The Clare Senior Football Championship (abbreviated to Clare SFC) is an annual GAA club competition organised by Clare GAA for top twelve gaelic football clubs in County Clare, Ireland. It is most prestigious competition in Clare football. The Clare SFC final is usually held in the month of October at Cusack Park in Ennis.
The Clare SHC and Clare SFC begin once both the Clare hurling team and Clare football team have concluded their respective inter-county campaigns. Both championships run concurrently on opposite weekends to cater for dual clubs competing in both codes.
In 2014 Cratloe completed a historic first Clare Senior Championship "Double" for their club, and the first in Clare for eighty-five years since the famous Ennis Dalcassians in 1929.
In 2016 the Clare County Board decided that from 2019 onwards the Clare senior and intermediate championships would both become revamped twelve-team competitions in an effort to make both more competitive. This meant that five clubs would lose their senior status and be relegated down to intermediate. The eleven remaining senior clubs would be joined by the 2018 intermediate champions to form the new senior championship. 2018 saw the relegation of Doora-Barefield, Kilfenora, O'Curry's, St. Breckan's and Wolfe Tones down to intermediate for 2019. As part of this decision a pathway was left open for any amalgamations that wished to enter the senior championship and would be immune from relegation. In 2019 two intermediate clubs from the Loop Head Peninsula – Naomh Eoin & O'Curry's – took up this opportunity.
In 2025 Éire Óg completed a historic first Clare Senior Championship "Double" for the town of Ennis in ninety-six years and emulate their predecessors Ennis Dalcassians from 1890, 1911, 1914, and 1929.
The winners of the Clare SFC each year are presented with the Jack Daly Cup, and represent Clare in the Munster Senior Club Football Championship and possibly the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship as the Clare champions.
The current (2025) champions and holders of the Jack Daly Cup are Éire Óg who defeated their neighbours and local rivals Doora-Barefield by 1–16 to 2–06 at Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg in Ennis. This was the club's fourth title in five years and moved them one clear of Kilrush Shamrocks at the top of the Clare SFC Roll of Honour with twenty-two titles.
Munster & All-Ireland club qualification Munster club championship Two Clare clubs have won the Munster Senior Club Football Championship: Having lost both the 1972 and 1983 finals to Nemo Rangers (Cork), and the 1991 final to Dr. Croke's (Kerry), Doonbeg won the 1998 Munster senior club title, beating Moyle Rovers (Tipperary) in the final after a replay. They lost to Ballina Stephenites (Mayo) in the All-Ireland senior club semi-final. They were denied back-to-back Munster titles when they lost the 1999 final to University College Cork (Cork). Having lost the 1993 final to Nemo Rangers (Cork), Kilmurry Ibrickane won the 2004 Munster senior club title, beating Stradbally (Waterford) in the final after a replay. They lost to Ballina Stephenites (Mayo) in the All-Ireland senior club semi-final. Kilmurry Ibrickane lost the 2008 final to Dromcollogher-Broadford (Limerick), however they reversed that result the following year to win the 2009 Munster senior club title. They beat Portlaoise (Laois) on their way to the 2010 All-Ireland senior club final.
Five more Clare clubs have reached the Munster senior club final: Cooraclare lost the 1964 final to Shannon Rangers (Kerry). Kilrush Shamrocks reached three finals in four years, but lost to Nemo Rangers (Cork) in both 1978 and 1981, and to St. Finbarr's (Cork) in 1979. St. Senan's have reached four finals, but lost to Castlehaven (Cork) in 1989, O'Donovan Rossa (Cork) in 1992, An Ghaeltacht (Kerry) in 2003, and Nemo Rangers (Cork) in 2005. Cratloe lost the 2013 final to Dr. Croke's (Kerry). Miltown Malbay lost the 2018 final to Dr. Croke's (Kerry).
All-Ireland club championship One Clare club has reached the All-Ireland senior club final: Kilmurry Ibrickane lost the 2010 final to St. Gall's (Antrim) at Croke Park, Dublin.
No Clare club has won the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship.
2026 Senior clubs The twelve team competing in the 2026 Clare Senior Football Championship are: Club Location Colours Titles Last title Corofin Corofin Red & White0– Cratloe Cratloe Blue & White32023 Doonbeg Doonbeg Black & White182010 Éire Óg, Ennis Ennis Red & White222025 Ennistymon Ennistymon White & Black0– Kildysart Kildysart Sky Blue & Navy11889 Kilmihil Kilmihil Green & Yellow21980 Kilmurry Ibrickane Quilty Green & Red162020 Lissycasey Lissycasey Maroon & White12007 St. Breckan's, Lisdoonvarna Lisdoonvarna Maroon & White0– St. Joseph's, Doora-Barefield Doora / Barefield Maroon & White11898 St. Joseph's, Miltown Malbay Miltown Malbay Claret & Amber152019
Venues Early rounds Fixtures in the opening rounds of the championship are usually played at a neutral venue that is deemed halfway between the participating teams. Some of the more common venues include Clarecastle GAA Grounds, Cooraclare GAA Grounds, Hennessy Memorial Park, Páirc Finne, Páirc na Muintire, Páirc Naomh Mhuire, Páirc Uí Seancháin and St. Michael's Park. Cusack Park in Ennis also hosts several double-headers in the early rounds of the championship.
