*Alan Sweeney. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. DESPITE placing a focus on not allowing Kerry gain dominance early on in the Munster final, Clare did exactly that and it added to the disappointment of a third provincial final loss for wing-back Alan Sweeney.
*Clare defender Alan Sweeney. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. BETWEEN management, the backroom team and rules there’s a lot of newness regarding Clare football but wing-back Alan Sweeney is remaining a constant amidst the changes.
*Ikem Ugwueru was Clare’s goal scorer. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. CLARE’s footballers ran out thirteen point winners over Leitrim to get their Division 3 campaign up and running in the Allianz National Football League.
*Colm O’Brien. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill BACK TO BACK wins have resulted in St Breckan’s sealing their place in the quarter-finals of the TUS Clare SFC by finishing in top spot of Group 2.
*Colm O’Brien. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill WITH only one victory under their belts in 2024 and that an ultimately fruitless last-ditch attempt to stave off relegation from the Cusack Cup, St Breckan’s will inevitably have a greater emphasis on this Friday’s opening senior championship tie more than most.
*Clare manager, Mark Fitzgerald. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill MISSED CHANCES and an abysmal finish were rued by Clare senior football manager Mark Fitzgerald as the county fell to their third successive loss in the championship.
*Alan Sweeney charges out of the Clare defence. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill THERE remains a strong tinge of regret among Clare’s senior footballers that they didn’t do themselves justice in the 2023 Munster Final against Kerry, this weekend they have an opportunity to make amends.
CLARE’s senior footballers will contest back to back Munster finals for the first time since 1937.
*Cormac Murray. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill CORMAC Murray has been handed a first start in this year’s Allianz National Football League.
Ikem Ugwueru breaks through the challenge of Dylan Hyland. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill. CLARE’S National Football League is back on track after they came from nine points adrift to beat Offaly in Tullamore, it is the type of win that Mark Fitzgerald is hoping will lead to a positive bounce for next weekend’s outing versus Wicklow.
