Gilligan and Carmody back for Clare

Niall Gilligan and Tony Carmody have returned to inter-county hurling.
Last Monday evening they lined out with the Clare intermediate team in their 2-26 to 4-10 win over Limerick in a challenge game at Clarina.
Gilligan’s outstanding form in club competition last year led to many patrons ­suggesting he should be recalled to the senior county squad.
However, the possibility of the ’Bridge senior star making a dramatic return to the senior squad is unlikely.
“I was invited in at the start of last year but if I went in at that stage I wouldn’t have been any use to the team in summer time,” he told The Clare Champion.
“With a break to the next round of the senior championship, the ’Bridge are taking a few weeks off so I agreed to join the intermediate squad,” he said.
While he accepted that a recall to the senior squad “is unlikely” he jokingly side-stepped the question saying, “I don’t think that Sparrow will be getting on to me.”
Both Gilligan and Carmody were regulars on the Clare senior side up to two years ago when they announced their retirement from the inter-county scene.
Gilligan continued to produce sparkling form for his club and was joined this year at club level by Carmody, who switched from Inagh-Kilnamona.
Both answered intermediate manager Kevin Kennedy’s call and impressed in Monday’s victory.
Plans are underway for a game with a Galway selection this week.
Monday’s line-out against Limerick was: Andrew Fahy (Whitegate); Noel Casey (Kilmaley), Patrick Kelly (Clarecastle), Francis O’Grady (Feakle); John Fennessy (Sixmilebridge), Conor Earley (Tubber), Michael Hawes (Cratloe); Enda Harrisson (Clooney-Quin), Ronan Keane (Éire Óg);
Joe O’Connor (Parteen), Tony Carmody (Sixmilebridge), Daire Keane (Kilmaley); Martin Duggan (Clooney-Quin),
Niall Gilligan (Sixmilebridge), Pádraig Hickey (Broadford).
Subs used: Declan
O’Rourke (Wolfe Tones), Aaron Considine
(Clarecastle), Paul Madden
(St Joseph’s).