*Ian Galvin gets away from Conor Grogan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill CHAMPIONS Clonlara have sealed their place in the quarter-finals of the TUS Clare SHC after bouncing back from their second-round defeat to Éire Óg in impressive fashion to send Clooney/Quin into the relegation series.
*Clonlara’s Colm Galvin. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill Holders Clonlara had an impressive performance in the first game of this year’s chase for the Canon Hamilton Cup, when they totally outclassed a Tony Kelly led Ballyea by eight points at the whistle.
*Clonlara’s Micheál O’Loughlin. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill HAVING taken fifteen years to finally nail down a merited Canon Hamilton sequel, Clonlara can be forgiven for not wanting to let it go without an almighty fight.
*Tony Kelly on his way to scoring Clare’s third goal. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill TONY KELLY produced a moment of magic in Sunday’s All-Ireland final when scoring a goal for the ages.
*Tony Kelly lifts the Liam McCarthy. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill CAPTAINING Clare to All-Ireland glory “is the best thing I probably will ever do in hurling,” Tony Kelly has said.
*Peter Duggan and David Fitzgerald with the Liam MacCarthy. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill SEEING WHAT it means to the people of Clare has made the already sweet success of winning an All-Ireland championship extra special for David Fitzgerald.
*John Conlon. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill JOHN CONLON has made more championship appearances than any Clare hurlers and the two-time All-Ireland winner has confirmed he’ll be lining out with the county once more next year.
*Clare coach Shane Hassett with Aidan McCarthy. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill CLARE’S survivors from the 2013 team stood tallest to help the county bridge an eleven year wait for All-Ireland success.
*John Joe Costelloe at his home in Kildysart. Photograph: John Mangan. KILDYSART’s John Joe Costelloe has been following Clare hurling teams since 1974 and is regarded as one of the most genuine GAA supporters in the county.
*Shane O’Donnell. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill THE WHEEL turns full circle for Shane O’Donnell this Sunday when eleven years after his indelible All-Ireland Final debut as a carefree teenager, he faces the same opponents at the same stage in an almost eerie decider rematch against the Rebels once more.