Later stages The semi-finals and final are usually played at Cusack Park in Ennis. Named after the founder of the GAA, Michael Cusack, the ground has a capacity of just over 20,000. In 2017 a major renovation of the stadium was completed which included the demolition and re-erection of the main stand and construction of a new entrance at the north side of the stadium.
Winning managers since 1990 Manager Club Wins Years won Patrick O'Dwyer Kilmurry Ibrickane3 1993, 2002, 2004 Aidan Moloney Kilmurry Ibrickane 2016, 2017, 2020 Colm Collins Cratloe 2013, 2014, 2023 Paul Madden Éire Óg, Ennis 2021, 2022, 2024 Mick O'Dwyer Doonbeg2 1995, 1996 Pat Hanrahan Doonbeg 1998, 1999 Mícheál McDermott Kilmurry Ibrickane 2008, 2009 John Kennedy Kilmurry Ibrickane 2011, 2012 Michael Neylon St. Joseph's, Miltown Malbay 2015, 2018 John Reidy St. Joseph's, Miltown Malbay1 1990 Eddie O'Sullivan Doonbeg 1991 Noel Roche St. Senan's, Kilkee 1992 Tony Honan Ennis Faughs 1994 Seán Óg O'Connor Cooraclare 1997 John Hickey Éire Óg, Ennis 2000 John Keane Doonbeg 2001 Kieran Marrinan St. Senan's, Kilkee 2003 Tom Prenderville St. Senan's, Kilkee 2005 James Hanrahan Éire Óg, Ennis 2006 Declan Conway Lissycasey 2007 Kieran O'Mahony Doonbeg 2010 David O'Brien St. Joseph's, Miltown Malbay 2019 Shane Daniels Éire Óg, Ennis 2025
Trophy The winning team is presented with the Jack Daly Cup. A native of Ennis and life-long member of Éire Óg, John (Jack) Daly (1938–2020) lined out at full-forward for Éire Óg when they won the 1957 Clare Senior Hurling Championship. In 1963 he became the youngest ever chairman of the Clare County Board, serving two terms in the role. In 1965 he became the Clare GAA representative on the GAA Central Council until 1970. He was hugely supportive of Clare football and his willingness to donate a trophy for the 1969 Clare Senior Football Championship is testament to this. Mr Daly also donated a second trophy for the 1980 Clare Senior Football Championship after Kilrush Shamrocks completed a historic five-in-a-row from 1975 to 1979, and kept the originally trophy. The third version of the Jack Daly Cup was donated by the Daly family in 2024.
Roll of honour # Club Wins Years won1. Éire Óg, Ennis22 2000, 2006, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025 As Ennis Dalcassians: 1890, 1897, 1899, 1904, 1907, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1913, 1914, 1929 As Ennis Faughs: 1947, 1948, 1952, 1954, 19942. Kilrush Shamrocks21 1902, 1903, 1912, 1924, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1937, 1938, 1951, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 19873. Doonbeg 18 1955, 1961, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 20104. Kilmurry Ibrickane16 1933, 1935 (as Quilty), 1936 (as Quilty), 1939 (as Quilty), 1963, 1966, 1993, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 20205. St. Joseph's, Miltown Malbay15 1905, 1906, 1916, 1923, 1925, 1927, 1932, 1949, 1953, 1959, 1985, 1990, 2015, 2018, 20196. Cooraclare10 1915, 1917, 1918, 1944 (with Kilmihil), 1945, 1956, 1964, 1965, 1986, 19977. St. Senan's, Kilkee8 1926, 1928, 1942, 1984, 1989, 1992, 2003, 20058. Cratloe3 2013, 2014, 2023 Shannon Gaels, Labasheeda 1900 (as Labasheeda), 1970, 197110. Coolmeen2 1919, 1922 Kilfenora 1941, 1950 Kilmihil 1944 (with Cooraclare), 1980 Newmarket-on-Fergus 1887, 188813. Clarecastle1 1908 Kildysart 1889 Killimer 1886 Liscannor 1940 Lissycasey 2007 O'Curry's, Doonaha 1946 St. Joseph's, Doora-Barefield 1898 (as Doora)
List of Clare SFC finals