Gabriel Clarke (hurler)
Encyclopedia
Gabriel Clarke is an Irish
sportsperson. He plays hurling
with his local club Ballygalget
and has been a member of the Down
senior inter-county team since 2000.
club title following a defeat of Cushendall
.
In 2008 Clarke won his latest county senior championship winners’ medal following an eleven-point trouncing of Portaferry.
minor hurling team in the late 1990s. He enjoyed little success in this grade and made his senior championship debut as a nineteen year-old in 2000. After some success in the 1990s the be century proved to be an unhappy time for Down’s hurling team as Antrim
and Derry
reclaimed their status as the standard-bearers in the provincial championship. Clarke lined out in further Ulster finals in 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008, however, he ended up on the losing side on all six occasions.
In 2005 a restructuring of the championship saw Down being entered in the Christy Ring Cup
, effectively a competition for the ‘second-tier’ hurling teams. Clarke’s side did well in their debut year and even reached the final of the competition. Westmeath
provided the opposition on that occasion, however, at the full-time whistle Down were defeated by 1-23 to 2-18. The team, however, have failed to build on this in recent years.
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He has enjoyed little success with his province as Ulster have failed to even qualify for the Railway Cup final in recent years.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
sportsperson. He plays hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
with his local club Ballygalget
Ballygalget GAA
Ballygalget GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Castlewellan in County Down, Northern Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling.-Honours:*Down Senior Hurling Championships:...
and has been a member of the Down
Down GAA
The Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Down GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Down...
senior inter-county team since 2000.
Club
Clarke plays his hurling with his local club in Ballygalget and has enjoyed much success. He first came to prominence in the late 1990s when the club captured three county senior championship titles in-a-row between 1997 and 1999. After a period out of the limelight Ballygalget returned in 2003 with Clarke collecting another county winners’ medal. It was the first of another three-in-a-row for Ballygalget and for Clarke. The third of these victories was subsequently converted into an UlsterUlster Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual tournament played between the senior hurling clubs in Ulster. There are nine county championships between the nine counties of Ulster. The nine winners go on to play each other in the Ulster Club Championship in a knock-out format...
club title following a defeat of Cushendall
Ruairí Óg GAC
Ruairí Óg Gaelic Athletic Club or Ruairí Óg GAC, known locally as Ógs, are a Hurling and Camogie Gaelic Athletic Association Club in Cushendall, County Antrim, Northern Ireland....
.
In 2008 Clarke won his latest county senior championship winners’ medal following an eleven-point trouncing of Portaferry.
Inter-county
Clarke first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the DownDown GAA
The Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Down GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Down...
minor hurling team in the late 1990s. He enjoyed little success in this grade and made his senior championship debut as a nineteen year-old in 2000. After some success in the 1990s the be century proved to be an unhappy time for Down’s hurling team as Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
and Derry
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
reclaimed their status as the standard-bearers in the provincial championship. Clarke lined out in further Ulster finals in 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008, however, he ended up on the losing side on all six occasions.
In 2005 a restructuring of the championship saw Down being entered in the Christy Ring Cup
Christy Ring Cup
The Christy Ring Cup is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 2005 for middle-ranking hurling teams in Ireland....
, effectively a competition for the ‘second-tier’ hurling teams. Clarke’s side did well in their debut year and even reached the final of the competition. Westmeath
Westmeath GAA
The Westmeath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Westmeath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Westmeath...
provided the opposition on that occasion, however, at the full-time whistle Down were defeated by 1-23 to 2-18. The team, however, have failed to build on this in recent years.
Inter-provincial
Clarke has also lined out with UlsterUlster GAA
The Ulster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, and handball in the province of Ulster. The headquarters of the Ulster GAA is based in Armagh City....
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He has enjoyed little success with his province as Ulster have failed to even qualify for the Railway Cup final in recent years.