Tom Condon: A Clare win in Limerick would be 'one for the ages'

LOOKING AHEAD: Former Limerick minor hurler, Tom Condon, at the All-Ireland MHC final media event ahead of Sunday’s Electric Ireland All-Ireland MHC final between Galway and Clare, kicking off at 2pm in FBD Semple Stadium. Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Tom Condon reckons it would be a 'win for the ages' if Clare could make their Munster title breakthrough in Limerick's own backyard.

Sunday week's decider between the neighbouring counties will be played at the TUS Gaelic Grounds - where Clare beat Limerick less than five weeks ago - a decision the Munster Council came to following negotiations with both finalists.

Former Limerick defender Condon, an All-Ireland medallist in 2018 and 2020, reckons it isn't the worst outcome for Clare, arguing that they have 'always played well in the Gaelic Grounds'.

Clare initially proposed Thurles as their preferred venue while Limerick suggested Pairc Ui Chaoimh before an agreement was eventually reached to play at the Ennis Road venue.

Condon believes that from Clare's perspective, the opportunity to win a first Munster title in 25 years, and to deny Limerick the five-in-a-row, at the home of the holders will provide massive motivation.

"What a Munster final for Clare to win if they can beat Limerick in their own backyard," said Condon. "It would be one for the ages. You can argue about it until the cows come home and I suppose Clare will be a bit put out that it's on in Limerick but, at the end of the day, what a way for Clare to win it if they're going to win it.

"Fair play to the Clare county board for putting it forward when they did, it was a ballsy decision. The way I see it, the Gaelic Grounds is practically nearly a home match for Clare as well.

"Clare, I know they hadn't won there in Championship in so many years but they have that monkey off their back now and Clare love playing in the Gaelic Grounds, they have always played well in the Gaelic Grounds.

"And just for fans as well, it was the right decision because there is no massive travelling or no massive traffic jams and stuff like that. There will be some buzz around the Ennis Road come Sunday week. It was the right decision and fair play to Clare but I don't think it will have a massive bearing on the outcome of the game. It's a field the same as any other one."

Limerick just about scraped into the final, last weekend's one-point win over Cork propelling them through.

Condon said there were signs of Limerick playing with their old 'swagger' following a period of patchy form when 'small things were going wrong, their handling was a small bit off and a lot of players were out of form'.

One of the players that manager John Kiely would love to have back on top form and fully fit is Cian Lynch, a first cousin of Condon's wife Sarah.

The two-time Hurler of the Year has endured a frustrating 12 months or so with various injuries, the latest restricting him to a few minutes as a substitute in the win over Cork.

"The way I see it, Cian suffered a horrific injury last year, it had the potential to be a career threatening injury in my book and he was lucky enough it wasn't," said Condon, the player famously in possession of the ball at the end of 2018 All-Ireland final win.

"He did the recovery and came back but he still picked up these injuries that have curtailed him and you can't beat match intensity and match practice no matter how hard you train when you are not playing.

"He is just trying to find form a small bit but I think coming on the last day, he got on some vital ball and he retained possession for us up in the half-forward line which was critical for us at that stage because Cork were going forward and were on a bit of a roll and he came out of it with three or four dirty balls and he gave one or two good deliveries into the forward line which were massive at that stage of the game."

Pushed on whether Lynch should start the provincial decider, Condon suggested he be held in reserve.

"I'd probably start Cathal O'Neill and bring Cian on then, to come in and finish the job and get on vital balls, things like that."

Condon is positive about Limerick's form in general, noting extended periods of strong play against Cork.

"From the general public you would hear that Limerick are not what they used to be and that they are gone, that they have run out of steam, they are mentally and physically tired," said Condon. "I just thought small things were not going our way, we weren't as sharp as I thought we were in previous years, but they always still brought the intensity. The tackling and workrate was still there."

*Tom Condon was speaking ahead of Sunday's Electric Ireland GAA All-Ireland minor hurling championship final between Galway and Clare in Thurles (2pm).