The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Talk of making history by wining a third successive Munster U-21 hurling title this Wednesday evening at Cusack Park doesn’t interest Donal Moloney, Clare’s joint manager.
“We are not interested in history. This is a new team, the last 3 teams have been distinct teams, there have been common players but this is a new group of guys. It’s a different team which has to find its own spirit and its own life. This is their Munster final to win, it’s not a team together for 3 years”, the Scariff native said after seeing the team defeat Tipperary in a cracking semi-final that required extra time
“We respect the fact that Cork are in the final. We expect a massive battle and we look forward to it”, Moloney went on. “Cork on a high after their Munster senior final win, Pat Kenneally is in charge of them and we know from playing them early in the year that they are working their socks off. They beat this Tipperary team quite comfortably in a challenge a few weeks back. They are serious quality opposition and our semi-final performance tonight won’t get us through, it won’t win the Munster final”, he warned
Meanwhile, there are no late injury concerns for Clare ahead of this evening’s eagerly awaited contest.
Shane O’Donnell will start for the first time in the campaign having missed much of the season due to a hamstring injury.
A final decision on whether or not Cathal O’Connell will be able to take his place on the substitutes bench will be made shortly before match time when he will undergo a fitness test. The Clonlara man was a key member of last year’s Munster and All-Ireland winning team.
Victory for Clare will give the Banner side a historic first ever three in a row of provincial titles at this level.
By Seamus Hayes, sports editor
