*Kevin Walsh keeps his eyes on the sliotar. Photograph: Natasha Barton
Four men who have all either played or managed teams that have come up against both Clare intermediate hurling championship finalists in recent times have given their views on how Sunday’s final will go with Smith O’Briens tipped as favourites by the quartet despite St Josephs Doora/Barefield viewed as the likely side to seal promotion.
Scariff’s Mark McKenna who managed his club to this title last season first spoke about how difficult it is to win this particular championship. “Some clubs believe that when they are relegated that they won’t be in the lower grade for long and that it’s only a matter of time until they are back up but that is not the case. This championship is so hard to win. It took us ages to get past the quarter final and then to gets over the next step. Last year Smith O’Briens took us to extra time and we really had to battle to get over the line by a point. Getting back up after being relegated is not automatic, there is a process to winning”.
“This is a first final experience for this Killaloe team. They have lost five semi-finals in recent times. Now that they have got to the final, it’s huge for the club. St. Josephs are more used to being in this position, they have been in this championship final a few times and have won. They have a certain know how. It’s a huge championship to win and we experienced a great sense of relief to get over the line last year. From the outset this season and from playing them regularly, I tipped Smith O’Briens for this title. That said St. Josephs’ timing is good and they had an emphatic semi-final victory so they are going into the final with huge confidence At the end of a very close contest I believe Smith O’Briens will be narrowly ahead”.
Tulla manager Jim McInerney, an All-Ireland senior medal winner with Clare in 1995 agrees that “this is a particularly difficult championship to win and with two teams dropping down from senior this year, it will be even harder next year. Smith O’Briens are a difficult side to break down, they defend well and they are able to get scores. They were beaten in extra time in the semi-final last year. They have brought in a couple of young players this year while players like Michael Gough and Micheal O’Shea are going well and Cian Nolan is tremendous at full back. They have a very good set of backs, they are well coached and they are able to find the man in space all the time”.
The Tulla man watched St. Josephs’ defeat to Corofin, “a game that didn’t matter to Josephs whereas Corofin had to win and they were a lot hungrier on the day. St. Josephs have ran up a couple of big scores this year. Killaloe’s defence is very strong and it will be interesting to see how the St. Josephs forward line will cope. Both are big strong physical teams and that is a huge help at this time of the year.. Both have coaches from neighbouring counties and this will add to the interest in the game. Can they get the players to do what they want them to do?. It should be a very interesting final. Smith O’Briens were very unlucky to lose at semi-final stage last year, they will be difficult to beat and from what I have seen this year. I give them the nod to win this one”.
Sixmilebridge native and Broadford clubman Danny Chaplin also gives the nod to the East Clare club. “If Smith O’Briens can open them up and play a running game, they might have the upperhand but St Josephs are a big strong physicaal team and they like to keep it tight and it’s very hard to break them down. The Killaloe side was very impressive in the second half against Tulla in the semi-final. Their workrate is massive. I have seen St. Josephs twice in this championship and they work very hard off the ball and make it difficult for the opposition to find team mates. Alan O’Neill is massive in the air and he has a huge physical presence. It’s a game I find very hard to call but I have a slight preference for Smith O’Briens. A lot of the guys that won Minor A when amalgamated with Broadford have come through to their adult team. Tommy Reddan is one of the best freetakers in the county. They have been in the concluding stages on a number of occasions in recent years. Broadford beat them in the semi-final three years ago. It’s an intriguing match between teams with different styles. It’s so hard to call but Smith O’Briens might edge it”, said Chaplin who was a mentor with his native Sixmilebridge at intermediate level this season.
Former Clare captain, Tubber’s Pat O’Connor is equally well versed with both finalists. “It’s a very hard championship to win. Once you get to quarter finals, all teams are in the hunt with as good a chance as any. I have played against both and they are worthy finalists this year”.
O’Connor missed this year’s club campaign due to a cruciate ligament injury, he felt Smith O’Briens were the team of the championship so far. “They look to have had the harder route to the final, they have had plenty of questions asked. They pushed Scariff to the absolute limit last year, the game went to extra time. When we were doing our analysis of them ahead of the quarter-final, it was very hard to figure out a way to stop them, They had seven different scorers in the semi-final and they have an excellent free taker and good backs. St. Josephs are steeped in history and have won two of these championships in the recent past, they are in with a great chance”.
O’Connor believe that the fact that both teams have coaches from outside the county makes for “an interesting sub battle. They can take the emotion of a county final and all that goes with it. It can be a highly strung occasion and they will be able to step away from that. St. Josephs are coming into this final with a really young team, the bulk of whom are in their mid twenties, Killaloe look to be the more experienced. That’s not to say that St Josephs can’t win it but I believe Smith O’Briens will shade it”, the Tubber man concluded.
