Clare make one change for U21 hurling final

Ennistymon's Cathal Malone has been added to the Clare team for tomorrow's Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship final against Antrim at Semple Stadium.

Malone is the only change in personnel to the side that started the semi-final win over Galway last month, coming in at left half-forward for the injured Aaron Cunningham (hamstring).

There are four starters from last Sunday's drawn All-Ireland senior decider included - full-back David McInerney, the midfield pairing of Colm Galvin and Tony Kelly and centre forward Podge Collins.

The Banner youngsters are managed by Donal Moloney and Gerry O'Connor, who are hoping to guide the county to back-to-back All-Ireland Under-21 titles.

Clare were crowned Under-21 champions for the first time in 2009 and followed that up last year by overcoming Kilkenny by 2-17 to 2-11 in a memorable final clash. Cathal O'Connell, who starts at top of the right tomorrow, scored 1-6 (0-4f) that day.

With Clare competing for a prized senior and Under-21 double this month, Moloney told RTÉ Sport: "It is a very novel pairing. I don't think anyone would have envisaged at the start of the year that Clare would be playing Antrim in the All-Ireland final. Both sides are there on merit.

"One of the sporting shocks and highlights of the year was Antrim turning over Wexford in the All-Ireland semi-final. It was something that nobody expected. It was the first time it has ever happened and full credit to them.

"The players would be training in the exact same fashion and the exact same approach if there wasn't a senior final. Paul Kinnerick, our coach and trainer, works between both panels.

"He is part of Davy's team and our team and he has also worked with these players over the last four years. There are no surprises in the training methods and the training approach.

"The whole philosophy is largely the same. For a lot of these players, the only difference is there is different guys around them each week.

"We probably thought of most eventualities in the senior final except a draw. We planned how we would handled things and get guys back up if they lost and how we would handle it if they won. We had not thought about a draw."

CLARE (U21HC v Antrim): Ronan Taaffe; Paul Flanagan, David McInerney, Jack Browne; Seadna Morey, Alan O'Neill, Stephen O'Halloran; Colm Galvin, Tony Kelly; Peter Duggan, Padraic Collins, Cathal Malone; Cathal O'Connell, Shane O'Donnell, David O'Halloran.