*Adam Hogan gets to the sliotar before Cathal McInerney. Photograph: Ruth Griffin. First blood in Group 2 to Feakle who justified their seeding with a fully merited victory over Cratloe in O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge.
*Ballyea’s Mossy Gavin. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill IN A determined bid to wrestle back the Canon Hamilton, Ballyea have enlisted the services of Galway duo Barry Cullinane and Joe Hession to try and steer the perennial contenders to a third county senior hurling title in four seasons.
*Aaron Landy meets resistance from Shane Golden and Caimin Morey. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill FADING light greeted the final whistle in Fr. Murphy Memorial Park but there is still plenty of electricity in Sixmilebridge’s legs as proven with a gritty opening victory over the Parish.
*Darren O’Brien. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill HAVING witnessed Clonlara finally break their fifteen year championship-winning hoodoo last October, Éire Óg are undoubtedly next up when it comes to claiming overdue dividends in the race for the Canon Hamilton.
*Newmarket-on-Fergus defender, Colin Guilfoyle. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill IT’s not quite on a Biddy Early scale but the ‘Clare Cup curse’ has been a strong feature since reverting to a pre-championship finish.
*Crusheen defender, Diarmuid Mullins. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill CRUSHEEN’s remarkable run to a first county senior decider in nine years last October is almost worthy of a book in itself.
*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.
*David Conroy. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. AS St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield enter their crucial sophomore season at senior level, new manager Oisin O’Brien doesn’t have to look too far for inspiration.
*Caimin Morey. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill HAVING unquestionably proved themselves to be the team of the last decade with five senior hurling titles in just eight years maximising what has been Sixmilebridge’s most fruitful generation.
*Cormac Murphy. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill BLOOD may be thicker than water but the villages of O’Callaghan’s Mills and Broadford are thankful that the lakes of Lough Gar and Doon Lough separate them as their East Clare derby rivalry is elevated to unprecedented heights in Clonlara this Friday evening (7.30pm).