*Sixmilebridge’s Páidí Fitzpatrick. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill SIXMILEBRIDGE are gearing themselves up for a real championship test against Crusheen when both sides bid to record successive victories.
*Patrick Ryan gets away from Jason McCarthy. Photograph: Ruth Griffin. Scariff unquestionably demonstrated that there are now a senior force after doubling the dose on Inagh/Kilnamona to pick up where they left off in 2023 in O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge.
*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.