Bannermen face the might of Galway

The clash of Clare and Galway in the qualifiers at Cusack Park today is expected to attract more than 20,000 spectators as the great rivals battle for a place in the next round.

Clare begin without the suspended Seanie McMahon and Colin Lynch.

The Banner were on the wrong end of a bruising encounter against Cork last weekend.

Galway, meanwhile, are playing their first Championship game of the year.

The sides have met four times since 1995 with Clare winning three and drawing one.

Clare triumphed by a point (1-15 to 0-17) in last year's All-Ireland quarter-final and again had a point to point to spare (2-16 to 1-18) when the sides met in the League last March.

If Galway lose they will have a second chance against one of the winners from the Offaly v Dublin, Laois v Tipperary, or Limerick v Antrim/Derry/Kerry.