Clare teams look to draw on home comforts for provincial tests

Eoin Brennan previews the Munster senior, intermediate and junior quarter-finals involving Éire Óg, Kildysart and Liscannor this weekend

Munster Senior Club Football Championship Quarter-Final (Extra Time if Necessary –
Result on the Day)

Éire Óg v The Nire (Waterford) at Cusack Park Ennis, Sunday 1.15pm (John Ryan, Cork)

The mere mention of Ballymacarbry around Ennis tends to evoke great memories of ladies football clashes between Banner Ladies and the perennial Waterford champions.

Indeed, only last weekend Ballymac edged out the Clare champions to win back the prestigious Munster Senior Club honours after a 22 year gap but their winning legacy hasn’t exactly transferred over to their male counterparts in recent years.

The Nire, based on the Waterford/Tipperary border have a unique GAA Club relationship as their three codes are spread into as many entities, with Ballymacarbry (ladies football), Fourmilewater (hurling) and The Nire (men’s football).

Up to this year, one man predominantly oversaw all three as former Waterford hurling manager Michael Ryan has remarkably been part of 23 All-Ireland wins at club and inter-county levels over the past half century.

The Nire do have the edge over Éire Óg in that they have contested three Munster Senior Club Football finals in the past 15 years but were beaten in their last outing against Clare opposition in 2018 as St Joseph’s Miltown edged them out on their way to the decider.

Like The Nire, Éire Óg secured recent back-to-back domestic crowns but having fought off Loughmore Castleiney after extra-time in their opening provincial bout at home this time last year, the Townies will feel disappointed to have fallen to St Finbarr’s of Cork at the semi-final hurdles as they uncharacteristically leaked two sucker-punch goals.

Domestically Éire Óg haven’t conceded a single goal in their title winning campaigns these past two seasons and backed by the county experience of Ciaran Russell, Aaron Fitzgerald, Einne O’Connor and Manus Doherty, they have a major counter-attacking platform to hurt opposition sides.

The Nire’s strength is anchored around the centre where midfielders Sean Walsh and Tholom Guiry are imposing figures for livewires such as Waterford hurling stars Jamie Barron and Conor Gleeson to prosper.

Éire Óg won’t be too perturbed as Darren O’Neill and David McNamara will be aided by Oran Cahill and Niall McMahon in the central war zone in the hope of unleashing the twin threats of Gavin Cooney and Mark McInerney to inflict the majority of the damage.

There is a burning desire for Éire Óg to make the most of arguably their most potent ever side and finally make a breakthrough in Munster. However, they will need to handle The Nire with care first and with Cusack Park being their home for five out of their last six outings, it should dictate a seventh consecutive championship triumph.

Munster Intermediate Club Championship Quarter-Final (Extra Time if Necessary –
Result on the Day)

Kildysart v Kanturk (Cork) at Cusack Park Ennis, Saturday 1.15pm (Seamus Mulvihill, Kerry)

It could well be the tie of the entire weekend in the province if both sides live up to expectations. All because having been under immense pressure to finally get over the line in their own domestic intermediate championships, the shackles should now be off for what promises to be an compelling end-to-end tie.

Only three weeks ago Kildysart managed to finally make their much anticipated breakthrough to bridge a 19-year gap in what was their fifth final attempt in seven seasons.

The addition of Jamie Evans to bolster their firepower that includes county senior Emmet McMahon and Seamus Casey has somewhat solaced the huge loss of chief marksman Diarmuid O’Donnell through injury,

However, with the prospect of senior football for the first time in 17 years on the horizon, there should be a release to finally express themselves in a rare Munster campaign.

They have represented the county twice before, first in the inaugural Munster Intermediate Club Championship in 2003 and then at junior level in 2008. However, having won an O’Gorman Cup and reached this year’s Cusack Cup, their ambition, optimism and confidence should be aimed far higher this time around.

That said, if Kildysart are to make an impact in Munster, they will have to do it the hard way as in the 18 years of this competition’s life-span, it has only ever been won by Kerry (14) and Cork (4) clubs and they scheduled to potentially face both.

It’s a similar story for Kanturk who after been agonisingly edged out in the previous two Cork Premier Intermediate deciders, finally made it third time lucky three weeks ago in a commanding victory over Bantry Blues.

They are a big side backboned by five Walsh brothers (Alan, Colin, Ian, Paul and Ryan) along with their first cousin and former Cork dual star Aidan. There are the McLoughlin brothers too, John and most notably former county senior hurler Lorcán, all of whom are physically imposing.

It presents a different challenge for Kildysart as while Kanturk have had their recent intermediate football heartbreak, it does mask the fact that they are now a dual senior club, with this being their sixth county title in eleven seasons.

The North Cork side also have great memories of Munster having overcome Kilmaley in the 2017 intermediate hurling decider after extra-time before going on to garner All-Ireland honours to boot.

Therefore this will present a difficult first test for the Clare champions but backed by home advantage and the character of fending off any previous adversities, nothing is impossible for this Kildysart side.

Munster Junior Club Championship Quarter-Final (Extra Time if Necessary – Result on the Day)

Liscannor v Thurles Sarsfields (Tipperary) at Hennessy Memorial Park Miltown Malbay,
Saturday 1.15pm
(Eoin Morrissey, Waterford)

While Thurles Sarsfields have represented Tipperary eleven previous times in Munster and even won a senior hurling title in 2012, this is their first ever provincial adventure in football as the dual club finally climb back up the adult ladder with a first county Junior A crown in 33 years.

They have certainly never played on the Wild Atlantic Way, a unique West Clare welcome that Liscannor will hope to capitalise upon especially if the expected testing weather conditions adhere to their initial forecast.

There is of course a large contrast in playing numbers, with Sarsfields fielding five adult hurling teams (Senior, Intermediate, Junior A, B and C) as well as this flagship football side whereas Liscannor’s playing pool is notedly far shallower.

It’s not all about numbers though as Liscannor have repeatedly highlighted over the past two decades and while they were considered to be on the decline in recent seasons due to ageing panel, it’s unsurprising that they bucked that trend by getting back to winning ways with a first county Junior A crown in 37 years.

Led by former Clare senior Alan Clohessy, Liscannor will need to be at their battling best once more on Saturday as despite a minimum crossover from their senior hurlers, Thurles Sarsfields do possess a healthy blend of youth and experience, no more so than former Tipperary star Mikey Cahill who came off the bench in the county final a fortnight to kick the winning goal against Sean Treacy’s.

Add in the fact that one would have to go back to 2015 and Coolmeen’s run to a Munster Junior Final to find the last Banner victory at this grade whereas Tipperary representatives have contested the last two provincial junior deciders and despite home advantage, the odds are stacked against Clare’s Junior A champions.

That’s probably only music to Liscannor’s ears as the North Clare side have repeatedly proven themselves to be the kings of defiance.