O’Connor inspires Banner in thriller

REIGNING Munster and All-Ireland U21 champions Clare stay on course to retain their titles, but only after a hugely entertaining battle against Limerick in this Munster semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds last evening.

Most of the kudos for Clare’s success will go to their two outstanding inside-forwards Darach Honan (1-3, all from play) and Conor McGrath (0-9, 0-4 from play), and understandably so – the scorers are always the guys to catch the eye, and mightily as their two markers tried all hour (Patrick Begley on Honan, Brian Cleary on McGrath), those two were well-nigh unmarkable last night.

The foundation for this success, however, goes much further back the field, to a superb keeper in Donal Touhy (two brilliant saves) to an inside defensive line that was alert, snappy and decisive in everything they did, and to a half-back line that became a veritable wall as the game progressed.