*John Conlon clashes with Seadna Morey. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
A GREAT weekend is forecast for Clare hurling with Cusack Park to host double headers on Saturday and Sunday in the TUS Clare SHC quarter-finals.
Two-time All-Ireland winner, Liam Doyle the wing back on Clare’s successes of 1995 and 1997 is eagerly looking forward to the action. “The beauty of the draw is that there are a number of derby pairings” and everything points to close contests in the Bodyke clubman’s view and he feels injuries to key players could well prove decisive.
Scariff and Cratloe get the action underway on Saturday afternoon at 2:30pm, it remains to be seen if Scariff will be without their captain Mark Rodgers. “He is their main man and the injury appears to be serious. Scariff will, of course, want him while all of Clare will be hoping that he won’t do any further damage to his ankle. They are an up-and-coming team with an awful lot of youth”.
Cratloe’s experience will be an advantage, he felt. “The majority of their squad are around a long time and they know the scene. If Rodgers plays it will be interesting to see how things will go if he comes up against another of the Clare stars of this year in Diarmuid Ryan. I think it will be Cratloe particularly if Rodgers is out,” Doyle predicted.
Assessing the meeting of Feakle and Crusheen, Liam told The Clare Echo, “both have been knocking on the door for honours for a while. Feakle have more or less the same bunch with the addition of a few young fellas who helped St Joseph’s Tulla to Harty Cup honours. Shane McGrath continues to be their main go to man who does the bulk of their scoring. Just as Scariff need Rodgers, Feakle need McGrath. Two county players on a club team is a big boost and they have Adam Hogan who is likely to be honoured with an All Star award later this year and Eibhear Quilligan.”.
Regarding last year’s beaten finalists Crusheen, he said, “year after year they are in the hunt and you have to admire their drive. Michael Browne and Aidan Harte who is now gone in as part of the Galway senior management are key men in their backroom. One has to admire Cian Dillon’s longevity, he is so consistent and he is still manning the number 6 jersey”. That said Liam gives the nod to Feakle to just shade it.
Clonlara’s group meeting with Éire Óg “was one of the best club games in Clare for a number of years. Clonlara have players of inter county standard in all lines. They had a comprehensive win over Clooney/Quin who had been tipped to come out of the group. They showed no mercy, they were ruthless in their approach”.
Their opponents in this week’s quarter final are Sixmilebridge “and one thing the Bridge have is tradition. They don’t care who they are playing, they will always fancy their chances. That said, at the end of the day I expect Clonlara to be ahead”.
The remaining quarter final pits Éire Óg against Inagh/Kilnamona and, in Liam’s view, “this is the game most people are looking forward to. It’s the tie of the round and it’s a hard one to call. A lot depends on Shane O’Donnell. Is he fit enough, he will certainly play some part. We can say the same with regard to Aidan McCarthy. He came on against Broadford in their last game and he will probably play from the start this week. I might be going against general opinion in giving the nod to Inagh/Kilnamona to win this one. They have had great underage success which they didn’t capitalise on for a few years. They have bounced back from their first round loss. Yes, the town of Ennis needs a title win but I give the nod to Inagh/Kilnamona to win this one”.
Looking at the relegation games he says “both Clooney/Quin and O’Calllaghans Mills have a lot of young players this year. There won’t be much in it but I think Clooney/Quin will edge through”.
The other relegation tie pits Corofin against St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield. “Corofin have been a small bit unlucky this year as they lost a few key players and they have had a number of injuries. To survive at senior level, they need all players and one or two more. I think St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield will edge this one”.
