Final beckons for the Banner boys

WITH almost half of last year’s squad available, it’s no surprise Clare are again in the hunt for All-Ireland minor hurling honours. Pipped at the post by a highly rated Kilkenny side last year, Clare have been hugely impressive this season and, from an early stage, were installed as title favourites.
Their opponents in Sunday’s semi-final at Croke Park (throw-in 1.30pm) are also highly rated even though they have had just one competitive outing in this campaign. Galway have been strong challengers for the title over the past decade under the management of Mattie Murphy.
In the Gort man’s time at the helm, the county has played in 10 All-Ireland minor finals, including one replay, claiming five of them. By any standards, it’s a remarkable record.
Clare won’t name the starting line-up for Sunday until before their final training session on Friday evening but the expectation is the team will be unchanged from that, which started against Waterford in the Munster final.
Full-back, Niall O’Connor had a few anxious moments in the early stages against both Tipperary and Waterford but, on each occasion, he settled and grew stronger as the game progressed. His flankers, Jack Browne and Seadna Morey, have been outstanding all season. Feakle’s Eibhear Quilligan has been the first-choice goalkeeper since the campaign got underway back in April when Clare defeated Kerry in Tralee
The foundations for the win over Waterford in the Munster final were laid in the half-back line where Jarlath Colleran, Jamie Shanahan and Gearóid O’Connell were outstanding and the focus is likely to be on them again this week.
Galway have a physically strong half-forward line and if they are to be stopped, they will have to be outplayed in this sector where Jason Flynn (St Thomas) and Jonathon Glynn (Ardrahan) have been excelling.
The midfield partnership of Tony Kelly, the team captain, and Colm Galvin has won rave reviews since they first teamed up at the start of last season. They have been outstanding in all ties and just as Clare may face a big threat from the Galway half-forwards, the Tribesmen face a huge task if they are to get on top of the powerful Clare midfield pairing.
Cathal O’Connell missed the latter stages of last year’s campaign due to an appendix operation and his performances to date have confirmed he was a huge loss in the 2010 final.
It’s been argued that Wolfe Tones’ player, Aaron Cunningham, should have started in last year’s final. He has been a first-choice forward throughout this campaign and he has been most impressive. Oisín Hickey, a member of the Ard Scoil Rís Harty Cup-winning panel, is another to impress this season and he will again be at full-forward on Sunday. Peter Duggan has been a standout since winning a place at wing-forward, while Shane O’Donnell has troubled a lot of defences from his position at corner-forward. Kilmaley’s Eoin Enright won a place in the starting line-up for the provincial semi-final against Tipperary when he scored a crucial goal and he was retained for the final against Waterford.
Alan Mulready, a member of last year’s panel, has struggled to get into the starting line-up in this campaign but has been introduced in most games.
A tally of 8-24, irrespective of the opposition’s strength, is an impressive tally at any time and suggests Galway will be very difficult to beat. That said, Clare have been impressive on the way to this stage of the campaign and will not be easily knocked out.
At the end of what should be a close contest, the Banner side may be narrowly ahead and through to play Dublin or Waterford in the final on the first Sunday in September.

Galway ‘the biggest minor team I’ve seen’ – Moloney

THERE is a difference about Galway this year according to Clare joint manager, Donal Moloney.
The Scariff man believes that, in the past, there was no big effort by them earlier in the year but that hasn’t been the case this year. “We played them in March in Tulla and six weeks ago, we played them in Cusack Park. That one was fairly competitive. Galway were very strong,” he noted.
Donal travelled to Parnell Park to watch them destroy Antrim in the quarter-final. “They were extremely fit and focused. In a one-sided game, they were relentless in their approach. They never eased off.”
In line with joint manager, Gerry O’Connor, he has noted the physicality of the Galway side. “Physically, they are the biggest minor team I have seen in my years involved. We are facing a significant challenge on Sunday.”
Is he concerned that Clare are being tipped as hot favourites? “We were favourites to beat Tipperary and Waterford. It’s not really relevant. It’s a one-off showdown between two very strong teams. It’s irrelevant who is favourite,” he replied.
“Galway have proved time and time again that coming into the All-Ireland title race at this stage is no handicap. They will be fit and well prepared. Remember, the bookies haven’t seen Galway apart from the one-sided quarter-final tie,” Moloney added.
He believes it’s an advantage to Galway that they have had the same management team for a number of years.
“The fact that Galway have had the same management team for the past decade has helped them significantly They know how to get a team right. They have four or five All-Irelands to their name. They go back to the same template each year. It came unstuck last year but they are a well-organised and prepared outfit,” according to the Clare man.
“Our two games have given us a lot to work on and I am pleased with how the lads have dealt with the challenges presented. Slackness came into some of our play in the last 15 minutes in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. We fell back defensively against Tipperary in the last five minutes so these are things we have to work on,” he added.
No doubt, the Clare management team have worked on those problems since the Munster final.