1917: First Munster SFC title and only All-Ireland SFC final
Clare won its first Munster SFC in 1917, defeating Cork on a scoreline of 5–04 to 0–01. This was after losing deciders in 1912 and 1915 to Kerry and in 1916 to Cork. Clare then faced Galway in the 1917 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC) semi-final and won by a scoreline of 2–01 to 0–05. However, in the 1917 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, Clare narrowly lost to Wexford by a scoreline of 0–09 to 0–05. Wexford had won the All-Ireland SFC in 1915 and 1916 and would complete a four-in-a-row in 1918.
1954: Not part of the Munster championship
Due to 1 sided defeat to Kerry by 6–10 to 0–2 in Ennis in the 1953 Munster semi-final it was decided that they would not be part the 1954 championships.
1979: "Milltown Massacre"
A low point for the county team was the so-called "Milltown Massacre" in 1979. During a game played in Milltown Malbay, Clare lost to Kerry by a scoreline of 1–9 to 9–21, a difference of 35 points.[4]Tommy Tubridy, the father of David, played in that game.
1990–1994: John Maughan and second Munster SFC title
Clare football's greatest day since 1917 arrived in 1992 when, under the stewardship of Mayo native John Maughan, the county won its second Munster SFC by defeating Kerry in the final at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick, by a scoreline of 2–10 to 0–12. This victory was aided in no small part by two second half goals from Colm Clancy and Martin Daly. This victory was also historic in that it is the only year from 1936 to 2020 (when Tipperary won) that neither Kerry nor Cork won the Munster SFC. Clare's luck would run out however, and in the 1992 All-Ireland SFC semi-final, the team lost to Dublin by a scoreline of 3–14 to 2–12. Full back on the team of 1992 was Seamus Clancy, brother of full-forward Colm, and he was rewarded for his performances in the 1992 championship with a place on the All-Star team of that year.[5]
Coach: Brian Carson,[13] replacing Gerry McGowan (Tourlestrane) at the end of the 2022 season; McGowan succeeded Carson from 2021, while Paudie Kissane, Ephie Fitzgerald and Mick Bohan all coached Clare for one year under Colm Collins's management before Alan Flynn and Brian Carson served two years each[14]
Assistant coach: Mark Doran (Down), from the end of the 2022 season[13]
Clare have a history of appointing "foreign" managers, with John Maughan, from Mayo, proving to be the most successful; Maughan led Clare to the 1992 Munster SFC (a first in 75 years). Other outsiders to manage Clare include Frank Doherty (Galway) and the KerrymenDonie Buckley (who managed jointly with Michael Brennan from Galway), John Kennedy, John O'Keeffe, Mick O'Dwyer and Páidí Ó Sé.[17] However, Colm Collins (from Clare GAA club Cratloe) began managing the team in 2013 and lasted so long that RTÉ called him "an icon of stability" in 2022, in contrast to less successful managerial appointments elsewhere.[18]
Clare have won one All-Ireland and three Munster titles at minor level. They won the first of their three Munster Minor Football Championships defeating Waterford in 1929. Clare then proceeded to qualify for the inaugural All-Ireland Minor Football Final. In the final they faced Longford and prevailed by 5–03 to 3-05, to crown Clare All-Ireland Minor Champions. Clare defeated Tipperary in the 1930 Munster final to retain their provincial crown. The Banner County had to wait until 1953 for another Munster title. On this occasion Clare defeated Cork in the decider.
Competitive record
All-Ireland Minor Football Championship Final appearances
^ abcde"Collins shakes up backroom team". Hogan Stand. 5 October 2022. According to Clare FM, former Banner goalkeeper Joe Hayes has replaced ex-Kerry All-Ireland winning 'keeper Declan O'Keeffe as goalkeeping coach, while Brian Carson returns as head coach after being previously involved in 2018 and '20. He replaces Gerry McGowan. There is also a new assistant coach in Mark Doran from Down. Another man returning to the set-up is Limerick native Michael Cahill, who will act as strength and conditioning coach. Declan Downes and Enda Coughlan are set to continue as selectors under Collins