Clare football has received a massive boost ahead of the resumption of inter county activity with the news that Gary Brennan and Jamie Malone have rejoined the squad.
It was effectively a case of all’s well that ends well for Cratloe after an injury-time brace from Diarmuid Ryan cemented a place in Sunday’s quarter-final against holders St Joseph’s Miltown.
With Kilmurry Ibrickane, Lissycasey and St Breckan’s safely into the final four of the senior football championship, the semi-final line-up will be completed this weekend as four teams vie for just one solitary spot in in a two match blitz, writes Eoin Brennan
New management teams are finding it more difficult to advance in the 2020 Clare SHC and SFC which has been dubbed as “the COVID championship”.
Knockout clashes in the Clare SFC and IFC will proceed this weekend except the meeting of Cratloe and Clondegad.
Reigning county champions St Josephs Miltown will have to overcome Doonbeg in a repeat of last year’s semi-final if they are to hold onto the Jack Daly, it is one of many cracking ties on the cards in the next round of the Clare SFC.
A last gasp Sean Crowley fisted point finally sealed a dramatic victory for Kilmihil in an inch-tight opener with Clondegad in Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon.
From the momentum-fuelled peak of contesting a first ever county senior decider three years ago to a rare dalliance with relegation in 2019, Clondegad have definitely experienced both sides of the championship pressure-cooker in recent seasons.
Eoin Brennan looks ahead to the opening weekend of action in the Clare senior football championship.
*Munster SFC winning captain of 1992, Francis McInerney Clare’s greatest senior football team of the past three decades has been…