*Peter Duggan. Photograph: Ruth Griffin
SIX PLAYERS who will be expected to play major roles in this year’s championship are in danger of missing Clooney/Quin’s first round clash on Saturday against Éire Óg because of injury.
These include All-Ireland winning inter county star Peter Duggan who is struggling with an ankle injury.
John Conneally, a member of Clare’s extended panel, is ruled out because of a broken ankle while the others battling sidelined at present are John Cahill (shin bone), Shane McNamara (thumb), Ulick O’Sullivan (wrist) and Conor Grogan (knee);
All-Ireland winner with Clare in 2013, Fergal Lynch took on the manager’s role this year, succeeding Tommy Corbett who joined Brian Lohan’s Clare management team.
After many years of service to the club as a player, the Quin national school principal is well versed on what is needed to make progress in the championship. “The first round is most important and we are not looking past that as you are on the back foot if you don’t win. It is important that we try and get the best out of ourselves for that game”, he told The Clare Echo this week.
Commenting on successes are underage level in recent seasons he said
“We got to the minor A semi-final last year against Doora/Barefield and two of those players have moved up to the senior panel now. The transition to senior is very difficult”.
Fergal readily acknowledged that they are facing a difficult first round game. “Éire Óg have huge talent with David Reidy and Shane O’Donnell from the All-Ireland winning Clare side along with players like Aaron Fitzgerald and the Russells. They have huge players with massive experience, real leaders for their team. It will be difficult to stop those guys”.
Last year Clooney/Quin came through the group to contest the quarter final where they lost out to Scariff, but only after extra time.
In this season’s Clare Cup campaign, they struggled for victory in a number of their games, winning just two from nine starts while they also had a draw.
For much of the past decade Cillian Duggan filled the centre back position This year he has been handed a new role, that of goalkeeper and while many were surprised, the Spanchihill man has, to date, done very well in the position.
Team captain Jimmy Corry, Conor Grogan, Trevor Lee, Michael Corry, Daragh Keogh are others who have been doing well along with youngsters P.J. McCarthy, Cillian O’Gara and David Considine while Clare U20 Jack O’Neill who was recently drafted into the county senior panel has huge promise.
The availability of Ryan Taylor after a year out due to a cruciate injury, is a massive boost for the side and followers of the team will be looking to him to lead the charge.
Players and management know that improvement is needed from what they showed in the games in the league if they are to win this one against the division 2 league champions Éire Óg who are equally hungry for a title win.
While it’s thirty four years since the Canon Hamilton last spent a winter in the capital, one has to go all the way back to 1942 for Clooney/Quin’s only senior championship win. It’s definitely a wait that all involved with the club want to end
Management: Fergal Lynch (manager), Francis Browne (coach), Brian Hanley (coach), Derek Quinn (selector), Keith Daniels (selector), Victor O’Riordan (S&C)
Captain: Jimmy Corry;
Key Player: Ryan Taylor
One to Watch: Cillian O’Gara
Fresh Blood: P.J McCarthy, Fionn O’Gara,
Departures: Shane Harrisson (emigration), Keith Hogan (emigration)
Treatment table: Peter Duggan (ankle), John Conneally (ankle), John Cahill (shin bone) Shane McNamara (thumb).Ulick O’Sullivan (wrist), Conor Grogan (knee).
Last Season’s run: Lost to Scariff in the quarter final after extra time (1-22 to 3-19
Titles won: 1 (1942)
Schedule:
Round 1 v Eire Og (Saturday August 10th in Cusack Park at 17:00)
Round 2 v Ballyea (August 24th/25th)
Round 3 v Clonlara (September 7th/8th)
