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*All eyes on the sliotar as Newmarket-0n-Fergus duo Seadhna Liddy and Eoin Guilfoyle try to take the ball from Éire Óg’s Robert Loftus. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
RETURN of the TUS Clare SHC has been met with open arms by hurling supporters across Clare, the first round of fixtures leaving plenty of discussion points.
The Clare Echo’s online coverage of the Clare SHC is brought to you with thanks to The Temple Gate Hotel.
Five of the eight opening round ties finished with one score between the sides as a generally tight nature was evident in all four groups.
Teams will have learned a lot from their first championship outing of the year while, the path is somewhat clearer and the pressure is dialling up a notch.
Joining Ross O’Donoghue on The Water Break we have Pat McNamara an analyst with Scariff Bay Community Radio, former selector with Clare’s underage development squads, Conor Earley, former Tubber and Cratloe hurler who has lined out with Clare and has managed Cratloe’s senior hurlers and Eoin O’Brien, a Clare SHC winner with Newmarket-on-Fergus plus a former Clare minor and senior hurler.
On the agenda:
- Hurlers of younger age profile occupying roles in the spine of teams
- Helter skelter between Clonlara & Sixmilebridge
- Injuries more costly than defeat for The Bridge
- Wily Crusheen showing experience matters
- More time needed for Doora/Barefield
- Inagh/Kilnamona need to make a statement
- Second half fade a worry for Corofin
- Surprise at omission of Craig Chaplin from Broadford side
- Young defenders step up for Clooney/Quin who are contenders
- Broadford vs Clooney/Quin a most wonderful game
- Éire Óg a team to be reckoned with
- All not lost for Newmarket-on-Fergus
- Wolfe Tones have had a jump on a lot of teams in preparation
- Absence of key Feakle figures was evident
- Shootout between Cratloe & Scariff
- Diarmuid Ryan demonstrates ability to go as Clare centre back
- Group 4 is the toughest to call
- Ballyea showed sides of county winning side in first half
- Kilmaley’s style is full of movement
For the record the results from the opening round were as follows:
TUS Clare SHC:
Group 1:
Clonlara 1-19 Sixmilebridge 1-18. Venue: Zimmer Biomet Pairc Cíosóg, Ennis
Crusheen 0-23 St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 1-15. Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Cíosóg, Ennis
Group 2:
Clooney/Quin 1-18 Broadford 2-12. Venue: Shannon
Inagh/Kilnamona 0-31 Corofin 0-18. Venue: Gurteen
Group 3:
Éire Óg 2-24 Newmarket-on-Fergus 1-18. Venue: Clarecastle
Feakle 0-19 Wolfe Tones 1-16. Venue: Zimmer Biomet Páirc Cíosóg, Ennis
Group 4:
Kilmaley 2-20 Ballyea 3-16. Venue: O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge
Cratloe 1-24 Scariff 1-21. Venue: Glenomra Park, Broadford
TUS Clare Premier IHC:
Group 1:
Tubber 1-22 Tulla 1-16 Venue: Clarecastle
O’Callaghans Mills 2-32 Killanena 1-14. Venue: Scariff
Parteen/Meelick bye
Group 2:
Clarecastle 1-22 Whitegate 0-17. Venue: The Evicted Field, Bodyke.
Ruan 1-20 Sixmilebridge 3-14. Venue: Páirc Michael Uí Heithir, Cratloe.
TUS Clare IHC:
Group 1:
Inagh/Kilnamona 2-25 Scariff 1-10
O’Callaghans Mills 1-22 Broadford 3-14.
Ogonelloe Bye
Group 2:
Smith O’Briens 0-24 St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 0-15
Kilmaley 0-21 Newmarket-on-Fergus 0-15
Éire Óg bye
