Player profiles: Tony Considine and Tom Kenny on Clare and Cork's starting line-ups
Clare’s Cathal Malone in action against Cork’s Shane Barrett. Picture: ©INPHO/Ken Sutton
Clare wouldn’t be in the final but for his saves against Kilkenny. But along with great saves, Eibhear can also make mistakes. I don’t like the way he sometimes takes a touch with the hurl when he should catch the ball.
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They make them tough in Feakle. Nothing ever fazes Adam. He has great speed and the cut you like to see in corner backs. The one concern is that he could give away frees, but so far so good.
I have great time for Conor Cleary. He’s a really solid fella. He can look cumbersome on the turn and with the ball at his feet but as a leader, he’s fantastic. He never gets flustered and inspires everyone around him.
It’s a credit to the management that they gave Conor his chance. Sometimes he holds onto the ball for too long, soloing out of defence. He doesn’t need to do that but he’s strong, a good hurler and hasn’t made mistakes.
Diarmuid is a really good player and scores vital points, but sometimes he sallies too far up the field. As a wing back, your main job is to defend and I think he needs to be tighter.
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John is the warrior of the team. Sometimes you need a player to catch a ball and drive out of defence and he does that, inspiring lads around him. But the speed of Shane Barrett will be a big test for him.
He’s undoubtedly Clare’s best defender. I can’t speak highly enough of him. He’s a really strong and athletic player, just like this father Jim. The DNA is very good there. But he also reads the game very well and can take scores.
I’d like to see this fella’s GPS stats. He’s some worker and to me, he’s been one of Clare’s most consistent players for years. The one concern is speed, especially given Cork’s legs around the middle.
If he can get back to his pre-injury form then Clare are a danger. I think he’s gradually getting there. The real sign of Tony Kelly was the scores he got when Clare needed them against Kilkenny. I’d love to see him lift Liam MacCarthy this Sunday.
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Has the potential to be a real match-winner. 6ft 5in tall, athletic as they come, brilliant to take a score. But he goes in and out of the game too much, and his work-rate has to come up a notch or two.
The beauty of Rodgers is he can play inside or out in the half forward line. He reminds me very much of Conor McGrath from 2013. If there’s one flaw in his game, he can be guilty of trying to force goals when points are on.
He’s a player I love. He fights on his back for everything. He’s obviously so good in the air, catching with left and right. The one worry is he shows his frustration too much, which is a big boost for his marker.
His free-taking is a big plus because Clare have struggled for free-takers. He’s an athlete, super in the air and a great striker. But his markers come out with the ball too easy at times and he could pass the ball around more.
Even at the highest level, O’Donnell looks like he’s only out in the back garden enjoying himself. He’s two or three steps ahead of everyone. But above all, the best thing about him is his team-play. How many scores has he made for others?
He’s the type of player with his pace and zip that a lot of corner backs wouldn’t like to face. He’s not a big man, but he has a huge heart. He can look after himself and can take a score with half a chance.
: The extra percentages Clare got from the bench was huge in getting Clare over the line the last day against Kilkenny. Ian Galvin is like a super-sub and he reminds me of David Forde from the 90s, you’re almost guaranteed a score. Some players are just better suited to coming on. Shanagher is making big impacts every day he’s introduced and then you’ve Darragh Lohan or Paul Flanagan if anything goes wrong. We saw what Taylor could do the last day. He has great pace off the mark and is a brilliant worker around the middle. There’s huge strength in depth in the panel and they’ll need every one of them on Sunday because it will come down to fine margins, right up to the final whistle.
Brian has done a fantastic job. He’s an iconic figure, not alone in Clare but nationally. He has made his mistakes but what manager hasn’t? I would say this about Brian. He was the most focused player I’ve ever seen in my life. As a manager, he’s the nearest thing we’ve had to Ger Loughnane, and that’s the biggest compliment I could pay a man like that. Behind Brian, they’ve good lads like Ken Ralph, Tommy Corbett and Brendan Bugler who’s coaching the team with Shane Hassett. They’re a good management team and they’ve put a lot in. To reach an All-Ireland final is a big reward for all of their work and there’s only one thing bigger - to go out and win it.
Has grown in stature as the season progressed. Found successful avenues with long puck-outs against Limerick in Munster and hasn’t looked back since. May need more finesse, however, against Clare. Contributing big moments with big saves. These will be needed Sunday.
Such is the movement of the Clare forwards, his ability to read the game and his turn of foot may serve him well, especially if tasked with Mark Rodgers. As we saw against Limerick, the 26-year-old is capable and confident in striding forward to produce a score.
