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*Seadna Morey of Sixmilebridge gets away from Newmarket-on-Fergus’ Michael Power. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
STAKES are high as the second round of the TUS Clare SHC takes place this weekend.
Quarter-final places can be achieved by some clubs if they secure back to back wins while successive defeats will leave a number of sides bracing themselves for a relegation battle.
Ballyea will be battling for their championship lives when they face off with Clonlara in the unique setting of Páirc Michael Ui hEithir in Cratloe on Sunday afternoon in what is likely to be one of games of the weekend. They met in last year’s quarter-final when Ballyea won 2-13 0-16.
Robbie Hogan’s side who are the last club to win successive championships need to get a result following their first round defeat to Inagh/Kilnamona, they’ll be looking to Tony Kelly, Jack Browne and Paul Flanagan for leadership. It won’t be easy against a Clonlara side with the ability and aspirations to be one of the last teams standing, such ambition is justified with the likes of Ian Galvin, John Conlon, Dylan McMahon, Tots O’Connell, Colm Galvin and Aidan Moriarty in their side.
Elsewhere in Group 1, Páirc na Gael in Ruan hosts Inagh/Kilnamona and St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield. Inamona’s impressive ten point win over Ballyea needs to be backed up for them to try edge towards the knockout stages, Jason McCarthy who was suspended for round one is now available for selection so Eugene Cullinan and his management will have to decide to tweak a winning team or not, that first fifteen had big showings from David Fitzgerald, Aidan McCarthy and Shane Woods to get them off the mark.
Doora/Barefield were unlucky not to pick up a draw with Clonlara a fortnight ago They were level heading into additional time but conceded four points without reply. Damien Kennedy’s side will have taken belief from their showing as they gear up for Inamona. Graham Ball, Fionn Kelleher, Adam Mungovan and Thomas O’Connor will be leading their cause.
Mark Rodgers will be a huge loss for Scariff as they bid to revive their Clare SHC bid in Cusack Park on Saturday (16:00). The Clare Cup finalists need to win otherwise they are facing an early championship exit. The task is made more difficult by the fact they are up against county champions Éire Óg. Rodgers’ absence will force other players to step up and they’ll need big displays from Keelan Hartigan, Patrick Crotty, Paul Rodgers, Shane Kavanagh, Patrick Ryan and Matthew Crotty.
Pace and power of Éire Óg’s attack saw them raid for four goals in their twelve point win over Crusheen. Manager Gerry O’Connor has said they’ve put a strong emphasis on feeding such danger men with quality ball, hence the move of Darren O’Brien to wing back to strengthen their distribution. The attack of Marco Cleary, Danny Russell, Shane O’Donnell and David Reidy will take minding.
Broadford gave their chances of making the knockout stages a big lift when overcoming Scariff a fortnight ago. Now they must back it up and try defeat Crusheen to be within touching distance of a quarter-fina when they face off on Sunday at 14:00 in Cusack Park. Shane Taylor made a huge impact when introduced in the second half and is likely to be in from the off this weekend with Niall O’Farrell, Cathal Chaplin, Paddy Donnellan, Diarmuid Moloney and Darren Chaplin pivotal to their side.
Crusheen’s championship rides on this weekend, a second loss is likely to put them out of the reckoning for the Canon Hamilton so they will be bringing everything they can to the table. Breffni Horner is tipped to make an appearance for the Blood and Bandages before the end of the Clare SHC, he would add energy to an attack while Diarmuid Mullins, Cian Dillon, Donal Tuohy, Ross Hayes, Jamie Fitzgibbon and Oisin O’Donnell will be to the fore for Gerry O’Grady’s side. Coach Colm Fitzgerald of Sixmilebridge will be facing up with fellow Bridge clubmen Paddy Meehan and Martin Conlan who are part of the Broadford management.
Having been the high-flying team of the year, O’Callaghans Mills’ momentum came crashing down with a ten point defeat to Feakle. The Mills were unbeaten prior to this but headed into the game with a number of players far from full fitness which hurt their cause. They bid to bounce back this Saturday (18:00) in O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge. Colm Cleary is expected to return to their starting team after a late introduction two weeks ago.
Injuries were hurtful to Cratloe’s opening outing in the Clare SFC where they without Cathal McInerney, Podge Collins, David Collins, Rian Considine and Tadhg Lohan. Considine is expected to feature this weekend with McInerney and Lohan out of the equation. Alan Neville’s side looked to be on their way to snatching a draw from Clooney/Quin in round one but ended up having to settle for a draw so they chase their first win in nearby Sixmilebridge.
Feakle can move further ahead from all their Group 3 opponents if they can put together two wins on the bounce when they meet Clooney/Quin on Sunday (15:30) in Dr Daly Park, Tulla. Shane McGrath excelled in their facile win over O’Callaghans Mills but the East Clare once again demonstrated their ability to get the most out of themselves, Ronan O’Connor, Adam Hogan, Oisin Donnellan and Oisin Clune among those to impress.
Last year’s finalists Clooney/Quin will target collecting a first win in a repeat of their quarter-final of 2025. Fergal Lynch’s side will have taken plenty of learnings from their round one draw that they will aim to put into practice. Former Clare goalkeeper coach Seoirse Bulfin has joined their backroom team in advance of the Clare SHC. On the field, Peter Duggan, Ryan Taylor, Jimmy Corry, Jack O’Neill, Seán McNamara, Evan Maxted, Darragh Keogh and John Cahill remain central figures.
In Group 4, either Kilmaley or Wolfe Tones will be on course for a quarter-final berth when they clash in Clarecastle on Saturday (14:00). Kilmaley were dominant in their five point win over Newmarket-on-Fergus a fortnight ago and will only improve as they wait on absent and injured players to return to the fold. Brian Culbert’s men are one of the fancied sides for the Canon Hamilton with Conor Cleary, Mikey O’Neill, Seán O’Loughlin, Aidan McGuane, Mikey O’Malley and Tommy Barry to the fore.
Wolfe Tones delivered one of the strongest showings in round one to overturn neighbours Sixmilebridge. Well drilled by coach Alan Cunningham, they brought plenty of energy in attack and raided for goals, they will face a different test this weekend but will rightly fancy their chances. Ben O’Gorman’s return from Australia has strengthened their team which already boasts the talent of Aron Shanagher, Rory Hayes, Darragh Lohan, Aaron Cunningham, Cian O’Rourke and Dean Devanney.
Neighbours Newmarket-on-Fergus and Sixmilebridge fight for championship survival to kick off the action on Saturday (13:00) in Dr Daly Park, Tulla. Newmarket-on-Fergus never led in their 1-22 1-17 defeat to Kilmaley in round one, the need to have a greater scoring spread has been flagged as they chase a first championship win since 2024. Promising players for the Blues include Seán Arthur, Éanna Crimmins, Eoin Guilfoyle, Jack Enright and Peter Power.
A chance to knock out their rivals and reignite their own campaign will whet the appetite for Sixmilebridge. John O’Meara’s side had a poor start to proceedings in round one which proved costly when losing 2-21 3-16 to Wolfe Tones. They’ll be expected to make changes from their side which will contain an abundance of championship winners such as Seadna Morey, Cathal Malone, Brian Corry and Shane Golden together with Mark Sheedy and David Kennedy.
