*Ballyea and Kilmaley face off in one of the ties of the round. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
SIXTEEN teams enter the championship arena this weekend as the sliotar gets thrown in for the eagerly awaited TUS Clare senior and premier intermediate hurling championships.
The Clare Echo’s online coverage of the Clare SHC is brought to you with thanks to The Temple Gate Hotel.
Regarded as one of the most open and competitive senior championships in the country, all clubs view themselves as legitimate contenders which adds to the intrigue and excitement.
The Water Break looks ahead to the action with Ross O’Donoghue joined by Barry Nugent, former Clare & Éire Óg hurler who was also part of the Éire Óg management in recent years, Kevin Sheehan, a Clare SHC winner as a player and manager with Ballyea who also spent time in charge of Crusheen and Pádraig Hickey, Broadford hurler & believe it or not a current member of the Clare Masters football panel.
On the agenda:
- Most teams believe they can go the distance to lift the Canon Hamilton
- Feakle have given belief for every club in Clare
- Clooney/Quin & Scariff two teams to watch out for
- Teams can be cold in the first round
- Overachievers and teams that have failed to deliver
- Clonlara & Bridge always poses a tight encounter
- Crusheen get the results when they need them
- Clooney/Quin up and coming but haven’t reached their potential
- Inagh/Kilnamona always listed as one of top two teams but need to click
- Broadford deserving of a spot in knockout stages
- Corofin took a while to get to pitch of senior hurling
- Éire Óg have found new hurlers but their aspiration is championship success
- Physicality for Newmarket-on-Fergus
- Wolfe Tones’ chance to rattle the champions
- Ballyea have loaded up the rifle for championship cut
- Big year for Kilmaley to deliver
- Suspensions & injuries could hinder Scariff in first round
- Is time catching up with Cratloe
- AOB
