Clare without captain for NHL finale

A slight knee injury has ruled team captain Brian O'Connell out of Clare's must-win NHL Division 1B showdown with fellow strugglers Offaly at Tullamore on Sunday.

Both sides are currently in the relegation zone and the Banner men will be hoping their league top scorer Mark Flaherty, who shot ten crucial points in last weekend's draw with Tipperary, can point them to victory.

Clare manager Mike McNamara has made one enforced change to his team due to O'Connell's absence. Tony Carmody comes back into the side at left half-forward while there is one positional switch with David Barrett moving from the half-forward line to midfield.

McNamara reckons O'Connell will be back in action in a couple of weeks and that his injury is "not too serious."

CLARE (NHL v Offaly): P Brennan; T Keogh, F Lohan, G O'Grady; P Donlon, C Plunkett, T Holland; D Barrett, C Lynch; J Clancy, D O'Rourke, T Carmody; N Gilligan, F Lynch, M Flaherty.