David Reidy a major doubt for Oscar Traynor clash

TITLE holders, Dublin AUL, who are chasing a third title in-a-row, stand between Clare and a place in the semi-finals of this season’s Oscar Traynor Cup.

Their quarter-final meeting kicks off at the County Grounds in Doora on Sunday at 2pm and should attract a big turnout of soccer followers.

Clare manager Liam Murphy wants to see a big following for his charges. “We would love to see a big crowd turn up to support our team. It’s a pity it’s clashing with the hurling league and also with the rugby (Ireland v Scotland) but we would still expect a big turnout for our game.”

Murphy and his backroom team must plan without the suspended Daryl Eade, who captained the team when they beat Roscommon earlier in the campaign. Eade was sent off during the Clare team’s win over Cork in their last outing.

There are major doubts about the fitness of David Reidy.

“David is a big worry at this stage due to an ankle injury and we won’t know until nearer match time whether or not he will be able to play,” Newmarket-on-Fergus man Murphy said.

There are also some concerns about the fitness of Steven Hickey, who took a knock last week but it’s expected that the Ennis Town Rock clubman will play.

Murphy acknowledges that Clare face a huge task in Sunday’s quarter-final.

“Dublin teams are always strong at this level, you are talking about the best in the country. They are the holders and are going for a third title in succession. That said, this particular Clare team should not fear anyone. They are a good young team,” the manager said.

Murphy has seen some of the Dublin players in action in club games in Dublin. “They haven’t played any friendlies but we have heard a lot about them and there is no doubt but they will be very hard to crack,” he said.

Having accounted for a fancied Cork outfit in their last outing should give Clare confidence going into Sunday’s test.

“Reputation-wise, Cork are up there with Dublin and Limerick. Maybe they didn’t take us as serious as they should have. We got a good start and we played very well on the day with the exception of the last 20 minutes. Maybe we caught them on the hop.

“This is a chance to play one of the best teams in the country. They won’t fear Clare and they will come down here confident of progressing but we will be ready for them,” he promised.

Clare won’t finalise their team for Sunday’s game until nearer match time but it won’t be far away from that which started against Cork. David McCarthy (Avenue United), Pat Darcy (Lifford) and Alan Brigdale (Newmarket Celtic) are among those challenging to fill the vacancy caused by Eade’s absence.

Dublin AUL secretary, Dick Redmond said, “Our league takes this competition very seriously”.

He confirmed they have five junior internationals in their squad. “We understand that we are favourites, helped, no doubt, by the fact that we have had comfortable wins in our games on the way to this stage of the competition.”

They have conceded just one goal on the way to Sunday’s last-eight game.

“We are looking forward to our trip down to Clare. We are expecting a tight game. It is a quarter-final match and we will be hoping to be at the right side when the final whistle sounds,” Redmond said.

Dublin are the favourites, not just to win this game but to go on and retain the title. That said, Clare have gone into most of their games in this campaign as underdogs and have managed to come through. They will have taken great confidence from those wins and they are expected to make life very difficult for the visitors.