*Tom Curran will be part of the St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield side. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
ACTION begins in the U21 A, B and C football championships this weekend with a total of twenty three teams chasing honours, all but one of which will see action in the opening round.
There are eight teams in both the A and B competitions each divided into two groups of four.
All teams will have two group games, one at home and one away, after which the top two in each group will go through to the semi-finals.
The opening game in this weekend’s football schedule sees Kilrush/ Killimer host Kilmurry Ibrickane at Tubridy Park in Kilrush on this Friday evening at 8pm. The home side are backboned by the Féile title winning team from 2018. Dylan O’Brien along with the Fennell brothers Conor and Seán of the Kilrush Shamrocks intermediate side will form part of their first fifteen.
Evan Cahill, Cathal Talty, Conor Kearney, Colin Considine and Josh Moloney are members of the Kilmurry Ibrickane senior side expected to feature from the off for their U21 outfit.
Title holders St Joseph’s, Doora/Barefield begin the defence of the John Marrinan cup on Sunday at Gurteen at 5p.m. against Ennistymon. They are likely to be without Odhan O’Connell who was injured in the senior final last week but Tom Curran and Michael Nash from the senior team will be available.
Ennistymon can call on Joshua Vaughan, Seán Rynne and Gearoid Barry from their senior squad.
Earlier on Sunday, Cooraclare travel to Shannon to face Wolfe Tones while last year’s beaten finalists Lissycasey will make the short journey to Ballynacally to face Clondegad, both games at 12 noon.
Wolfe Tones have been dealt a huge blow with the loss of Craig Riordan who is out for the season due to a cruciate injury. They will be looking to Aaron Kelly, Colin Riordan, Brian Murphy, Niall and Tadhg Fitzgerald from their senior squad.
Cooraclare can call on a number of their intermediate panel including Gary Donnellan, Simon Culligan, Harry O’Gorman, Sean O’Dea, Jack Carey and the Townsend brothers
Last year’s finalists Lissycasey have a number of that panel available including Daire Culligan, Connor Meaney and Darren Keane while members of Clondegad’s intermediate team who are expected to be in their side include Daniel Costelloe, Eoin Kennedy and the Kirby twins Fiachra and Cian.
In the B competition on Sunday, Corofin travel to play Clooney/Quin Éire Óg will have home advantage against St Joseph’s Miltown, both games at 12 noon.
Cratloe will travel to play Clarecastle at 8p.m. on Tuesday while twenty four hours later at Tubber, St. Breckans will play Banner.
In the under 21 C competition this week Western Gaels (Naomh Eoin, O’Currys and St Senan’s Kilkee) will play Éire Óg on Saturday in Kilkee at 4p.m while on Sunday at 12 noon in Doonbeg, the Magpies will have home advantage against the Shannon Gaels/Kilmihil combination.
The other group in the C competition has just three teams and here Coolmeen/Kildysart will play Parteen/Meelick at Clarecastle on Thursday evening next at 8pm.
The North Clare combination of Kilfenora, Liscannor and Michael Cusacks have a bye in the opening round,
The race for the A, B, C and D hurling titles is set to begin next week when thirty seven teams will be chasing success.
The finals are scheduled for the end of November.
The under 21 A football team managements are as follows
Kilmurry Ibrickane: Evan Talty, Enda Coughlan, Dermot Coughlan Junior, Niall Hickey, Daniel Walsh, Peter O’Dwyer Junior
Kilrush/Killimer; John Fennell, Senan Canny, Eamonn Hehir, Aidan Daly, Brian McKeown.
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: Donagh Vaughan (Manager) Eoin Troy, Paddy Bugler, Tom O’Brien;
Ennistymon: Brendan Rouine, John Conneally, Diarmuid Fahy, Joe Joe Rouine, James Brody, John Rouine, Conor Kellleher
Lissycasey: Martin Daly (Manager), Ger Keane (coach), Shane Normoyle, Gerry Moran, Pat Keane, John McHugh, Padaig Rynne
Clondegad: Fintan Meaney (manager), Christy Clancy, Fergal Connolly, Michael Callinan, Brendan Kyne
Wolfe Tones: John Riordan (manager), Mike Riordan, Pat Carigg, Jayme O’Sullivan, Craig Riordan;
Cooraclare: Declan McMahon (Manager); Kieran Hassett, Michael Garry.
