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REVEALED: The Clare sporting Mount Rushmore

Clare's Mount Rushmore was selected on OTB AM this morning, with four sporting giants earning the...



REVEALED: The Clare sporting M...
Racing

REVEALED: The Clare sporting Mount Rushmore

Clare's Mount Rushmore was selected on OTB AM this morning, with four sporting giants earning their place on the Banner mountain.

We had a scene set on Clare sport from Keith Wood and a final pitch from journalist Kieran Shannon, but ultimately it was down to Jamesie O'Connor and Syl O'Connor to make the selections.

There were plenty of names that made up our longlist, and many more not even mentioned, but here was the final four:

===

RUGBY - Keith Wood

An extraordinary hooker for Munster, Ireland and the Lions over many years, Wood is one of the most familiar faces in Irish rugby history.

As adept with his feet as his hands on the pitch, he won the inaugural World Rugby Player of the Year, which in itself would be enough to make most mountains.

Wood scored four tries in one game at the 1999 World Cup, captained Ireland during his nine-year international career, before retiring after the 2003 World Cup.

19 February 2000; Keith Wood, Ireland, in action against Gregor Townsend, 10, Anthony Pountney, 7, and Martin Leslie, Scotland. Six Nations Rugby International, Ireland v Scotland, Lansdowne Road, Dublin. Picture credit: Damien Eagers / SPORTSFILE

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HORSE RACING - Kieren Fallon

The Crusheen native was British Champion Jockey on six occasions, and is widely considered one of the great flat jockeys of all time.

Fallon retired from racing in 2016, having won both the Epsom Derby and the Epsom Oaks on three occasions.

Among many other honours, Fallon won the Irish Derby twice, the Irish Oaks three times and Irish St Leger once.

22 May 2016; Jockey Kieren Fallon during the Irish Guineas Racing at the Curragh Racecourse, Curragh, Co. Kildare. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

===

HURLING - Ger Loughnane

There was agreement between both Jamesie and Syl over this pick, with Loughnane a shoe-in for the Banner mountain.

Loughnane guided Clare's senior hurlers to two All-Ireland's and three Munster titles in the 1990s, a period of extraordinary success.

14 September 1997; Clare manager Ger Loughnane celebrates after the Guinness All Ireland Hurling Final match between Clare and Tipperary at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile

===

GAELIC GAMES - Michael Cusack

Cusack was born in the parish of Carron on the edge of the Burren, and went on to found the GAA.

Cusack left an extraordinary legacy that sees the gaelic grounds in Clare named for him. That meeting in Hayes' Hotel in Thurles in 1884 was one of the key moments in Irish history, and it's hard to argue against his inclusion.

===

Missed any of our Mount Rushmore county-by-county series? Watch back all episodes here! 

Here is Nathan Murphy's selection of Mayo

Here is Colm Boohig's selection of Cork

Here is Will O'Callaghan and Paul Rouse's selection of Offaly

Here is Shane Hannon and Gráinne McElwain's selection of Monaghan

Here is Diarmuid Lyng and Liam Griffin's selection of Wexford

Here is Neil Treacy and Jack Anderson's selection of Limerick

Here is Enda Coll and Kieran Cunningham's selection of Donegal

Here is Máire-Treasa Nic-Cheallaigh and Michael Lyster's selection of Galway

Here is Adrian Barry and Conor Moore's selection of Westmeath

Here is Ronan Mullen and Dan McDonnell's selection of Louth

Here is Alan Quinlan and Michael Quinlivan's selection of Tipperary

Here is Tommy Rooney and Hector Ó'hEochagáin's selection of Meath

Here is Conor Deegan and Donal O'Neill's selection of Down

Here is Ger Gilroy and Joe Molloy's selection of Kildare

Here is Thom Malone and Paul Howard's selection of Wicklow

Here is Dave McIntyre and Paul Fitzpatrick's selection of Cavan

Here is Arthur O'Dea and Alan Cawley's selection of Sligo

Here is Eoin Sheahan and Kieran Donaghy's selection of Kerry

Here is Cliona Foley and Shane Keegan's selection of Laois

Here is Enda McGinley and Orla Bannon's selection of Tyrone

Here is Oisin Langan and Jessie Barr's selection of Waterford

Here is Enda McEvoy and Gary Halpin's selection of Kilkenny

Here is Cahair O'Kane and Chrissy McKaigue's selection of Derry

Here is Declan Bogue and Colm Bradley's selection of Fermanagh

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Anthony Daly Axel Foley Clare Clare Gaa Ger Loughnane Hurling Keith Wood Kieren Fallon Mount Rushmore Off The Ball Otb Am