Clare Senior Football Championship

Clare Senior Football Championship
Current season or competition:
2023 Clare Senior Football Championship
IrishSraith Peil Sinsir Co. an Chláir
CodeGaelic Football
Founded1887
Region Clare (GAA)
TrophyJack Daly Cup
No. of teams13
Title holders Cratloe (3rd title)
Most titles Kilrush Shamrocks (21 titles)
SponsorsPat O'Donnell & Co.
TV partner(s)TG4
Official websiteclare.gaa.ie

The Clare Senior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association club competition organised by Clare GAA between the top twelve gaelic football clubs in County Clare, Ireland. The winners represent the county in the Munster Senior Club Football Championship, the winners of which progress to the semi-finals of the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship. The Clare SFC final is generally held in the month of October and is played at Cusack Park in Ennis.

In 2014 Cratloe completed a historic first Clare Senior Championship 'Double' in eighty-five years since the famous Ennis Dalcassians in 1929.

In 2016 a Football Review Agreement decided that from 2019 onwards the Clare Senior and Intermediate Football Championships would both involve twelve teams in an effort to make both more competitive. This meant that five clubs would lose their senior status and be relegated down to the Clare Intermediate Football Championship. The eleven remaining senior clubs would be joined by the intermediate champions to form the new senior championship, and thereby increasing the intermediate championship from eight to twelve teams. 2018 saw the relegation of Doora-Barefield, Kilfenora, O'Curry's, St. Breckan's and Wolfe Tones down to the intermediate championship.

As part of the 2016 Football Review Agreement, a pathway was left open for any amalgamations that wished to enter the senior championship. Two intermediate clubs - Naomh Eoin and O'Curry's - from the Loop Head Peninsula in West Clare took up this opportunity for 2019. After their relative success, their near neighbours St. Senan's, Kilkee were due to join them under the name Western Gaels for the 2022 senior championship.[1] However, they pulled out of the championship before it began.

The 2023 champions, and holders of the Jack Daly Cup are Cratloe who bridged a nine year gap from 2014 to win their third overall title. They defeated St. Breckan's, Lisdoonvarna by 1-10 to 1-08 in Cusack Park, Ennis.

  1. ^ "Naomh Eoin, O'Curry's & Kilkee To Play As Western Gaels". The Clare Echo. 29 March 2020.