Clare face LIT in opening McGrath Cup game

MILTOWN Malbay will stage Clare’s first competitive game of 2013 when LIT visit for a preliminary-round McGrath Cup game, which will throw in at 2pm. If Clare win, they will play Limerick away on Sunday week (January 13) in the quarter-final.

The change in winter training rules means Clare and all counties, bar All-Ireland finalists and semi-finalists, could start their collective preparations at the beginning of December. Since then, they have been training in Corofin, playing football in Ryan’s Field in Clarecastle and working on a gym programme under the supervision of Micheál Cahill, who is the only link with last year’s management team following the recent appointments of Mick O’Dwyer, Ger Keane and Michael Neylon.

Last Saturday, Clare played NUIG in a challenge in Clarecastle. They were beaten 2-14 to 1-10 but fielded two separate teams in each half.

The team that started the first half was as follows: Peter O’Dwyer (Kilmurry Ibrickane); Declan Callinan (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Chris Dixon (Kilrush), Enda Coughlan (Kilmurry Ibrickane); Ivor White (Doora-Barefield), Gordon Kelly (St Joseph’s, Miltown), Martin McMahon (Kilmurry Ibrickane); Gary Brennan (Clondegad), Cathal O’Connor (Coolmeen); Shane Ryan (Doonbeg), Francis Hayes (Lissycasey), Joe Dowling (Ennistymon); Podge McMahon (Clondegad), Conor Talty (Parnell’s), Alan Clohessy (Liscannor).

The team that started the second half was as follows: Joe Hayes (Lissycasey); Seán Haugh (O’Curry’s), Ian McInerney (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Thomas Downes (Cooraclare); Dean Ryan (Éire Óg), Shane McNeilis (Kildysart), Joe Blake (Doonbeg); John Keane (Corofin), Ciarán Devitt (Ennistymon); Mark McCarthy (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Graham Glynn (Éire Óg), Conor Howley (St Breckan’s); Killian Malone (Kilfenora), Niall Kelly (Lissycasey), Kevin Cahill (Wolfe Tones).

Subs used in both games included Pierce De Loughrey (Cratloe) and Stephen Collins (Doora-Barefield). 
Gordon Kelly scored Clare’s goal.

As evidenced from the above teams, there are several newcomers to the current panel while Ger Quinlan has also returned for another year.

David Tubridy is carrying a groin injury at the moment while Rory Donnelly, on his return from honeymoon and Michael O’Shea, following a shoulder operation, are expected to return to the panel in early 2013. Along with David Tubridy and Ger Quinlan, a number of other players including Shane McGrath (Thomas Davis) and Chris Dunning (Wolfe Tones) didn’t feature against NUIG but they are part of the 2013 panel.

However, there are approximately 12 players who were part of last year’s championship panel who are not in the squad at the moment. John Hayes is playing rugby with Kilrush, Shane Brennan (Clondegad) is concentrating on his studies while Graham Kelly (Miltown) is working to shake off long-term injuries.

Ennistymon’s Laurence Healy, veteran midfielder David Russell, full-back Barry Duggan (Cratloe), the Hartnett brothers, Kevin (emigrated) and Barry (Meelick), Timmy Ryan (Kilmihil), Diarmuid Daly (Corofin, emigrated), Stephen Tierney (St Breckan’s, injured), Niall Browne (Two Mile House, Kildare), Dara Blake (Liscannor, travelling), Eoin Troy and Michael Foran (both O’Curry’s) are presently not part of the squad.

LIT have a number of Clare players attending the college including Chris Dixon (Kilrush), Francie Hayes (Lissycasey), Conor Talty (Parnell’s), Seánie Malone (Miltown), Seán Hayes (Lissycasey), Colm Callinan (Kilmihil) and Joe Haugh (Doonbeg). Dixon and Talty are expected to be part of the LIT squad, with the remaining trio likely to tog-out with Clare. Eoin Cleary (Miltown Malbay) has an ankle injury and cannot line out.

In last year’s McGrath Cup, Clare beat UL 0-18 to 1-8 in Doonbeg before losing 2-14 to 0-7 to Cork in Páirc Uí Rínn.

Clare will be hoping to make a winning start this weekend and ensure they will have at least two or three McGrath Cup games in the tank before they start their league campaign at home to Waterford on Sunday, February 3.

Sunday’s game in Hennessy Memorial Park will be refereed by James Bermingham (Cork). Ten minutes per half of extra time will be played if the game is level after 70 minutes.