The date of 25 October 2015 will live long in the memories of all Clonakenny people. After a wait of 48 years, they defeated Thurles Sarsfields by the narrowest of margins in the County Intermediate Final in Semple Stadium. This win demonstrated the strides the club made as they were promoted to senior status 20 years after losing a Junior ‘B’ county final. This success was not just limited to hurling. The club went onto win the CountyJunior ‘B’ Football Championship to cap a hugely successful year.

In recent years, Clonakenny have continued to remain competitive with two adult teams at Senior (Seamus O’Riain) and Junior ‘B’ level. In 2020, Clonakenny were promoted to Division 1 in the County Hurling League following our run to the Division 2 final in 2019.

It is fair to say that Clonakenny have had reasonable levels of success in both hurling and football over the years and are very proud of all its players who have been so committed and dedicated and have always worn the Black and Amber with pride.