Donnellan set to continue as Banner County skipper

Patrick Donnellan has been retained as Clare senior hurling team captain for 2013.

The O’Callaghan’s Mills club man took over the captaincy in 2012 and was one of the county’s leading players as Clare gained promotion to Division 1A of the Allianz Hurling League.

2012 All Star Brendan Bugler and Enda Barrett have been unveiled as vice-captains. Bugler won Clare’s first All Star since 2006 last year while Barrett captained Newmarket-on-Fergus to county championship glory for the first time in 31 years.

Clare’s Waterford Crystal Cup campaign starts on January 27 against the winners of the preliminary round tie between Waterford and UL.

Last weekend, Davy Fitzgerald’s charges warmed up with a comfortable victory over Offaly and a draw with Dublin in challenge outings. Fitzgerald is placing a heavy emphasis on youth for the coming year and it is understood that experienced duo Diarmuid McMahon and Paddy Vaughan, a former team captain, are no longer part of the senior squad.