*Clare’s Shane O’Donnell in action during last year’s All-Ireland semi-final. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Nine time All-Ireland senior hurling medal winner Noel Skehan while hoping his native Kilkenny will beat Clare in Sunday’s All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final believes “any of the four teams involved in the weekend’s semi-finals can qualify for the final”.
Speaking to The Clare Echo earlier this week, he said “Clare will be very anxious to put last year’s semi-final out of their heads. They are after a hell of a good run, they are playing very well. Kilkenny won Leinster, got to the final last year and could have won it, they had a chance near the end”.
The Bennettsbridge clubman who won seven All Star awards said, “Kilkenny will not be thinking of last year’s semi-final, they will be looking at how to get their best performance, they will be looking at themselves, Derek Lyng won’t be thinking of stopping any Clare player but he will be looking at getting the best performance from his own players”.
The holder of every honour in the game, Skehan said “semi-finals are a different game. In the semi-final last year Clare really didn’t perform and Kilkenny did. Last year won’t be in their heads on Sunday”.
One of hurling’s greatest goalkeepers, Skehan said “if Clare are missing John Conlon it will be a problem for them but if he is out they will have done something about it over the past two weeks but he would be a hell of a loss. They have a lot of good hurlers and a few nice subs as well but have they a centre back to replace Conlon. If Cleary isn’t back he will be a big loss. Down here the rumour is that Mikey Carey is out. Mossy Keoghan has a hamstring problem and hamstrings don’t come right in a few weeks. Adrian Mullen is also doubtful”.
Derek Lyng’s first year as manager does not bring extra pressure to deliver, Skehan maintained. “There is no pressure. Derek has put his own stamp on it. Yes it’s hard to replace Brian (Cody) but they have won Leinster and they are in the All-Ireland semi-final”.
Looking at the other semi-final he said, “Limerick are not winning as easily as they were, they are struggling a bit but still winning which is the sign of a good team. Any of the four teams left can win, I wouldn’t write Galway off, they nearly beat Kilkenny but nearly left it behind them against Tipp, they were way better but struggled to win. They are beginning to learn how to win”.
“I am hoping Kilkenny can win but very wary of Clare, they some great hurlers, Fitzgerald and O’Donnell are playing great hurling. Kelly is a great hurler, brilliant performances every day. I wouldn’t put it down to any one player. Clare are playing better hurling this year than last year, they have learned from last year. Their full back line seemed to struggle the last day but I am sure Lohan will have sorted that for Sunday,” Skehan concluded.
