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As they prepare to get their challenge for championship honours underway the champions of 2024, Feakle are firmly focused on their opening round clash with East Clare neighbours O’Callaghans Mills.
“We are not looking past the opening round and our clash with O’Callaghans Mills. The Mills are the form team in Clare, they haven’t been beaten in the county yet this year. They are the Clare Cup (senior league) champions, having won the intermediate title last year. Our whole focus is on this game”, commented team manager Ger Conway.
Conway was at the helm when Feakle won the Canon Hamilton two seasons ago. He is very pleased to see a number of East Clare clubs are challenging for senior honours.. “East Clare is the home of hurling in Clare. Our win in the championship two years ago has given great hope to all. It showed that it can be done even if you are working from a small population base”.
He told The Clare Echo, “the Clare championship is a tough competition to win. It’s fiercely competitive and any of the sixteen teams involved could come out on top. Very few would not have genuine hopes of getting there. With a small bit of luck every team can have genuine hopes of getting through. In a knockout competition anything can happen, a hop of the ball, a referee’s decision, an injury can have a bearing”.
Ger readily acknowledges that they have been drawn in a very difficult group. “It’s a nightmare of a group really and all four will believe that they can qualify. Right now each will be targeting the opening game and looking no further. The first round loser will be on the back foot and suddenly there will be mention of relegation. In the Clare championship you lose the first game and it’s a knock out competition straight away. It’s a very fine margin between getting through and being in relegation”.
Staying injury free is key to a good run in the championship according to Feakle’s manager. “We were very lucky in that regard two years ago in that we went through the campaign without any major injury”
A vital player for Feakle is Shane McGrath who is the side’s captain this year and all opponents will agree that key to overcoming Feakle is limiting McGrath’s contribution, something that is easier said than done.
The availability of inter county stars Eibhear Quilligan and Adam Hogan adds huge experience to a side that will also be looking to Eoin Tuohy, Oisin Donnellan who led them to the Canon Hamilton in 2024 and Steven Conway to mention but a few.
Doubts remain about whether or not Conn Smyth will be fit to take his place for this weekend’s opener. A towering figure at centre back, Smyth had been part of Clare’s extended panel up until this year and has had his injury issues over the past two years.
A plus for Feakle is that they have a fairly settled side with the majority of the title winning team of 2024 still filling key roles. Their first round clash with O’Callaghans Mills is arousing huge attention and opinions appear to be fairly evenly divided as to who is likely to come out on top.
