*Jim McInerney. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Tulla’s Jim McInerney will be amongst the thousands of Clare hurling fans who will make the short journey to Limerick on Sunday for the eagerly awaited 2023 Munster senior hurling final between Shannonside neighbours and arch rivals, Clare and Limerick.
It’s a journey he has made many times over the years and while he has always travelled believing that Clare would do well, seldom has he been so excited about a game.
A member of the panel which last beat Limerick in the Provincial final in 1995 when Clare ended a 63 year wait for the Munster senior title, the Tulla team manager has the added interest of having his son David in the current Clare side.
He told The Clare Echo, “it’s an honour to have a family member in the team but I will be no more nervous and excited that I would be at any Clare championship game. At the All-Ireland minor final in Thurles last week I was as nervous and excited as one could be on such occasions. That was a magnificent result for Clare hurling which has received a huge lift as a result of that victory. It was a fantastic performance from a Clare side who were way better on the day”.
Looking ahead to this Sunday’s final, he noted “in the last two years there has been nothing between them. It promises to be another marvellous day and if we get the break on the day, I am hoping it will get us over the line. Limerick have come back to the pack a small bit but their big players are coming into form again. There is a big question mark with regard to whether Conor Cleary will be fit to play. We have been very consistent for the last two years and Cleary has been ever present at full back”.
Cleary will not be easily replaced if the Miltown Malbay man is unavailable. “It will be very hard to replace Cleary if he is not available. He is a big man and he has been a rock in our defence. He has a lot of hurling played and it will take a lot to stop him from playing on Sunday”.
A chance to end a twenty five year drought to win a Munster senior title must be grabbed, Jim said. “These lads are used to playing in these situations and they play well in such situations. They have played really well on their way to this final. For a number of the players involved this is the one medal that has eluded them”.
The 1995 Munster and All-Ireland medal winner who managed his native Tulla to the Clare senior title in 2007 is hugely impressed with how Clare hurling teams are doing at this time. “It is phenomenal what is being done. We are producing great players. Last year’s Harty cup win for St Joseph’s Tulla was huge for underage hurling in Clare”.
When asked if he thinks Clare can capture the Munster title, Jim responded, “Last year a small thing would have won the game for us. We are a top team in Munster this year and we are there with a serious chance”.
