Tones hoping to keep the Wolfe from the intermediate door

Clare Intermediate Hurling Championship Final
Tubber v Wolfe Tones at Cusack Park Ennis, Saturday 3.30pm (Gus Callaghan, Feakle)

A long overdue championship reunion between Tubber and Wolfe Tones for the first time in 12 years couldn’t have been any better timed as both crave some much-needed silverware.
Indeed, that 0-19 to 1-09 Senior B victory in Clarecastle in 2012 was a key result in Tubber’s last championship silverware but while the Senior and Junior B double that year promised a bright horizon, within three years both sides would have been dumped down to intermediate.
Ironically, having survived the five team culling of 2014 that included the Shannon side, Tubber actually dropped the following season, with the Tones replacing them following an immediate senior redemption.
Bouncing back at the first attempt has clearly been the goal from the outset this time around too and aside from a real scare against Parteen-Meelick at the last eight stage, everything has gone exactly to plan for Barry Keane’s side.
Anything less than a victory for the overwhelming favourites from the outset would be seen as a major set-back as possessing a hugely impressive inter-county spine of Daithi and Darragh Lohan, Rory Hayes, Aron Shanagher and Aaron Cunningham, not to mention Cian O’Rourke and Dean Devanney, they tick every box required for a swift return flight to the top tier.
In terms of longevity they are also the best equipped to consolidate their senior status as Tubber, despite their innate battling traits, huge character and vast experience, are battling against father time just as much as their intermediate status.
That said, their best chance of getting out of the second tier looked to have been behind them after three final defeats in four years to Kilmaley (2017), Feakle (2018) and Scariff (2020).
This year’s renaissance has been hugely refreshing, aided greatly by the innovation of coach Rory Gantley which has provided a superb fitness and confidence to take the scalps of Clarecastle, Killanena, Newmarket and Ogonnelloe.
Getting to the final is a major breakthrough particularly for their young guns of the Dunford brothers Senan and Osgar while the half-back unit of former county senior Domhnall McMahon, Patrick O’Connor along with James Howard provides the fulcrum of their side.
Indeed, such have been Tubber’s insatiable hunger that if this final was anywhere but Cusack Park, one would be foolhardy to rule out a North Clare upset.
However, while they will still throw everything at the favourites as this could well be a swansong for the likes of Clive, Blaine and Mark Earley along with the aformentioned Patrick O’Connor, it’s hard to look past Wolfe Tones who will look to capialise upon the expanses of Clare Headquarters to secure their first intermediate crown in nine years.

Tubber Panel: Patrick O’Connor (Captain); Bryan Clancy, Joe Clancy, Liam Clancy, James Costello, Cathal Droney, Joey Droney, Osgar Dunford, Senan Dunford, Blaine Earley, Clive Earley, Mark Earley, Tommy Fahy, John Fawle, Aidan Forde, James Howard, Alan Lee, Domhnall McMahon, Oisin McNamara, Sean McNamara, Ronan Monahan, Darragh O’Connor, Fergal O’Grady, Lorcan O’Grady, Emmet Quinn, Iain Taaffe, Pappy Taaffe, Ronan Taaffe, Tom Taaffe, Diarmuid Tobin

Management Team: Pat Taaffe (Manager); Rory Gantley (Coach); Mike Coen, Ivan Conway, Paschal Lee (Selectors)

Wolfe Tones Panel: John Guilfoyle (Captain); Conor Carrig, Gavin Carrig, Sean Costelloe, Aaron Cunningham, Jack Cunningham, Gary Cusack, Dean Devanney, Stephen Donnellan, Conor Ferns, Niall Fitzgerald, Tadgh Fitzgerald, Dylan Frawley, Mikey Hayes, Rory Hayes, Aaron Kelly, Daithi Lohan, Darragh Lohan, Sam Meaney, Luke Merrigan, Brian Murphy, Liam Murphy, Sean Murphy, Shane Nihill, Daithi O’Connell, Liam O’Dwyer, Evan O’Gorman, Cian O’Rourke, Oisin O’Rourke, Colin Riordan, Aron Shanagher

Management: Barry Keane (Manager); Alan Cunningham, Bryan Williams, Michael Hickey (Coaches); Paul O’Shea (Selector); Clem Nihill (S&C/Physio)