*Clare minor manager, Ger O’Connell with Tom O’Dea. Photograph: Ruth Griffin
IT’S back to FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles for the third time this season for Clare’s minor hurlers as they face Limerick in the All-Ireland quarter final.
Saturday’s game throws in at 1pm. Ironically Limerick’s victory over Cork at Páirc Uí Rinn in the round robin stage of the competition had helped Clare to remain in the championship.
With just one win from four games in the group stage, Clare looked to be heading out of the championship but Limerick’s win over Cork helped keep the Banner lads in the race.
These sides met in the round robin stage of the competition back in April in Cusack Park when Limerick emerged with a two goal victory, 2-12 to 0-12. “Look, they were better than us on the day. They have improved since then but so have we and I am hoping for a much closer contest this time”, team manager Ger O’Connell told The Clare Echo this week.
Long term injuries to Ian O’Brien (Cratloe) and Fionn Plunkett (Clarecastle) means they will again be absent this week. “Apart from them we have a full squad from which to select”, the Clonlara native outlined.
“In most games that we have played we have had periods of dominance and then, for some reason we have switched off for a period. It happened last week against Dublin and this is something we need to improve on. To win a quarter final there has to be consistency”, the All-Ireland winning minor goalkeeper of 1997 stated.
Clearly pleased with last week’s victory over Dublin he said “things fell our way, we got goals when we needed them and we gave a good second half performance. We will have to improve again for this week’s game. This is our third trip to Thurles in this campaign and the lads are used to it. It’s brilliant for young lads to be getting ready to play in an All-Ireland minor quarter final. The lads have been training hard since January. They have done everything we have asked of them. It’s brilliant to be in the last six in this championship and if we perform to our capabilities we will be there or thereabouts”.
Understandably O’Connell would love if this game had been scheduled for Sunday at the same venue as a curtain raiser to the All-Ireland under 20 final between Clare and Galway. “A number of things would have had to fall into place for that to happen. We are part of a double header for the second week in a row. It’s great to be in the All-Ireland quarter final and our full focus is on Saturday’s clash with Limerick”.
Saturday’s game is part of a double header at the famed Tipperary venue. It will be followed at 3p.m. by the meeting of Cork and Kilkenny in the other quarter-final. Tipperary (Munster champions) and Galway (Leinster winners) await in the semi-finals.
