Micko raise spirits as Banner plot for the ‘long road’ ahead

Clare 1-20 Limerick IT 1-2

Mick O’Dwyer (76) began another chapter of his amazing career on the sidelines watching his new Clare charges ease past Limerick IT in the opening round of the McGrath Cup at Miltown Malbay yesterday.

O’Dwyer is no stranger to facile victories in these parts. Indeed the 9-21 to 1-9 victory of his former Kingdom charges over the Banner in 1979 is still referred to as ‘The Miltown Massacre’ with a shudder in these parts.

Now 34 years on, O’Dwyer’s allegiance is on the other side of the Shannon and his enthusiasm remains as fierce as that day in the distant past.

“You can only play what’s in front of you,” remarked O’Dwyer soon after the final whistle, “but our fellows played good attractive football today. They combined well but there’s a lot of work to be done yet.

“It was a poor Limerick IT side all right but as I said a minute ago, you play what’s in front of you and that all we could do.”

He continued: “We are reasonably fit but we are a long way from championship yet. But we’re improving. There’s a long road ahead of us. Way out in June we are playing Cork in Ennis in the Munster championship but that’s a long way away. So we have a lot of work to do before then. That’s when we want to have our team in real shape, he said.

“We have Limerick next Sunday and that will be a better test of our team. Limerick have been a very good side for the last seven or eight years so we’ll be looking forward to next Sunday’s game.”

Clare led 1-11 to 1-0 at the interval with Gary Brennan netting for the winners as they cruised to victory before 651 supporters.

Scorers for Clare: S McGrath (0-7) G Brennan (1-0), A Clohessy (0-4) 1 ‘45, I McInerney (0-3) 1 f, 1’45, P McMahon (0-2), E Coughlan (0-2),J Dowling, N Kelly (0-1) each.

LIT: T McCarthy (1-0), B Coleman (f), C Wallace (0-1) each.

CLARE: J Hayes, S Collins, C Dixon, E Coughlan, M McMahon, G Kelly, D Callinan, G Brennan, C O’Connor, S McGrath, J Dowling, A Clohessy, P McMahon, I McInerney, N Kelly.

Subs: C Duggan for P McMahon (half time), T Downes for Dowling (half time), I Whyte for Callinan (56), J Keane for O’Connor (62), G Quinlan for McInerney (67).

LIT: J Brouder (Limerick), S Considine (Limerick), S Malone (Clare), G Canty (Donegal), P Barrett (Kerry), S Durran (Kerry), G Murphy (Wexford), T McCarthy (Limerick), M Brennan (Kerry), S Ryan (Tipperary), T Griffin (Limerick), S Hayes (Clare), S Behan (Limerick), B Coleman (Sligo), C Callinan (Clare).

Subs: N Breen (Kerry) for Behan (24), C Wallace (Kerry) for Callinan (50), E O’Sullivan (Kerry) for Considine (54), S Ó Comáin (Mayo) for McCarthy (62).

Referee: C Lane (Cork).