Clare SHC Semi-Final Preview: Ballyea Manager Kevin Sheehan

Ballyea manager Kevin Sheehan may well have to plan without one of his key generals for this weekend’s crucial Clare SHC semi-final clash with O’Callaghan’s Mills.

Gary Brennan is currently in a race against time to be fit for the game as he recovers from an ankle injury sustained during Clondegad’s defeat to Cratloe in the Clare senior football championship two weeks ago.

Sheehan outlined that Brennan is struggling to be back on time for the game and rated his chances of playing as being “50/50 at best”.

It would be a major blow to the 2018 champions as they prepare to take on arguably the form team of this year’s championship with the East Clare men impressive in their run to the last four.

Ballyea have also not put a foot wrong in getting to this stage and Sheehan is pleased with how their season has unfolded so far.

“We had built towards hopefully having a decent campaign in the championship this year so thankfully we now find ourselves in the semi-finals. We are pleased with a lot of what we have done but it has been a mixed bag in some of the games too. The first day against Crusheen was a real arm wrestle and against Clooney-Quin we just got lucky by the fact that they were so light on numbers on the day. The Kilmaley game was a bit more tactical and the ball was being whipped around the field that bit more in the open spaces so we have seen three very different types of hurling in all the matches and we are happy enough with that. After the first quarter the last day, we were a bit sporadic in some of our decision making and shooting but after that I felt we settled into the task pretty well and the lads got on with what they had to do and we were justified in coming out with the win” he noted.

Brennan’s injury could mean that a reshuffle is required, but Sheehan feels that the younger talent they have unearthed this year means that there is plenty cover there to step into the fray.

“Last year we felt were caught a bit when we picked up the few injuries with Gary and Tony and changing things up seemed to upset things a bit. We put a lot of effort into the U-21’s this year even though it stopped early, and we think we picked up a few lads from that to add to our panel. Some more lads found a vein of form and we are happy with the hunger and competitiveness we are seeing in training” he said.

It is the third time these sides have met in the last four seasons, with Ballyea holding the whip hand having come out on top on the previous two occasions. Sheehan feels those games will count for very little this time around.

“We had huge battles with them in 2017 and 2018, and I felt that game in 2018 was arguably one of the hardest matches we played that year. They have found more players to add to that and have a really strong style of play with some very good hurlers. They have that really dangerous mix of lads with huge experience along with some really good young talent so it is going to be a formidable task for sure” he warned.