Rouine Looking Forward To Following In The Family Footsteps

Derrick Lynch

2020 might have been a year when we learned to expect the unexpected, but in the Rouine household, one very familiar pattern continued.

When Clare take to the field on Saturday for the Munster minor football quarter final against Tipperary, it will be Brendan Rouine who leads out the Banner charges as he becomes the latest member of the clan to captain his county.

The promising young Ennistymon man will follow in the footsteps of his brother Cillian, who captained Clare two years ago, while his father Brendan “Beano” Rouine also had the honour of captain the Clare senior side during his time in the county jersey. Beano also won a Munster championship in 1992 while current Clare minor manager Dermot Coughlan was also part of that squad.

He admits that the experience gained by both Cillian and his father is invaluable to draw on as they look forward to getting the year underway.

“We are really excited to get going now at the weekend because we have been training all year for it really so we are just happy to get it played. It was disappointing when the game was called off the last time but we just have to move on from it and keep things going. We started training for this around last Christmas and we felt we were going really well so it was hard to take the news when the games were pulled. Having the training sessions to focus on helped to pass the time during lockdown and it stood to us then when we got back on the field. Everyone on the squad gets on really well and the younger lads who have come in this year have really added to it so we are just looking forward now to getting going” he said.

Brendie, as he is affectionately known, will likely line out in the middle of the park in Semple Stadium as Clare look to continue their recent strong run of form against the Premier, with the Banner winning each of the last three meetings between the sides.

Clare Minor Football Panel 2020

Thomas Collins (Lissycasey); Mark O’Loughlin (Corofin), Fergal Guinnane (Kildysart), Dara Rouine (Ennistymon); Odhran Cunningham (Killimer), Fionn Kelleher (Doora Barefield), Josh Guyler (Ennistymon); Brendan Rouine (Ennistymon, c), Brian McNamara (Cooraclare); Dylan O’Brien (Kilrush Shamrocks), Cillian McGroary (Corofin), Dara Nagle (Doora Barefield); Eoin Killeen (Doonbeg, Craig Riordan (Wolfe Tones), Diarmuid Fahy (Ennistymon), Cian Corry (Killimer), Michael Nash (Doora Barefield), Sean McMahon (Miltown, St Joseph’s), Luke Conway (Doonbeg), Callum Beirne (Clooney Quin), Josh Moloney (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Daithi Lohan (Wolfe Tones), Joseph Rafferty (Doora Barefield), Emils Zitar (Cooraclare), Peadar O’Keeffe (Eire Óg), Conor O’Mahony (Doonbeg), Darragh Burns (Doonbeg), Dylan Cunningham (Clooney Quin), Darragh Keane (O’Curry’s), Mikey Kelleher (Kilrush Shamrocks), Diarmuid Comber (Kilmurry Ibrickane), Dean Brassil (Clondegad).