WHILE management and players alike would have preferred to know the identity of their Munster minor final opponents earlier, the reality is whether it is Waterford or Cork that get through to Sunday’s final, Clare have a major task on their hands.
The replay took place on Wednesday, saw the defending champions Waterford emerge triumphant, and leaves the Déise with just four days to prepare for the decider.
The reason for the delay was due to Cork’s involvement in the Munster minor football final last Sunday where they beat Kerry. Five of those involved are part of both minor panels.
Getting to the final was Clare’s target from the start of the season but few, outside of the panel, believed they would get through. The view hadn’t changed after the opening round when Waterford won comfortably. Three days later, Clare justified favouritism when accounting for Kerry but they had to work hard for the victory, which gave them a date with Tipperary a further four days on. The Premier outfit had just lost a cracking opening tie with Cork and came to Ennis as hot favourites but Clare produced their best form of the campaign to score a surprise but fully merited win.
Reduced to 14 men when Enda Boyce was harshly sent off, Clare looked to be in trouble when they lost a five-point lead. Yet they fought back strongly and deservedly won by the minimum margin. Suddenly supporters were optimistic and while Clare will still be the outsiders entering Sunday’s final, hopes are higher that victory can be achieved.
Last time out, the defence had some anxious moments. Noel Purcell struggled at full-back and team captain Paul Flanagan was moved to this position early in the second half. While the Ballyea man did well on the edge of the square, he is more suited to a corner or wing position.
The half-back line is expected to be unchanged, with Kevin Lynch flanked by Enda Boyce and Stephen O’Halloran. This trio was particularly effective in the win over Tipperary and will need to be in top form on Sunday if the Banner men are to be in with a chance of causing an upset.
Tony Kelly and Colm Galvin formed an impressive midfield pairing in the semi-final, while up front Clare will be looking to Paudge Collins, Niall Arthur and David O’Halloran to pick off the vital scores.
In the lead up to the semi-final, Alan Mulready was troubled by an ankle injury and didn’t start but he was introduced for the final quarter and is expected to challenge strongly for inclusion from the start this week.
There is no doubt that the team has improved throughout the campaign and this should see them challenge strongly for the title. However, both Waterford and Cork have impressed hugely and whichever one comes through, they will carry the favourites’ tag.

‘We have nothing to lose’

NIALL Arthur was satisfied from the beginning of the season that the goods were there to do well in this year’s provincial campaign.
“We (St Flannan’s) should have beaten Thurles in the Harty Cup. St Caimin’s got to the semi-final and we had players in the Ard Scoil Rís panel. We knew there was a good team there but whether we were good enough to beat the Corks and the Tipps, we didn’t know. That win over Tipperary in the park has given new confidence to this team. It was important to beat one of the big names. We hadn’t done that but we knew that the players were there to do it,” the Inagh-Kilnamona clubman said.
“We were hopeful from the beginning but we didn’t really know much about ourselves. We have learned an awful lot about ourselves in this campaign. Earlier in the year, the concentration was on the colleges campaign but in the last month or two, we have really come together and become a team,” the former winner of the All-Ireland Féile na nGael skills title said.
While disappointed, Niall wasn’t overly concerned with the loss in Waterford.
“In the last two years, Clare won the first match and then had a two-month break, which didn’t help, so I wasn’t too concerned. Nerves got to us in Waterford. We are not as bad as we looked that night and we have shown that since then. Waterford blew us away that night but we didn’t turn up and it wasn’t a fair reflection,” according to Niall.
“We were always expected to beat Kerry and then we had one game against Tipperary. Three games in a week made this team better,” he said.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s final, who would he like to play?
“Waterford are a very good team but I wouldn’t be afraid of meeting them again. Cork are never bad and whoever we play, it will be tough. The performance against Limerick won’t be good enough against either. We have nothing to lose. There is nothing expected of us. At the start of the year, apart from ourselves, no one gave us a chance. We will give it a lash,” was the reply.
He added, “This is the first big match in terms of finals that most of us will have played in with the county. It’s 11 years since Clare were in a Munster minor final and we would love to win this one. It’s part of a big few days for Clare hurling teams. It would be great if we can keep up our end and we will let the seniors and U-21s look after themselves,” he concluded.