Bugler and Nugent get Clare call-ups

Clare manager Mike McNamara has opted to make two changes to his team for Sunday's GAA Hurling All-Ireland quarter-final encounter with Cork in Thurles (throw-in 4pm).

After struggling to keep tabs on Tipperary's fleet-footed half-forwards, Conor Plunkett has been dropped to the Clare bench with Brendan Bugler, who is back from suspension, taking his place.

Bugler, whose presence was certainly missed in the Munster final defeat to Tipp, comes in at right half-back with Gerry Quinn moving to centre-back.

Meanwhile, Barry Nugent's impressive cameos as a substitute this summer have earned him a starting slot at full-forward, with Mark Flaherty the player to lose out.

Free-taker Flaherty was a prolific scorer for Clare in this year's league. So far, in the championship, he has chipped in with 1-13, while experienced forward Niall Gilligan is the team's leading scorer with 1-14 in their three games to date.

Nugent and company will simply have to improve on the Banner's first half display against Tipp - they shot ten wides in the opening 35 minutes of the Munster decider and cannot afford a similar return against a buoyant Cork side.

However, McNamara is confident that his side can bounce back quickly from their Munster disappointment.

"We're not going back to where we were at all. Clare hurling is on a level now and we're up with the best," he insisted.

"We mightn't always prove it, but we're going to be there or thereabouts before the year is out."

Clare captain Brian O'Connell said that he and his team-mates are viewing Sunday's game as effectively the start of a new competition.

The midfielder explained: "We've said, 'we're into a new system and a new competition.' We're starting from scratch, trying to take on the All-Ireland series.

"The Munster series is over now and there is an All-Ireland series to play for, that's the way we're looking at it."

Clare and Cork have been regular foes in the championship in recent years - this will be their fourth championship meeting in as many years.

However, the Banner men have not beaten Cork in a SHC tie since they edged them in the 1998 Munster semi-final.

The winners of Sunday's tie will face reigning Leinster and All-Ireland champions Kilkenny in an August 10 semi-final.

CLARE (SHC v Cork) - P Brennan; P Vaughan, F Lohan, G O'Grady; B Bugler, G Quinn, P Donnellan; B O'Connell (capt), C Lynch; T Carmody, D McMahon, J Clancy; T Griffin, B Nugent, N Gilligan.