*Keelan Sexton. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE’s starting team to take on Kildare in the crucial fifth round of the Allianz National Football League has been announced.
Having suffered defeat to Antrim in the opening round, Clare have bounced back with victories over Leitrim and Fermanagh, another two points on the board are required if they are to keep their aspirations of returning to Division 2 for the first time since 2023.
With Sunday’s game commencing at 14:00 and the senior hurlers in action in TUS Gaelic Grounds at 15:45, it leaves Clare supporters with an unnecessary headache in deciding which game to go to.
An unplayable pitch in Markievicz Park last weekend meant Clare’s fourth round tie versus Sligo did not proceed. Peter Keane and his management have opted to keep the same fifteen as which was named for the Sligo game with Fionn Kelleher returning to the half-back line in place of Cillian McGroary.
Sean McAllister takes up a new role at wing back with Alan Sweeney at the opposite flank allowing Ikem Ugwueru to partner Brian McNamara in the middle of the field.
Cillian Brennan captains the side from full back with Cillian Rouine and Manus Doherty on either side, Eamon Tubridy is in line for his fourth successive appearance between the posts.
There are positional changes in attack with Emmet McMahon and Eoin Cleary swapping roles as do Aaron Griffin and Daniel Walsh.
Dermot Coughlan is included among the substitutes and could make his first appearance of the year in saffron and blue. The Kilmurry Ibrickane forward fractured his foot at the end of September against St Joseph’s Miltown in the Clare SFC quarter-final. He lasted twenty seven minutes in the county final played at the end of October before the injury curtailed his involvement in their loss to Éire Óg.
Kildare are currently the only unbeaten team in Division 3 and sit top of the table. They have defeated Fermanagh 2-24 1-12, Sligo 1-16 0-13, Leitrim 1-27 0-7 and Laois 0-22 0-9 in their four outings to date.
Clare:
1: Eamon Tubridy (Doonbeg)
2: Cillian Rouine (Ennistymon)
3: Cillian Brennan (Clondegad)
4: Manus Doherty (Éire Óg)
5: Alan Sweeney (St Breckan’s)
6: Fionn Kelleher (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
7: Sean McAllister (Clondegad)
8: Brian McNamara (Cooraclare)
9: Ikem Ugwueru (Éire Óg)
10: Aaron Griffin (Lissycasey)
11: Emmet McMahon (Kildysart)
12: Ciaran Downes (Kilmihil)
13: Daniel Walsh (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
14: Eoin Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown)
15: Keelan Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
Subs:
16: Mark McInerney (Éire Óg)
17: Cillian McGroary (Corofin)
18: Connor Meaney (Lissycasey)
19: Evan Cahill (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
20: Darragh Burns (Doonbeg)
21: Cormac Murray (St Joseph’s Miltown)
22: Gavin Murray (Éire Óg)
23: Shane Griffin (Lissycasey)
24: Dermot Coughlan (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
25: Jamie Stack (St Breckan’s)
26: Diarmuid O’Donnell (Kildysart)
Kildare:
1: Didier Cordonnier
2: Ryan Burke
3: Mick O’Grady
4: Brian Byrne
5: Jack McKevitt
6: James McGrath
7: David Hyland
8: Cathal Hagney
9: Callum Bolton
10: Ben McCormack
11: Alex Beirne
12: Colm Dalton
13: Niall Kelly
14: Kevin Feely
15: Ben McCormack.
Panel: Cian Burke, Harry O’Neill, Mark Dempsey, Tommy Gill, Rian Teahan, Aaron Masterson, Niall Dolan, Brian McLoughlin, Ryan Sinkey, Daniel Flynn, Jimmy Hyland.
