With just over a week to go to the opening round of the Munster U20 hurling championship, Clare have been dealt a huge blow with the news that both Mark Rodgers and Shane Meehan will miss the campaign.
When Rodgers was introduced to the Clare attack ten minutes from the end of Sunday’s Munster senior championship quarter final win over Waterford at Thurles, it marked the end of his inter county U20 career.
In his final year eligible to play at this level, the ruling made by GAA authorities at congress which prevents U20 players from playing with their own age group if they play with their county senior team in the championship kicked in. The rule has applied in football for the past two years and it was extended to hurling this year.
Shane Meehan who is also a member of the Clare senior panel, will also miss the U20 campaign following surgery on a wrist injury last Friday which will keep him out of action for three months. The Banner clubman is also a member of the county U20 panel and will also miss out on their campaign which is also due to start in mid July.
“It’s a hammer blow to lose the two boys but we have to go with it now,” U20 manager Sean Doyle told The Clare Echo. “It’s Mark’s last year at this level while Shane is eligible for another season. He missed last year’s campaign due to COVID and may miss out next year if he graduates to the senior team as is being predicted”, the Bodyke man explained.
Adding to Doyle and his management team’s worries are concern about the fitness of two other members of the senior panel, Paddy Donnellan who is the under 20 captain and Cian Galvin.
Clare played Kilkenny in a challenge game last week, a game the Noresiders won on a 1-18 to 0-18 scoreline and both Donnellan and Galvin picked up injuries. “Galvin will be having an MRI on his knee this week but we remain hopeful that both will be fit in time for the opening game against Kerry on Monday week (July 12) next in Tralee.
Clare also played Tipperary in a challenge recently and scored an impressive win while they will have a game against Galway this week as they finalise preparations for the trip to Tralee.
The team which lined out against Kilkenny last week was Cian Broderick, (Clarcastle); Adam Hogan (Feakle), Darragh Healy(Clarecastle), Mike Gough (Smith O’Briens); Dylan McMahon (Clonlara), Aidan Moriarty (Clonlara), Adam Mungovan (St. Josephs); Paddy Donnellan(Broadford), James McGuire (Kilmaley); Oisin O’Donnell (Crusheen) Cian Galvin(Clarecastle), Shane Punch(Ruan); Conner Hegarty(Inagh-Kilnamona), Kevin Keane (Corofin), Diarmuid Cahill(Corofin).
Clonlara’s Colm O’Meara missed last week’s game due to injury but he is expected to be fit for the Munster campaign. Should Clare, as expected, account for Kerry in the opening round on Monday week, they will play Limerick a week later in the Provincial semi-final in Limerick.
