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.^[3] 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.^[4]

2013–present: Colm Collins

Collins led Clare from Division 4 to Division 2 of the National Football League.^[5][6][7]

Clare qualified for a 2016 All-Ireland SFC quarter-final by defeating Roscommon.^[8]

Won against Roscommon again, this time at Croke Park, in the 2022 All-Ireland SFC.^[9][10]

Notable players

• Gary Brennan^[20]
• Gordon Kelly^[21]

Records

• David Tubridy became top scorer in National Football League history against Cork in May 2021,^[22] his total score in the competition after this game (22–412, i.e. 478 points) causing him to overtake the record of Mickey Kearins.^[23]

All Stars

Clare has one All Star.

National

• All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
  • Runners-up (1): 1917
• All-Ireland Senior B Football Championship
  • Winners (2): 1991
• Tommy Murphy Cup
  • Winners (1): 2004
• National Football League Division 2
  • Winners (2): 1992, 1995
• National Football League Division 3
  • Winners (2): 1987, 2016
• National Football League Division 4
  • Winners (1): 1982
• All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
  • Winners (1): 1929

Provincial

• Munster Senior Football Championship
  • Winners (2): 1917, 1992
  • Runners-up (13): 1912, 1915, 1916, 1919, 1925, 1929, 1936, 1937, 1941, 1949, 1997, 2012, 2023
• McGrath Cup
  • Winners (13): 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2008, 2019
• Munster Football League
  • Winners (1): 1933–34
• Munster Junior Football Championship
  • Winners (1): 1925
• Munster Minor Football Championship
  • Winners (3): 1929, 1930, 1953

Competitive record

All-Ireland Minor Football Championship Final appearances