Lissycasey to pick up opening points

BASED on their recent Garry Cup and O’Gorman Cup form, Lissycasey seem to have regrouped superbly after a disappointing 2009.

They have recorded three successive wins in the Garry Cup and last week reached the O’Gorman Cup final. In fact, they defeated an albeit weakened Kilmurry Ibrickane, in the O’Gorman Cup semi-final after extra time. Therefore, the 2007 county champions have to be reasonably content that they are entering this year’s championship in decent shape.
Declan Conway, who was manager of Lissycasey when they won their first championship title three years ago, is back in charge this year, while Brendan Rouine is in charge of Ennistymon.
The former Clare county footballer is expecting a trying hour this weekend when the teams meet in the opening round of the championship.
“Lissycasey in the opening game is a big ask. They seem to have regrouped in a big way,” the Ennistymon manager said. “They’ll be very difficult to get a result off and we’re not looking past that,” he added.
Lissycasey picked up the points when the teams met in the Garry Cup Division 2 league and they will hope that players like Seán Hill at full-back, Michael Melican, Alan Nagle and Colin Lynch will lead them to an opening two points. Martin Daly was introduced to match-winning effect against Kilmurry Ibrickane in the O’Gorman Cup semi-final and is still capable of being a very positive influence from play or frees.
Players like Laurence Healy, Willie Murphy, Joe Dowling and Danny Rouine will have to turn it on for Ennistymon if they are to start the championship with a win.
Ballyvaughan defeated Ennistymon in Cusack Park last year and the men in black and white will be highly motivated that their latest visit to the county grounds will be a more successful one.
Result-wise, it is likely that Lissycasey will get off to a winning start. Interestingly, former county men Colin Lynch and Odran O’Dwyer are training Lissycasey and Ennistymon respectively.

Cratloe v St Joseph’s, Doora-Barefield
Cratloe and St Joseph’s, Doora-Barefield have played each other at the business end of several underage championships in recent years. However, this weekend they come face to face in round one of the senior football championship in Cusack Park.
Buoyed by their U-21A and intermediate championship victories last year, Cratloe shouldn’t lack confidence or know-how. What may hinder them though is the fact that they have several dual players and a number sitting the Leaving Certificate, while Seán Collins and Óige Murphy are on the Clare senior hurling panel.
St Joseph’s manager John Halpin is content with his side’s Garry Cup form and feels that because all four teams in the group are in the same league, all will feel that they can qualify for the last eight.
“We’d all have our aspirations. Everyone would be confident enough going into this group. We’re looking forward to it. We’re confident enough and we’re going well in the Garry Cup,” he stated.
“We’re playing fairly well at the moment but then again that could all come to nothing against Cratloe in Cusack Park. Our slope is upwards but it is on championship you’re judged,” he added.
Cratloe manager Colm Collins concurs with his counterpart, in that he believes all four clubs have a chance of emerging.
“Every team in the group thinks that they have a chance. We’ve all played each other in Division two,” the Kilmihil man commented.
Collins doesn’t think that Cratloe’s senior club dual status will mitigate against them, though he does suggest that their county players’ itinerary will stretch them.
“It’s easy enough to blend the two with club players but when you put the county into it you’d want to give lads a bit of a break,” he said.
Cratloe will rely upon Seán Collins, Óige Murphy, Barry Duggan and Conor McGrath to pull them through, while St Joseph’s will look to former Kerry goalkeeper Declan O’Keeffe, Niall White, Stephen Collins and Cathal O’Sullivan to lead them to an opening victory.
Cusack Park, though, should suit Cratloe and if they can call upon most of their first-choice players, they should have too much for St Joseph’s.