ROAD TO CROKER: The bench could win it

COMMENT

THINK about this; unless Clare win on Sunday, they will finish 2013 rated the third best team in the province.
The other way of looking at it is that they probably would be regarded as the third best team in the country. Such is the present sheen of Munster hurling that Tipperary are placed at number four in the provincial rankings.

The hurling season has been one of the most invigorating in living memory, yet one of the big three, Cork, have still managed to wangle their way into the All-Ireland final.

Since Offaly’s All-Ireland win in 1998, nobody outside of Kilkenny, Tipperary and Cork have managed to get a grasp on the Liam McCarthy Cup.

Neither Clare or Limerick can afford to dwell on that for now but if the winners of this weekend’s semi-final beat Cork on September 8, it will crown a magnificent hurling year.

So how can Clare go about ensuring that June 23’s Munster semi-final in Limerick was a warm up for the All-Ireland final?

Plenty has been said and written about Clare’s short game, which actually isn’t quite as short as the perception suggests.

Some of their best hurling against Waterford and Galway was when Clare mixed creating space with direct, often diagonal ball into that aforementioned space.

Ideally, Clare will try to enact a similar game plan this weekend in the full knowledge that Limerick will know exactly what they are at. Galway were exceptionally naïve when they failed to in any way counteract Clare’s rather simple policy of playing Pat Donnellan in front of Joe Canning and Cian Dillon, with Conor Ryan making his championship debut at centre-back.

Although Galway had an extra defender they didn’t utilise him and Clare’s five forwards were able to use their legs to stretch their opponents across Semple Stadium.

Knowing that Limerick know everything about them, will Clare opt to adopt a similar strategy or will they decide to let their six defenders go man-to-man?

It’s likely they will do this although Clare could retain Conor Ryan in the starting 15; start him at wing-forward but deploy him as an extra man around the middle. If the need arises at some stage to pack the defence, Ryan could be slotted in at centre-back, again allowing Pat Donnellan to drop back.

If the middle third of Croke Park is wedged with Clare and Limerick men, that should suit Clare if they can break through the first tackle and race into space. Their tendency to expertly support the man in possession off his shoulder will be critical in this type of scenario.

If Clare break the first tackle their follow-up ploy will be to very simply bang the ball in front of Darach Honan and Conor McGrath, with Shane O’Donnell a perfect supplement to that approach at some point in the second half.

Downfield, Colm Galvin, Podge Collins and Tony Kelly will be on space-seeking missions with the sole intention of running at Limerick, particularly if they can isolate a man in green.

Another man who will have a pivotal role is John Conlon, who hasn’t quite motored to his full level yet. A couple of unfortunate bangs to the head haven’t helped the Clonara man whose ball-winning ability and inspirational leadership will be badly needed against Limerick. Conlon is the type of player who can lift the Clare crowd and, more importantly, his team-mates. A big 70 minutes from him could leave Limerick reeling.

It will be interesting to see if Clare opt to leave Cian Dillon at full-back where he patrolled Joe Canning or will David McInerney, outstanding in last Wednesday’s Munster final win, return to that position? Equally Brendan Buglar added zest and aggression at centre-back when Canning was relocated there.

In their two games to date, both of which were played in the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick’s substitute bench contributed hugely to their wins over Tipperary and Cork.

Similarly, Clare could end Limerick’s season utilising the same ploy. Players of the calibre of Cathal McInerney, Shane O’Donnell, Nicky O’Connell, Peter Duggan and Seadna Morey are capable of finishing Limerick off, as long as Clare are still with them in the last quarter.

It would be quite ironic if Clare’s bench secures a place in the All-Ireland final for the first time since 2002, setting up a first all Munster All-Ireland final since Clare beat Tipperary in 1997.

Limerick will travel to Croke Park with swagger and self belief, brought about by their Munster championship win. They will be well aware however that Clare have what it takes to take them on in every corner of Croke Park.

Last Sunday’s semi-final was a classic, high scoring shootout. This weekend’s second semi-final is likely to be more of a tactical scrum, with a bigger emphasis on defence.

Clare have recovered nicely from their Munster semi-final defeat to Cork and will be loath to fall to another Munster county with their entire season on the line.