Hurlers to face Waterford in championship

For the second year in a row, Clare will face Waterford in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship.

Last week’s draw decreed that the Davy Fitzgerald-managed Clare will play the side he managed for the previous four championships. The teams will meet in a quarter-final, with the winners going through to play Cork in the provincial semi-final. Tipperary and Limerick will meet in the other semi-final.

Clare and Waterford will also meet in the opening round of the Allianz Hurling League at the end of February.

“We have to try and turn it around. They have beaten us the last couple of times,” commented the Sixmilebridge man said.

“Tipperary have Eamonn O’Shea back, Cork have made progress, so have we and Limerick have also made progress. Waterford are there or thereabouts so it’s open for any of the teams,” Fitzgerald said about the 2013 Munster Championship.

“We have to be competitive. We have a very young side coming through,” he added, before sounding a note of warning.

“Galway and Limerick have had success at U-21 level and didn’t bring it through at senior. We will be doing our best to bring the lads along”.

The Clare boss wasn’t unduly worried about the fact that his charges will have to play a quarter-final tie in Munster. “It just means that we have to be ready that bit earlier. We are happy to be in the quarter-finals,” he said.

He added, “Players have been given a programme to work on over the coming weeks and training will begin on December 1.”

It is understood a number of changes have been made to the panel for 2013. Among those who have been omitted are Pat Vaughan (Crusheen), Diarmuid McMahon, Daire Keane (Kilmaley), Andrew Fahy (Whitegate), Cathal Chaplin (Broadford) and Caimin Morey (Sixmilebridge).

It is believed Cathal O’Connell (Clonlara), David McInerney (Tulla), Cillian and Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin), Alan O’Neill (St Joseph’s) and Jamie Shanahan (Sixmilebridge) have been called into the squad.

Meanwhile, Clare have received a bye into the semi-final of the Munster Senior Football Championship in 2013. There they will play either Limerick or Cork, who meet in the first round. On the other side of the draw, Kerry and Tipperary will again meet in the opening round, with Waterford awaiting the winners.

A special committee under the chairmanship of county chairman Michael O’Neill is presently searching for a new management team for the senior footballers. Micheál McDermott stepped down after three years at the helm following Clare’s exit from the championship in July.

A meeting of the Munster Council will, in the coming weeks, make the draws for the provincial, U-21 and minor championships.

League fixtures
Clare will also face Waterford when the 2013 Allianz Hurling League gets underway. The Banner side will have home advantage in the opening round, which is scheduled for Sunday, February 24. The league will commence on Saturday, February 23 when Cork will entertain Tipperary at 7pm.

Clare’s other league games will be on March 10 (at home to Galway); Monday, March 18 (away to Cork); March 24 (at home to Kilkenny) and March 31 (away to Tipperary).

The footballers will also begin their league campaign with a home game against Waterford and this is set for Sunday, February 3.

Their remaining games will be on February 10 (away to Leitrim), March 3 (away to Offaly), March 10 (at home to Tipperary), Saturday, March 16 (at home to London), March 24 (away to Carlow) and April 7 (at home to Limerick).