Just another chapter in long-running saga
In the home corner is Davy Fitzgerald, the man between the posts for their 1995 and 1997 championship successes.
Facing him is Anthony Daly, who skippered the side in that glory spell, a man as acclaimed for his leadership as his hurling skills.
But according to former team-mate Sean McMahon, the pair going head to head in Ennis isn’t a novelty for the central figures.
Though admittedly the stakes have never been higher for Dublin boss Daly.
He explained: “During the ’90s and into the last decade you had four teams in contention every year for the county title. There was ourselves [St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield], ‘The Bridge’ [Sixmilebridge], Clarecastle and Wolfe Tones. There was fierce rivalry between us.
“It was a very high quality championship too — Clare clubs won six Munster club titles in a row during that time — we won two, ‘The Bridge’ won two, Wolfe Tones and Clarecastle won one each. The club championship was very intense, any one of those four capable of winning it, but going back even before that there was always fierce rivalry between Clarecastle and Sixmilebridge.”
Anthony Daly was of Clarecastle, steeped in it, Davy likewise of ‘The Bridge’, and their club careers roughly paralleled each other.
Anthony (born 28/10/69) made his senior debut in 1987, Davy (born 2/8/71) was on the fringes of the Sixmilebridge team that won the county title in his debut season, 1989.
From there to the end of their careers they would each win five county medals on the field of play, The Bridge and The Magpies (Clarecastle) dominating with St Joseph’s (three) and Wolfe Tones (two) also getting in on the act — 15 titles from 16 for the four in the period 1991-2006.
“Clarecastle and Sixmilebridge often met at semi-final stages during that period, though they met in only one final (2002, won by Sixmilebridge),” says McMahon. “Daly and Davy would have been the main men in those teams, driving the team on but driving each other on too.”
No ‘sledging’ though, says Seanie, no abusing each other, far too much mutual respect for that.
“It would be hot and heavy with tough matches, but there wasn’t as much talking going on then as there is now. It wasn’t bitter but it was hard. Friendships would be put aside for the duration of the matches, those were always hell-for-leather affairs, but I’d have to say too that once the game was over that was it, there was never once a bad follow-over from any of those games,.
“Every year there was a serious battle involving at least two of those four, no quarter asked or given, belts dished out and belts taken, but everything was left on the field, which is the way it should be.”
That mutual respect holds true to this day, respect that all of Clare still feels for their former captain.
“Daly is hugely respected in the county and if it wasn’t Clare they were meeting everyone here would be supporting Anthony and Dublin. Ultimately though, you want to see your own county winning. It’s going to be hugely disappointing for whichever team loses but pretty much a disaster for Dublin, who are further down the line than Clare.”
McMahon feels Clare supporters will accept defeat if it includes another good display similar to that produced against Waterford.
For Dublin, it is a different scenario.
“The most important thing of all for Clare this year was to get out of the second division and in that respect the year has already been a great success.
“The Waterford game was a missed opportunity but at least it pretty much came down to the last puck of the ball. It would be brilliant for these guys to win a couple of championship games now.”
And Daly’s Dublin? Surely they should be ready to die for him in this game, on his home turf?
“I actually fancied them to beat Kilkenny but they never played at all. If they’re not [ready to die] it could be the end of it and that would be a tragedy for Anthony, to have all his good work end like that. And that’s my fear, that there could be a major backlash in Dublin.”
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