*Shane McGrath of Feakle. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
FEAKLE begin the defence of their title as Clare SHC under-strength in terms of personnel but not lacking when it comes to belief.
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Feakle Fact File:
Management: Ger Conway (manager), Dermot Gleeson (coach), John Punch (coach), Donie O’Grady (selector), Stephen Moloney (selector), Paul Treacy (S&C), Sorcha Houlihan (physio)
Captain: Oisin Donnellan:
Key player: Shane McGrath
One to watch: Oisin O’Connor
Fresh blood: None
Departures Gate: None
Treatment table: Conn Smyth, Steven Conway, Evan McMahon (knee), Eoin Tuohy (shoulder), Enda Noonan (ankle), Fiachra Donnellan (ACL)
Titles won: 7 (1935, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1944, 1988, 2024)
Last year’s run: Championship winners.
Championship power ranking: 8
Schedule of games:
Round 1 vs Wolfe Tones on Saturday July 26th in Cusack Park at 18:00
Round 2 vs Newmarket-on-Fergus on Friday August 8th in Cusack Park at 19:00
Round 3 vs Éire Óg on August 24th in Cusack Park at 14:00
In the world of gaelic games, across all counties, the percentage of teams that retain championship honours is relatively small.
Current Clare senior hurling champions Feakle who bridged a thirty six year gap when claiming the Canon Hamilton trophy last year, will be aware of this statistic as the prepare to begin the defence of the title against last year’s intermediate champions Wolfe Tones on this Saturday.
The fact that they will be without the services of a number of the players that helped them claim the honours last year for this Saturday’s contest is likely to make their task that bit more difficult.
“The aim is to win the first round and take it from there, hopefully qualifying from the group. We haven’t looked any further as the first game is very important. Lose that and one is on the back foot straight away. There are very small margins between being in the quarter final and being in the relegation play offs”, commented manager Ger Conway.
Inter county panelist Conn Smyth is likely to miss the early games of the championship, he underwent an operation prior to Clare beginning the defence of the Liam MacCarthy. Eoin Tuohy, one of the leading lights in last year’s campaign, is ruled out through a shoulder injury as is Enda Noonan (ankle) while Stevie Conway is a doubt.
Evan McMahon who missed the county final due to a cruciate injury has resumed training but it remains to be seen if he will get game time this week.
“In the Clare championship you cannot take anyone for granted. Last year is gone. It’s a new season and a new competition. Wolfe Tones have more inter county players than we have. As champions there is a target on our backs. Everyone will want to beat the county champions”, Conway told The Clare Echo.
Following their long season in 2024, Feakle delayed returning to training this season and struggled in the league. They lost their opening two games before getting their first win when accounting for Inagh/Kilnamona. Their only other win in the campaign came in the final round when they defeated Broadford.
That’s all behind them now and the whole focus is on the championship and trying to get a win under their belts against Wolfe Tones on Saturday.
They carry the favourites tag and, despite the fact that they will be without a couple of players who have been key to their progress in recent times, it will be a surprise if they don’t manage a win.
Feakle are a headline act this season with all three of their group games scheduled to take place in Zimmer Biomet Páirc Cíosóg. In Shane McGrath, Eibhear Quilligan, Adam Hogan and team captain Oisin Donnellan, they have top quality players capable of deciding an outcome on their own.
