Crusheen Senior GAA Club Officers:
President: Tom McNamara; Chairperson: John O'Malley; Vice-Chairman: Kieran O'Donnell; Secretary/Registrar: Tony McMahon; Assist. Secreatary: Paudge Hanrahan; Treasurer: Seamus O'Sullivan; PRO: Michael Keehan; Co. Board Delegate: Tony O’Donnell; Field Maintenance: Owen O’Donnell & John O’Malley; LOTTO Committee: Michael Fogarty, John O’Malley, Michael Keehan.
Crusheen Minor GAA Club Officers:
Chairman: Michael Fogarty, Vice-chairman: Gerry Gleeson, Secretary: Brendan McMahon, Treasurer and PRO: Sean O'Dea, Assistant Treasurer: Christine O'Doherty, County Board Delegate: Michael Fogarty.
Field Teams:
U8,U10,U11,U12,U13,U14,U15,U16, minor hurling
U14 & minor football
We foster gaelic games and encourage every child to get involved.
We run a very successful GAA Games Summer Camp every year
with approx. 100 children attending from our parish and neighbouring
parishes.
We conclude the summer camp with some of our County Senior Players attending
for the day and presenting the various medals.
The minor club runs tournaments at various age levels
inviting neighbouring clubs from Clare and Galway.
In the last 5 years Crusheen have won championships at Minor A, B and
C
U16B, U14B, U15B hurling U14, U16 and minor football.
On a consistent basis Crusheen has representation on all county hurling
squads and now on football squads.
The club actively invites in new parishioners to become involved in the club. Contact any of the above for details.
Brief History of Crusheen GAA Club:
Crusheen Hurling Club was founded on the 2nd January,1887, at Crusheen N.S. It was originally called Brian Boru’s.
It’s first officers were :
President : Fr. Michael Gleeson C.C.
Secretary: John Quinn
Treasurer: Denis Hanrahan
Captain : Patrick Loughrey
Patrick was a colourful character, a former Fenian and member of the I.R.B., who traveled back and forth to the U.S.A. for political reasons.
The original colours of the club were green and yellow-green jerseys with a yellow V-shape at front and back. However in 1934 when Crusheen were playing a County Junior Final against a team from Kilclaren, the jerseys were so faded that they had to be dyed red for the match. Out of such small things grew the Parish pride in the red and white worn by all Crusheen teams today.
Crusheen have appeared in seven intermediate hurling finals. In 1960
senior status was secured when they defeated O’ Callaghan’s
Mills 4 - 9 to 3 – 4. This was a famous time for the club as they
had captured Junior B honours in 1958 and Junior A honours in 1959.
This young senior club won Clare Cup titles in 1965 and 1970. Our appearances
in county finals at senior level number 2. 1970 saw us go down after
a replay to Clarecastle while Newmarket overcame Crusheen by one point
in 1974. Senior B honours were captured in 1981 when we defeated Kilnamona
with All – Star Michael Moroney securing 1 – 8 out of a
1 – 11 total. Emigration and falling numbers hit the club reverted
to Intermediate status once more. The stay was short as Crusheen won
the title again in 1987 overcoming Clarecastle. Dwindling playing resources
forced the club to again move down from senior in 1992. 1995 saw Crusheen
reach the final but defeat was our lot as a emerging Ogonnelloe side
won by three points. In 1999, the parish reached the final again but
unfortunately lost out to Clonlara. However, 2 years later, Crusheen
defeated Clooney in the 'millenium final' to return to the Senior Ranks.
The success of 2000, was soon followed with the Senior 'B' title in 2002. Crusheen defeated Whitegate in this final.
In 2003, the Junior B team, which last sampled county honours in 1981, brought the title back to the parish with a 2-11 to 2-6 victory over Ogonnelloe
In addition to hurling, there is also strong interest in Gaelic Football in the parish. In 1998, Crusheen won their first county championship when the Junior B title was claimed in Carron. In 2000, the Junior A team contested the championship final but were unlucky to be beaten. However, in 2003, the team are in the semi-final and victory over Kilmurry Ibrickane will secure a place in this years final.
Our club and school have experienced success at all levels at underage in recent years. In 1999 U – 15 and U – 16 B titles were won in hurling. The fourth final was against Clonara that year which they deservingly won to secure senior status. Our national school in 2000 won Div. 2 hurling honours and also won Div 3 football. Our minors won both the Minor B hurling, and Minor C football titles last year. The club held a number of successful underage tournaments and also a summer camp which a hundred children took part. We were well represented in all grades at underage county level in hurling.
Our club in recent times is well represented on county sides at underage and adult level.
Crusheen Ladies Football Club was founded in 1991 by Michael (R.I.P)
and Teresa Cullinan
Titles won:
1993 U14c
1994 U14B U14D U16B
1995 U16A U18B
1996 U14A U16A
1997 U14A U16A
1998 U14A U16A U18A
1999 U16A JUNIOR A
2000 INTERMEDIATE
2001 U12C, SENIOR B
2005 Intermediate
Chairperson: John Moore
Treasurer: Tine Meaney
Secretary: Sharon Fitzgibbon
Ass. Secretary: Orla O'Donnell
Senior coach: Declan Keavey
Brief History of Ladies Football Club:
Up to 1992, there was no team sports for girls outside of school, until Michael Cullinan started a Ladies Football Club-the groundwork having already been done by Gerry Kearney in the Primary School.
The girls were all very young, ranging in age from 10 to 14,but their enthusiasm made up for their youth and lack of experience!
One team was entered for competition at u-14 level and not surprisingly, they were well beaten by Coolmeen (one of the many homes of football in the West!).
This was only the start though, and the following year the girls won the u-14C and u-16B titles-a great achievement for such a new club and with such young players and indeed, from a club situated in an all-hurling area!
From there, they have won every honor available to them, including u-16A, MinorA, Junior and Intermediate Titles. These were won while most of the panel of girls were under 16.
In the year 2000, the first steps to Senior were taken, when Crusheen amalgamated with another Intermediate club in Kilmihil (30 miles apart),to contest the Senior Championship-they played under the name “Kilcronan”,(St. Cronan is the patron saint of Crusheen).
They reached the Senior Finals and were only narrowly beaten by Fergus Rovers,of Lissycasey, in a closely contested game.
The team received great support, and the supporters were not disappointed with the performance of the team on the day, and the skill they displayed!
Crusheen won the IntermediateA competition following that, and so in 2001 they stood alone in the Senior Championship.
