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*Wolfe Tones captain Evan O’Gorman in action with Newmarket-on-Fergus’ Peter Power. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
WOLFE TONES are braced for “a monster game” with neighbours Newmarket-on-Fergus which is expected to be one of the ties of action packed final round in the Clare SHC.
Broadford will be the setting for the latest battle between the Tones and the Blues, Sunday’s tie commences at 16:00 in Glenomra Park.
Last season, Wolfe Tones powered past Newmarket-on-Fergus with a six point win to send their neighbours into a relegation play-off. Should the Tones emerge on top this weekend, they will once again have the Blues fighting for senior survival.
Not alone can they inflict some pain on their rivals but a win would more importantly see them advance to the quarter-finals if Kilmaley overcome Sixmilebridge.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Wolfe Tones manager, Barry Keane commented, “We just have to put our heads down now, we have a monster game, they don’t come any bigger. The prize is massive for both teams, Newmarket are going to be coming at us. They want to win, they are at the bottom of the table, they were very good the last day, they played better against Kimlaley than we did. We are just going to have to be up it another bit”.
Only a point separated Wolfe Tones from Kilmaley at half time in the second round but they conceded three goals in the third quarter before falling to a 3-20 0-15 loss. “We were really happy with how we played in the first half. We came out for the second half and missed three scores and conceded 2 succour goals. Kilmaley are excellent, they are one of the favourites for the championship for a reason;. We just couldn’t get back into our groove again in the second half. That third quarter was decisive. We have no complaints,” Keane reflected.
Barry who guided Wolfe Tones to Clare IHC success in 2024 added, “that third quarter wasn’t good enough from our perspective. We have to give Kilmaley the credit, they turned it on and we had no answers to it. The concession of goals is particularly disappointing from our perspective. We conceded three against the ‘Bridge and three again today. It’s something we have to look at”.
Focus switches entirely to Newmarket-on-Fergus, Keane stated. “That third quarter wasn’t good enough today and the lads know that, they just spoke about it and they don’t need me to tell them that. We will go again, the full focus now is on Newmarket. We will put the head down and go again”.
