Hurlers entertain WIT in Waterford Crystal opener

CLARE will have their first competitive outing under manager Davy Fitzgerald when they take on Waterford IT in a first-round game of the Waterford Crystal Tournament on this Sunday in Sixmilebridge at 2pm.
The starting line-up will be finalised nearer match time but it is likely it will be similar to that which played against Gort last Saturday. A large number of the current senior panel are not available for this tournament as they must play with their college teams, Limerick IT and UL, while some more are part of the NUI Galway team, which is participating in the Walsh Cup in Leinster.
Amongst the Clare panellists who will play with their college teams in this competition are Donal Tuohy, Eoin Hayes, Patrick Kelly, Caimin Morey (NUI, Galway); Andrew Fahy, Eamonn and Brian Glynn, Sean Collins, Cathal McInerney (Limerick IT); Brendan Bugler and Conor McGrath (UL).
“Waterford IT are a strong side and this is a game I am certainly worried about. They scored some impressive victories in last year’s competition when they knocked Tipperary out of the competition and they have a lot of experienced players from Waterford and Kilkenny in particular in their ranks,” the team manager told The Clare Champion this week.
Newmarket’s Enda Barrett is expected to be available to assist Clare in this competition even though he is a member of the Waterford college panel and has been a regular in their team in recent years. Clare have released Barrett from some recent challenge games to allow him to play with his college side as they prepare for the upcoming Fitzgibbon Cup. In return, it is understood college officials will release him to be part of the Clare panel for this tournament.
What is Fitzgerald looking for from this competition? “It’s an opportunity for the players involved to stake a claim for a place in the team for the upcoming league and into the championship. We have had some worthwhile challenge games in recent weeks. A win on Sunday would provide further competitive action, which would be welcome,” said the Sixmilebridge man.
If Clare, the only team to have won at least one game each year since the competition began in 2006, are victorious on Sunday, they will then have a quarter-final tie against Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds a week later. Given the rivalry between the neighbouring counties and the fact they will meet in the opening round of the league in mid-February, a clash in the Waterford Crystal competition would surely lead to huge interest in the quarter-final tie.
With the opening round of the Fitzgibbon Cup just two weeks away, Waterford IT will be expected to be nearing peak form at this time, which should ensure a lively contest and a strong test for Clare at Sixmilebridge.