Munster Minor Hurling Championship Round 3
Clare v Limerick at O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge, Thursday, April 18, 7pm (Shane Scanlon, Cork)
Having already achieved it with the confident manner of their All-Ireland winning performance, the latest Clare minor hurling squad are also looking to inspire their senior counterparts in the first Shannonside derby of the weekend in Sixmilebridge this evening (Thursday).
Despite twelve minor debuts in their championship opener against Waterford a fortnight ago, Brian O’Connell’s side seamlessly pick up where their predecessors left off in 2023 with a commanding 0-22 to 0-13 victory in Cusack Park.
With an unchanged team set to complete their home quota this evening, the Banner need to make the most of this chance to effectively reduce the Munster Final chasing field to three teams, with Clare set to face fellow fancied sides Cork and Tipperary away over the coming weeks.
Ringrustiness perhaps was a factor in Limerick’s slow start against Cork but they certainly warmed to their task and did manage to rally and slash the arrears to just two coming down the final straight, the visitors will be more confident of causing an upset in Sixmilebridge.
After all, with Shane Dowling at the helm and Ardscoil Rís coach Liam Cronin also involved in the backroom team, they will have a better inside track on Clare than any other Munster rival.
Clare will look to their most experienced protagonists Marc O’Brien and Harry Doherty who combined for half of their side’s handsome first round tally of 22 points, to steer the ship and essentially protect their perfect start.
Clare team v Limerick
1. Matthew Crotty (Scariff)
2. Darren Moroney (Éire Óg)
3. Sean McNamara (Clooney-Quin)
4. Sean Óg Kilkenny (Bodyke)
5. Dara Kennedy (Ballyea)
6. James Cullinan (Ruan)
7. Rian Mulcahy (Éire Óg)
8. Graham Ball (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
9. Matthew Corbett (Clooney-Quin)
10. Darragh McNamara (Clooney-Quin)
11. Patrick Finneran (Clooney-Quin)
12. Harry Doherty (Clarecastle)
13. Conor Ralph (Clarecastle)
14. Marc O’Brien (Cratloe) (Captain)
15. Liam Murphy (O’Callaghan’s Mills)
16. Jack Lovett (Broadford)
17. Ryan Hayes (Tulla)
18. Eanna Collins (Cratloe)
19. Evan Crimmins (Newmarket-on-Fergus)
20. Michael Vaughan (Broadford)
21. Jerry O’Connor (Clooney-Quin)
22. Paul Rodgers (Scariff)
23. Tadhg Lohan (Cratloe)
24. Roan McDermott (Éire Óg)
25. Cillian McGrath (Clonlara)
26. Eoin Fitzpatrick (Banner)
27. Jack O’Halloran (Sixmilebridge)
28. Jake Gibbons (Whitegate)
29. Luke McGuane (Inagh-Kilnamona)
30. Darragh Ball (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
31. Cian O’Callaghan (Ballyea)