Momentum to 'B' key for Clare in inaugural cup

IT may have gone unnoticed, but there is a second senior football game at Croke Park on Sunday.

Two hours before Mayo and Fermanagh clash for a place in the All-Ireland final, Clare and Sligo contest the final of the inaugural Tommy Murphy Cup.

To say the tournament hasn't taken off would be an understatement.

Sligo manager James Kearns passed on the chance to remain at the helm for the competition, leaving Paul Durcan to take temporary charge, while Tyrone minor manager Liam Donnelly blasted the decision to elevate it to the undercard on Sunday in place of the traditional minor fare.

All that isn't to say that the idea doesn't have its supporters.

Clare manager John Kennedy has been its most outspoken advocate and the former Kerry footballer feels his players will get their just reward when they run out on the famous turf.

"It's an opportunity to play in Croke Park for a lot of lads who haven't done so before and that's the most important thing. It's disappointing that only four teams entered but for us it's a marvellous opportunity to play in the best stadium in the world, and there's the added bonus of a trip to Boston for the winners."

For Clare, the Tommy Murphy Cup was a far more attractive proposition than for most sides this year. It's all about momentum, see. A dignified defeat to Kerry in Munster was followed by the county's first ever qualifier win over Sligo in Ennis, before going down to Cork in a close encounter at the same venue.

A modest run by some standards, but a significant leap forward for Clare football after the fallow period that preceded it.

"We felt we made progress, we had a good year but it could have been a better year," said Kennedy.

"We were very disappointed we didn't beat Cork because we controlled that game for long spells and we felt like we had unfinished business after that."

The panel discussed the new tournament at the Cork post-match meal but didn't come to a decision. Instead they met three days later with the county board, and all parties agreed a game in Croke Park would be the perfect end to an encouraging season.

However, Kennedy admits the timing of the competition isn't for everyone.

"It's undoubtedly difficult for teams who have already been beaten twice in the championship to raise themselves. It doesn't seem to suit some teams and maybe it wouldn't have suited Clare another year."

The solution isn't easy either.

Some teams seem to have huge difficulty in raising themselves for the qualifiers, never mind the Tommy Murphy Cup.

"The timing is difficult with the fixture chaos in the GAA at the moment. There's merit in this competition but the idea needs to be teased out," Kennedy admits.

"The qualifiers were of huge significance for football and Fermanagh are the recent example of that.

"This cup has a place too but it needs more than four teams, it needs the respect it deserves. The president, Sean Kelly, is to sit down with the counties that decided not to enter and see what their problems were."

* Both Fermanagh and Mayo will wear changed strips in Sunday's All-Ireland football semi-final at Croke Park.

Fermanagh will wear all white jerseys while Connacht champions Mayo will be in all red to avoid a colour clash.