O'Loughlin calls on Banner return for Griffin and Quinn

New Clare senior hurling manager Ger 'Sparrow' O'Loughlin has issued the call to former county hurlers Tony Griffin and Gerry Quinn to return to the Banner County squad for 2010.

Both saw their involvement with the Clare senior hurling panel come to an end following the recent controversy involving then manager Mike McNamara.

Last month 28-year old Griffin announced his decision to retire from inter-county hurling, however Quinn was controversially axed by McNamara after an alleged breach of team discipline during 2009.

It is expected that both players will make a return to the squad, with O'Loughlin also issuing an invitation to a number of others to get involved.

Clare's inaugural All-Ireland Under 21 success last September has strengthened the number of potential candidates for inclusion in the senior panel, and O'Loughlin is expected to give call-ups to many of the victorious side.

O'Loughlin has guided senior club side Adare to a three-in-a-row of Limerick SHC titles in the past. He says that the lines of communication must be fully open between all involved with the squad in order for his new charges to succeed.

“I am a new manager coming in and I am drawing a line in the sand and we are starting afresh. I would like to think that I can talk to people. I’d like to think that we (the panel and management) would complement each other. We must respect each other’s point of view.

"I will have rules and regulations that will have to be adhered to,” he said before adding that he wants the best panel for Clare hurling and that everyone will get a chance.

“It’s a new panel and a new management system. Hopefully, fellas won’t blot their copy."

The immediate target for the new Clare manager is for his side to get out of Division 2 of the National Hurling League.

“The best place to be is in Division 1 where you are meeting the top teams so the first target is to get out of Division 2 in the league," he said.

"Then it will be to prepare for the meeting with Waterford in the championship in June. That will be a great occasion with former colleague Davy Fitzgerald on the other side of the fence. There is sure to be lots of interest in that game.

"At the end of the day, I have to have the best 20 lads ready for that date and they will have to be at their best if they are to progress. Clare are not as bad as the results of the last 12 months say but that’s all in the past. I want everyone to buy into what we are trying to do. We want to go as far as possible and if they prepare right, we can do well."

O'Loughlin's first competitive game in charge of the Banner County is a Waterford Crystal tournament tie against Waterford IT on January 10.