Clare look to McGrath Cup to avenge championship defeat

IT’S probably a bit early in the season to be talking of grudge games but that’s exactly what will be on the minds of the Clare football team as they face Limerick in the McGrath Cup Final in Ennis tomorrow.

Last June in the Munster semi-final, Limerick won on a scoreline of 2-14 to 0-12. Clare manager John Kennedy wasn’t happy with his side’s performance in Cusack Park that day. Now, revenge seems to be in air.

“You could say that. Limerick are seen to be ahead of us at the moment which is fair enough but we didn’t do ourselves justice that day. If you’re beaten when you’ve performed to your full potential you can’t complain, but we were disappointed in the way we played over the 70 minutes.

“This is a final and winning and the confidence it brings is important. It would be fantastic to win tomorrow and it would be a great boost going into the National League.”

Every game is a challenge for John Kennedy and his Clare side but, as the big guns like Tyrone, Galway and Dublin are finding in the other provinces, there are no easy games, with pressure even in minor competitions.

“Look at Limerick and Waterford in the semi-final, there was only a kick of a ball in it. Take the O’Byrne Cup and the displays of Carlow and Westmeath. All teams prepare very professionally now and put in a huge effort.

“Regardless of history, of previous performances, there are no soft touches in football anymore, you had better be right on the day. There can be some very strange results, but that can only be good for football.

“Neither side wants to lose but it would be a psychological boost to us in particular if we could win, it would be fantastic to have silverware this early in the year.”

Clare show only two changes in personnel from the side that beat Tipperary in the semi-final, injuries to wing-back Phillip Smith and centre-forward David Russell leaving openings for Noel Griffin and Donal O’Sullivan.

O’Sullivan goes to midfield with Brian Considine moving to wing- forward, Alan Clohessy goes to the 40. Odran O’Dwyer and David Nealon remain on the long-term injury list.

Meanwhile, Limerick manager Liam Kearns has also made a few changes to his starting fifteen with Johnny Mc Carthy dropping from centre-back to full, replacing Diarmuid Sheehy. Mark O’Riordan comes in for Tommy Stack at centre-back and Stephen Lucey starts at centre-back.

All six forwards retain their positions but Maurice Horan and Johnny Murphy swap in the full-forward line, with the latter going to full-forward.

Mike O’Brien and Mark Keane, two of the six dual players who recently decided to concentrate on football, are added to the substitute bench, joining Sheehy.

“Going through a rough patch,” Kearns explained of the highly-rated full-back, “not as fit as he should be, but it gives us an opportunity to look at some younger lads”.

Kearns is aware of the Clare challenge and the seriousness with which they’re approaching this game.

“We’re missing seven of our championship team so they must see themselves as having a realistic chance of taking us. Clare are looking at this a bit more seriously than we are but we know what it’s like for them too, because the McGrath Cup was a big thing for us two or three years ago.

“Still, there’s a cup to be won and we’ll do our best to win it.”