Clare face into this Friday’s Munster minor football championship semi-final against Limerick without two of the survivors from last year’s team.
Michael Nash from Doora-Barefield suffered a cruciate knee injury with the minor hurlers while Doonbeg’s Dara Burns is also ruled out due to injury.
There are just three survivors from last year expected to be in the starting line up. Dylan O’Brien from Kilrush is the team captain and he is likely to line out at midfield while Odhran Cunningham from Killimer is expected to fill a defensive role with Wolfe Tones man Craig Riordan lining out in attack.
Twelve of the team will be starting in a Munster championship game for the first time. Cian Corry from Killimer is expected to get the nod to fill the goalkeeping position with James Cullinan from Ennistymon expected to be at midfield. Sean Rynne, the team’s vice captain will be in attack along with Lissycasey’s Conor Meaney who has recently recovered from a hand injury.
Manager of the Clare side Dermot Coughlan told The Clare Echo they recently watched Limerick’s clash with Tipperary. “Tipperary, with a lot of last year’s team were fancied for that one but Limerick were stronger physically. They have been together since under 15 when they won the Dermot Earley cup. They have a championship game under their belt which is a big advantage”.
Clare have played a number of challenge games in the lead up to this Friday’s outing and amongst their opponents were Connacht sides Roscommon and Galway. “We had an in house game last week when a number of the minor teams of the last two years came in and it was a good workout,” the Kilmurry Ibrickane clubman added.
Coughlan’s management team includes Sean Haugh (O’Currys), T. J. Carey (Liscannor), Dermot Gavin (Clondegad) and Barry McGroary (Corofin). Peter O’Dwyer from Kilmurry-Ibrickane is the goalkeeping coach, Martin Davis in charge of strength and conditioning, Aidan Slattery is the team physio while Dermot O’Mahoney from Kilrush is in charge of video analysis.
