*Conner Hegarty of Inagh/Kilnamona. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
INAGH/KILNAMONA bid to qualify for a first Munster club final while Clarecastle set off in their provincial journey this Sunday.
Munster GAA have set both fixtures for a 13:15 start meaning neutrals have a decision to make on which game they will attend. TG4 will also be broadcasting the meeting of Inagh/Kilnamona and Thurles Sarsfields.
Following their impressive dismantling of Glen Rovers by seven points at the beginning of the month, Eugene Cullinan’s Inagh/Kilnamona strive to record successive victories in the province.
Injuries forced off Kevin Hehir (knee) and Fred Hegarty (ankle) during the course of their win in Páirc Uí Rinn. The duo are expected to retain their places in the starting fifteen.
Hegarty along with Conor Rynne and James Hegarty were rested from the club’s U21 side which defeated Clarecastle after extra time on Saturday. Senior panellist Gearoid Barry impressed with 3-9 to advance his cause for increased game time.
Cullinan is expecting a stern encounter from the thirty seven time Tipperary champions, Thurles Sarsfields. “We know they are a fine team, they have a great underage structure there, they have been there or thereabouts for the last few years in the Tipp championship, Pádraic Maher is at the wheel there and they have a good set-up, they will be well drilled, it will be tough,” he told The Clare Echo.
After suffering a broken ankle in July, Tipp captain Ronan Maher made a remarkable recovery to feature from the bench in Thurles’ 1-19 1-11 county final win over Moycarkey Borris. Their side will also include forty two year old Patrick McCormack between the posts, Conor Stakelum, Eoin Purcell, Paddy Creedon, Darragh Stakelum and Denis Maher.
Leading the charge for Inamona will be Aidan McCarthy, Seán Rynne, David Fitzgerald, Mark Callinan, Keith White, Shane Woods, Éamonn Foudy and James Hegarty.
Facing off in the other semi-final are Ballygunner who chase their fourth provincial title in six seasons and Kilmallock managed by Cratloe’s James Hickey.
Kilmallock is the setting on Sunday when Clarecastle meet Dromin-Athlacca. It’s a location that Magpies manager Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin is more than familiar with, managing them to win the 2014 Limerick SHC.
Having secured their return to senior hurling after three seasons out of the top flight, the Magpies are targeting making their mark in Munster. It is a first provincial outing for Clarecastle since losing the 2005 senior semi-final to Ballygunner 3-13 2-9.
Sparrow was the coach of the side managed by Ger Ward on that occasion and now the focus is on maintaining their winning run. To do so, they will be looking to Stephen O’Halloran, Oisin Whelan, Cian Broderick, Colin Brigdale, Cian Galvin, Harry Doherty and Conor Halpin to lead the line. Bobby Duggan has returned to Canada since their PIHC success.
Dromin-Athlacca secured an immediate return to senior hurling in Limerick and feature David Reidy as their main man.
