StatSports’ Alan Clarke named as a finalist for EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme

Alan Clarke of StatSports pictured working with Arsenal

Alan Clarke of local company StatSports has been named as a finalist for this year’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme.

Clarke has been nominated in the international category of the prestigious award where he will be up against Crest Solutions (Frank Madden), Diona (Graham Stubbs), PlanNet21 (Denise Tormey), SOSventures (Sean O’Sullivan), Stripe (Patrick and John Collison), Vita Liberata (Alyson Hogg) and Vizor (Ross Kelly and Conor Crowley).

StatSports was founded in Dundalk by Alan Clarke and Sean O’Connor in 2008 and is now based in Newry.

Since then StatSports has grown to become Europe’s premier, unrivalled sports science service with Manchester Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal and the Leinster Rugby team amongst their clients.

Their range of products includes the world’s only GPS analysis and consultancy service. StatSports offer teams and individual athletes the opportunity to train and test themselves using the most advanced sports science equipment currently available, catering for all teams and individuals from the elite to the amateur.

As part of the nomination for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year, finalists will travel with 100 former finalists for a week-long CEO retreat to Berlin and Munich in June. There they wil visit some of the biggest names in German industry, including the BMW headquarters.

The awards gala will take place in October with a winner in the three categories announced before an overall winner is selected to represented Ireland at the World Entrepreneur of the Year awards in Monaco in June 2016.

Liverpool using Dundalk company to prepare for the new season

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard with the StatSports device under his shirt after the victory over Melbourne Victory

If Liverpool are to end their 24 year wait for a league title come next May then they may have a local company to thank for it.

StatSports, which is run by Dundalk men Alan Clarke and Sean O’Connor, are currently working with Brendan Rodgers’ side as they built up to the new season.

While the StatSports system is used by a number of other Premier League clubs, including champions Manchester United, the Daily Mail went behind the scenes at Liverpool’s friendly over Melbourne Victory earlier this week to get the low down on the system, which monitors player performance.

You can read the full article here.

Dundalk’s away record comes crashing to an end

Dundalk’s Stephen O’Donnell closes down Shamrock Rovers midfielder Ronan Finn on Monday night

Dundalk’s 100% away record came crashing to an end at Tallaght Stadium last night after Stephen Kenny’s side went down 1-0 to Shamrock Rovers.

The Lilywhites had won all of their away fixtures in the opening series of games but a stoppage time goal at the end of the first half by Sean O’Connor ensured that it was the Hoops that were celebrating at the end.

The goal was somewhat controversial as it came three minutes into additional time, with visiting supporters querying where referee Anthony Buttimer got all the time from.

Tiarnan Mulvenna went closest to an equaliser late on but it was not to be for Stephen Kenny’s side, who remain in fourth, and are now looking to bounce back at home to Shelbourne on Friday night.