Micko’s rallying call to Banner ahead of crunch clash

Mick O’Dwyer has called on Clare supporters to get behind the team as they bid to beat Division Four promotion rivals Limerick in Cusack Park, Ennis this Sunday (3pm).

A win for the Banner, who trail Limerick by two points, will send them into Division Three next season. But matters elsewhere might also play a role in their destiny, with Tipperary and Offaly facing each other in Tullamore — and both are on eight points.

O’Dwyer is delighted his team’s fate is in their own hands and hopes there is enough partisan backing against their neighbours.

“This is an All-Ireland for Clare in its own way,” said the Waterville man. “We have a right chance of going up to the next division next year and it has been a good campaign so we’re hoping we can get a lot of home support in Ennis on Sunday.

“Limerick have been a very good side for the last 10 years. They could have won two Munster titles and were so close to winning them it was unbelievable,” he added.

O’Dwyer appears to be closer to finalising his team for the Munster semi-final against Cork or Limerick in Ennis on June 16 although there’s plenty of water to pass under the bridge before then.

“We have about eight weeks after the league until the Munster championship so we’ll be putting in a lot of work in that time. But overall, we know a good bit more about the players (than we did at the start of the league).

“I’ve a wonderful management team in Michael Neylon and Ger Keane. Michael Cahill does the physical stuff and he’s an exceptional young fella. All of them have put in a lot of work.”

Whatever happens this weekend, O’Dwyer can look back with satisfaction at the last couple of months even if their home form has been poor.

“We had three great wins away to Carlow, Offaly and up in Carrick-on-Shannon. At the very start, we didn’t know too much about where the team was when Waterford and then Tipperary beat us but beyond that it has been a decent league and everything is in our own hands on Sunday.”

Meanwhile, O’Dwyer has admitted disappointment about the failure of the direct pick-up and mark motions to receive the necessary two-thirds majority support to come into rule following last Saturday week’s Congress.

“I thought the direct pick-up, which is great in the ladies game, would have made a great difference to the game.

“The mark from the kick-out as well — there’s nothing better than seeing a man going up and catching the ball. But when he lands now there are eight around him. Overall, it was good to see some of the recommendations get through. Anything that will improve the game has to be welcome. We will have to wait and see how the black card works.”