*Colm Collins. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE’s senior footballers have their “backs to the wall” as they attempt to consolidate their status in Division 2 of the Allianz National Football League.
Successive defeats to Meath, Kildare and Dublin by four points and a single point each respectively have left Clare second from bottom in the table and at risk of relegation.
It pits Clare in must-win territory for the visit of Cork on Sunday, a tie that will serve as a dress rehearsal for their Munster SFC quarter-final on April 9th which will also be held in Cusack Park.
Although Cork have just one more win than Clare in the NFL, they sit in third position behind the unbeaten duo of Derry and Dublin. Squashed between them are Louth (4 points), Meath (4 points) and Kildare (2 points).
Every single point is vital and that is something the Clare set-up are more than cognisant of.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Clare manager Colm Collins noted the importance of putting two points on the board when they welcome Cork to Ennis this weekend. “It’s backs to the wall now. Listen, we wouldn’t have it any other way, we’re on this Sunday, there’s two points on offer and we’ll go after them”.
Leading by three points at half-time in Saturday’s defeat to Dublin, Collins and his management were forced to substitute Podge Collins. “Coming into the game his hamstring was at him so we took him off as a precaution at half-time, there was no point in pushing the issue, he just didn’t feel right”.
Podge is named at corner forward for Sunday’s tie but the injury news isn’t as positive for his teammates. Cillian Rouine (ankle) who was a regular at corner back last year but may be moved up the field this year off the back of a strong club campaign with Ennistymon and Darren O’Neill (broken thumb) remain sidelined for this weekend. Cathal O’Connor continues to recover from a hamstring injury.
Keelan Sexton having missed the Kildare game, was introduced in the closing moments against Dublin is pushing for a more prominent position this weekend.
