*Jack Browne. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
JACK BROWNE will make his first championship start of 2022 and his first in two years when Clare welcome Limerick to Cusack Park this Sunday.
Captain of the Ballyea side to claim their third Clare SHC last year, Browne was ever-present on the Clare team in this year’s Allianz National Hurling League before finding himself among the substitutes for the first and second outings in the championship when wins were recorded over Tipperary and Cork.
With Ian Galvin’s suspension appeal unsuccessful, Brian Lohan and his management have been forced to make a change with the St Flannan’s College school teacher entering the fray as a result. He is named at midfield alongside David Fitzgerald with Ryan Taylor listed to start at corner forward but a positional change is expected with the Clooney/Quin man likely to appear around the middle third.
Ruan’s Robin Mounsey continues at corner forward for his third championship appearance with Peter Duggan, Shane O’Donnell, Tony Kelly and Cathal Malone also included in the forward line.
There are no changes to the back seven with Eibhear Quilligan remaining between the posts with a full-back line of Rory Hayes, Conor Cleary and Paul Flanagan playing behind the half-back line trio of Diarmuid Ryan, John Conlon and David McInerney.
David Reidy is included in the matchday twenty six for the first time in this year’s championship. The Ennis man missed out on the bulk of Clare’s league bid and was forced to undergo an operation for a knee injury but has made steady progress with his recovery. The Clare Echo understands that it will be another two weeks or so before the 2014 All-Ireland U21 final man of the match is in the running for a seventy minute appearance.
Understandably there is disappointment in Clonlara with the absence of Galvin but for the first time in his career, Aidan Moriarty is in the seniors matchday panel. The former Clare minor was added to the senior squad after impressing in an internal training game subsequent to the NHL.
Shane Meehan is also back in the mix, the Banner clubman will be hoping to make his championship debut from the bench having missed out on the two victories on account of a hamstring injury. East Clare duo, Patrick Crotty (Scariff) and Keith Smyth (Killanena) drop out of the matchday panel as a result of the new additions.
On the Limerick side, Seamus Flanagan makes his first championship start of the year in the place of Cathal O’Neill who has been ruled out of Sunday’s game with an ankle injury, he joins Cian Lynch (hamstring) on the treatment table.
John Kiely has included Mungret’s Rory Duff and Michael Houlihan of Kilmallock among their substitutes in place of the injured O’Neill and Pat Ryan.
Clare:
1: Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle)
2: Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones)
3: Conor Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown)
4: Paul Flanagan (Ballyea)
5: Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe)
6: John Conlon (Clonlara)
7: David McInerney (Tulla)
8: David Fitzgerald (Inagh/Kilnamona)
9: Jack Browne (Ballyea)
10: Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)
11: Tony Kelly (Ballyea)
12: Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg)
13: Robin Mounsey (Ruan)
14: Peter Duggan (Clooney/Quin)
15: Ryan Taylor (Clooney/Quin)
Subs:
16: Eamonn Foudy (Inagh/Kilnamona)
17: Cian Nolan (Smith O’Briens)
18: Domhnall McMahon (Michael Cusacks)
19: Shane Meehan (Banner)
20: Aaron Fitzgerald (Éire Óg)
21: Shane Golden (Sixmilebridge)
22: Jason McCarthy (Inagh/Kilnamona)
23: Aidan Moriarty (Clonlara)
24: Páidí Fitzpatrick (Sixmilebridge)
25: Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones)
26: David Reidy (Éire Óg)
Limerick:
1: Nickie Quaid (Effin)
2: Sean Finn (Bruff)
3: Mike Casey (Na Piarsaigh)
4: Barry Nash (South Liberties)
5: Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
6: Declan Hannon (Adare)
7: Dan Morrissey (Ahane)
8: Darragh O’Donovan (Doon)
9: William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsaigh)
10: Gearoid Hegarty (St Patricks)
11: Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry)
12: Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
13: Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell)
14: Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon)
15: Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock)
Subs:
16: Barry Hennessy (Kilmallock)
17: Ciaran Barry (Ahane)
18: Conor Boylan (Na Piarsaigh)
19: Ronan Connolly (Adare)
20: Aaron Costelloe (Kilmallock)
21: Rory Duff (Mungret St Pauls)
22: Richie English (Doon)
23: Robbie Hanley (Kilmallock)
24: Micheal Houlihan (Kilmallock)
25: Oisin O’Reilly (Kilmallock)
26: David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca).