All-Ireland U20 winner with a very competitive mindset. Can man-mark or sweep, whatever is required. Could match up with Aidan McCarthy. Preventing McCarthy getting his hands on the ball in general play will aid Cork's cause, sowing the seeds of doubt in a free-taker thereafter.
His could be the thankless job of picking up Shane O Donnell. Marking someone of O’Donnell’s quality will invariably lead to the forward getting his name on the scoresheet, so preventing O’Donnell making big plays is the priority. The team's consistent captain has added motivation after Munster clash.
Ironically, his injury may have helped Cork to hit upon a winning formula in defence. With Rob Downey doing well at centre-back, wing-back has provided Joyce with a less onerous job and his talents are blossoming more on the wing. Whether it is Fitzgerald or Duggan he stands beside, stopping them fetching primary possession is a key focus.
Has anchored the defence very impressively since moving into the No.6 shirt. So capable in the air, but it will be his positional sense and marshalling of the defence that will be more required Sunday. A steely display from yesteryear wouldn’t be out of place.
Form is temporary, class is permanent. Missed last season due to injury and had another spell on the sideline this spring. Took time to find his feet but has now returned to the Mark Coleman from several years ago. Full of running, pin-point passes, and capable of scores from distance. Important that he marries this with frustrating his opposite number.
May not have been a first choice at the start of season but when injuries mounted, Tim saw his chance and wrapped both arms around it. Fine semi-final performance at midfield. Link up play and calm head will be required to gain a foothold in midfield this weekend. A perfect foil for his North Cork neighbour.
A tour de force at midfield this summer. A catalogue of tremendous scores. Capable of finding pockets of space from the first minute to the last. He and Cork will look to exploit any such space they can locate in the opposition half. His scoring contribution may have a deciding factor in the outcome.
A forward that Cork have been crying out for over the years. Strong, physical, forceful. Takes pressure off Patrick Horgan by looking after long-range frees. Took a while to get to the level of senior inter-county, but now superbly understands his role in the team. A big character for a big day.
Whilst Shane has been around since 2021, this feels like a breakthrough season for the 23-year-old. Leading the line in attack with such confidence and energy. Decision-making has improved immensely, as has his scoring return. A match-winner in the making.
A leader for many a year in the blood and bandage. Has a support cast now to supplement his endeavours. Works brilliantly off the ball and for puckouts. Séamus will give his all until his final bell sounds. Deserving of that medal more than most.
Is this the final chapter in a career that has one jigsaw piece missing? A leader for even longer than Harnedy. Less pressure on his shoulders due to scoring prowess elsewhere on the team. Can he produce one more small step which could become one giant leap into the history of Cork hurling?
Following in a long line of famed Blackrock hurlers, Alan has that will to go for the jugular and seek out a green flag. He can be instrumental in deciding the end result. If fed the right ball, he will have the Clare full-back line scrambling. His clinical finishing of early championship will be needed.
Feels like a breakthrough season for the Barrs man, even though he was around the place last year. He has developed his touch and physical attributes. May not yet be a great goal-scorer but is becoming a scorer of great goals. Like Connolly, being clinical is the name of the game come 3.30pm.
Ethan Twomey, Robbie O'Flynn, Tommy O'Connell, Luke Meade, Shane Kingston, and Ger Millerick have all contributed handsomely over the year. Conor Lehane too, another long servant like Hoggie and Harnedy. An interesting trait of Cork substitutes coming onto the field of play has been their effectiveness and influence on proceedings. However, this may be a result of management addressing the needs of the game – and on Sunday goals will carry the day. Don’t be surprised if we see others not on the list above. A third member of the panel from a neighbouring club of mine down the N20 could provide the impact that Cork will require.
Pat Ryan is a very experienced manager in terms of winning county championships and winning All-Irelands. His backroom team of Brendan Coleman, Fergal Condon, Wayne Sherlock, and Donal O’Mahony have been together since their time with the U20s and so they have a very good working relationship, with Donal O’Rourke seamlessly joining that line-up two years ago.
From briefly working with the group under Donal O’Mahony in 2022, while they all have very good opinions, they are all willing to listen to each other as well. Decisions are taken based on input from everybody.
Those that played U20 for Pat know what he wants and needs in the team. The likes of Eoin Downey and Brian Hayes, you could argue they have embedded into the set-up as quickly as they have because they had worked under Pat previously, as opposed to a blank canvas with a new manager who didn't have that prior relationship.
Management know how to utilise the panel and keep everyone working towards the end goal. It is not just the 15 who their focus is on. Their focus is on the 36.
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