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*Clonlara’s Micheál O’Loughlin. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
HAVING taken fifteen years to finally nail down a merited Canon Hamilton sequel, Clonlara can be forgiven for not wanting to let it go without an almighty fight.
That said, since the championship draw in May, there has been no talk of title retention or back-to-back crowns down Clonlara way as hoisted into the gladiatorial bear-pit of a group involving three teams (Ballyea, Éire Óg and Clooney/Quin) that have all contested a county final in the last seven years, reaching the quarter-finals would be a major achievement in itself.
Therefore, instead of Clonlara easing into their championship defence, they’re faced with the ultimate opening evaluation according to 2023 captain Jathan McMahon when pitted against a Ballyea side that have won four of the last eight Canon Hamilton trophies.
“It’s a very tough group to be fair. Look, every group is difficult when you look through it but to be facing the likes of a Ballyea in the first round, we probably couldn’t have chosen a tougher start. They’re absolutely lethal. I mean they have an inter-county spine and from the goalkeeper to number fifteen, they have so much experience of winning this championship and were going for three-in-a-row only last year. So having lost their title last year, I’m sure they’re only made to get back at us. And yet we’re really looking forward to it as you want and need to test yourself against the best which they definitely are as they have been the most successful team over the past seven or eight years”.
However, having finally tasted senior success themselves, if anything Clonlara’s appetite is even more sharpened this summer as a historic senior hurling and camogie double has elevated the village to unprecedented heights over the past nine months. “It’s been a huge year for the club and with the camogie team doing it as well, it has just been unbelievable year really. It has really brought young players on, there’s a real buzz about the club from top to bottom so we’re really looking forward to getting going again. We are probably not alone in that as probably every club is on a high after the All-Ireland and it seems that every player is mad to get back on the field now themselves after being inspired by such a spectacle in Croke Park”.
Indeed, Clonlara possessed the largest club contingent in Clare’s All-Ireland winning panel with five representatives (John Conlon, Ian Galvin, Dylan McMahon, Colm O’Meara and Paraic O’Loughlin) which allied to exciting fresh blood in their own squad will hopefully provide the required shot-in-the-arm to be to negotiate their passage back to the business end according to McMahon. “It’s a huge boost to have all the boys involved with Clare in such a memorable season. In fairness, the boys have been around the club set-up all year and went to everything they could and to be honest they’re just a credit to the club.
“I can’t wait to be back playing with them as well as others such as Tots at one end and then players like Michael Collins coming up from underage is just brilliant for our panel. The experience that Tots brings and the energy that Mike Collins brings is unreal not to mention the likes of Eoghan Begley and Paudie Reddan who are also flying it. So the competition for places is already high and now that the county boys are back too hopefully we can push on now.
“At the end of the day, it’s been so tough to get our hands on the Canon Hamilton so we certainly don’t want to hand it back easily. Keeping the standards up in the club is the main thing and then after that it’s about maintaining the joy and bond and if those two are achieved, then the cup would be the cherry on top,” he concluded.
Management: Donal Madden (Manager); Niall Hogan, Mike Stritch, Ger O’Connell, Alan Murnane (Coaches/Selectors); Eric Finn (S&C); Johnny McGuiness (Kit Man)
Captain: Paraic O’Loughlin
Key Player: John Conlon
One to Watch: Michael Collins
Fresh Blood: Eoghan Begley, Michael Collins, Kieran Galvin, Jack Hickey, Cathal O’Connell, Padraig Reddan
Departures Gate: Daniel Moloney, Cian Moriarty, Ger Powell (Abroad)
Treatment Table: Kieran Galvin (hamstring)
Titles Won: 3 (1919, 2008, 2023)
Last season’s run: Champions following a perfect six match run to victory.
Schedule
Round 1 – v Ballyea at Cusack Park, Saturday 7pm
Round 2 – v Éire Óg (Weekend of August 23rd-25th)
Round 3 – v Clooney-Quin (Weekend of September 6-8th)
