Footballers up against it in Dungarvan

IF Clare are to avenge their nine-point league defeat to Waterford in Dungarvan on April 11, the groundwork for winning Sunday’s Munster quarter-final will have been laid in the six weeks since that emphatic league defeat.
The training ground is where a team’s shape and morale is sculpted and that work is invariably evident on match day. To win, Clare will first have to compete resolutely for the 70 minutes and put themselves in position to win a place in the Munster semi-final against Limerick on June 6. If they are to compete at the level required to beat Waterford, who won promotion to Division 3, a renewed belief will have to form part of Clare’s approach. That belief was seriously undermined by their successive league defeats to Limerick and Waterford after they had won six successive league games.
Laurence Healy, who played regularly at midfield and corner-back during the league, is out of this weekend’s game with a leg injury, while Scott Kinnevan and Kevin Cahill are also carrying injuries.
Barry Toner and Shane Brennan are back training, having recovered from hamstring injuries, while Barry Duggan returned to the starting team for last Thursday’s draw with Sligo. Joe Hayes has fully recovered and will man the goal for Clare, although both Graham Kelly and Dessie Molohan are definitely out injured.
Diarmuid Daly and Mark McCarthy, from a penalty, scored Clare’s goals in their 2-11 to 1-14 draw with Sligo.
The team, which lined out without David Tubridy and Alan Clohessy, started as follows: Joe Hayes; Brian Carrig, Barry Duggan, Mark Tubridy; Martin McMahon, Gordon Kelly, Declan Callinan; Ger Quinlan, Gary Brennan; Michael O’Shea, Diarmuid Daly, Peter O’Dwyer; Scott Kinnevan, David Russell, Cathal O’Connor.
Subs used: Mark McCarthy, Michael Hogan, Chris Dunning.
Players such as Shane and Darren Hickey and Enda Coughlan are likely to return this weekend, along with David Tubridy and Alan Clohessy.
Waterford, who conceded just two points from play to Clare in the league, have very experienced and able footballers in Shane Briggs, Mick Ahern, Gary Hurney and Liam O’Lionáin.
Clare, however, have plenty of men capable of eclipsing the best Waterford have to offer with David Russell, David Tubridy, Gary Brennan and Joe Hayes in their line-up.
If Clare win this weekend, the result would be a stunning turnaround from their last visit to Dungarvan. It’s not impossible but it is unlikely.