*Joe Casey. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
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CORNER BACK Joe Casey is the chief injury doubt for Clare’s U20 hurlers as they prepare for Sunday’s All-Ireland final with Galway attacker Aaron Niland ruled out.
Casey was forced off with a hamstring injury in Clare’s Munster semi-final win over Cork in Páirc Uí Chaoimh three weeks ago and missed out on the provincial final victory against Tipperary.
Kilmaley’s Joe had been an ever-present member of the first fifteen, alongside captain Eoghan Gunning and Éire Óg’s Robert Loftus, he formed part of Clare’s most consistent line on the field, the full-back line with the trio impressing in all of their appearances.
Joe made his breakthrough with the Kilmaley senior team last season with Brian Culbert’s charges reaching the last four. He plays his club football with Ennistymon and represented their intermediate outfit in 2025 while also winning an U21A football championship with the club, both sides were managed by Brendan ‘Beano’ Rouine.
Also battling to put himself in contention is Killanena’s Ronan Keane. He went off injured at half time in the Munster final and had missed earlier rounds of the championship. He was full-back on the side which won the 2023 All-Ireland minor championship.
James Cullinan of Ruan made the matchday twenty four for the Munster final after returning to fitness following an injury sustained in the opening round. The St Flannan’s College student had started at centre back in the absence of James Hegarty.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Clare U20 manager Terence Fahy outlined, “We don’t have a full squad yet but we would be hoping that lads are getting an inch closer all the time. You will never know what you will pick up in the run-in to a match, it will be touch wood. At the moment, we don’t have a full hand but the attraction of an All-Ireland final and the potential to play in an All-Ireland final will mean that a county player will move mountains to get himself fit, our lads are no different”.
It was the same approach in the Munster final when players gave everything they could to get through extra time, Fahy noted. “It will be the same mentality, the boys are very aware, they are very mature, they know the opportunity that is here, they have been in an All-Ireland final, they were there as minors and they know what it means, they have done a lot of hurling since, it has taken a long time to get back to that level, they’re doing that anyway and doing everything they possibly can to get themselves fit but they have more to go”.
Galway have been dealt a blow with manager Gavin Keary confirming that Aaron Niland will play no part in Sunday’s final. The Clarinbridge clubman sustained an ankle injury for Galway’s senior team in their defeat to Dublin in the fourth round of the Leinster SHC.
Seán Murphy who is also part of the Galway senior hurling panel will also miss out due to a shoulder injury. Keary is hopeful that Luke Kennedy and Darragh Counihan will feature, the duo had to make way in the opening half of their Leinster final win over Kilkenny.
“Aaron obviously got a very bad injury, it’s clear for the whole country to see, he’s trying desperately hard but unfortunately it looks like it’s unlikely he will feature,” Keary told The Connacht Tribune. “It’s very important when you are talented as these guys are, a few guys involved in the senior squad. It’s a very busy time, they’ve a Leinster final the following week aswell, we would still hold hope on that aswell, it would be great if they can feature”.
