Round Four of the Clare Champion Cup sees a host of games down for decision this weekend; with each team having their own unique objectives ahead of the action.
As it stands, both Crusheen and Sixmilebridge sit top of Division 1A with three wins from three. Clooney/Quin have yet to pick up a point having been defeated in their first three games. Clarecastle and Inagh/Kilnamona are level pegging in third place while Newmarket-on-Fergus are just behind them on three points. O’Callaghans Mills, Feakle and Clonlara with one win each are all level in the bottom half of the table while reigning champions Cratloe sit second from the bottom with one point on the board.
Cratloe vs O’Callaghans Mills 26/04/15 in Cratloe at 13:00.
A win for Cratloe would see them overtake O’Callaghans Mills in the rankings and that will be their sole focus at the weekend. The Joe McGrath managed side just need to get on a run of form and the rest will take care of itself. Star man, Conor McGrath has yet to feature for the 2014 County Champions in the Clare Cup but they will know they should be able to cope in his absence. In their opening two games, the South Clare side suffered narrow defeats to Sixmilebridge and Clarecastle but fought back well last weekend to force a draw with Newmarket-on-Fergus. O’Callaghans Mills will be quietly satisfied with their displays in 2015 so far, even though they have two defeats under their belts, the Mills have done well in all their three games. They came within two points of an unbeaten Crusheen team, the closest any team has come to overcoming John Carmody’s side so far this year, five points separated the East Clare men and Inagh/Kilnamona. The Dinny Ryan trained side defeated Clonlara in Round Two by three points. They will be pleased that Conor Cooney has returned from an operation on his shoulder and is doing well at full-back while some younger players are beginning to step up to the mark for the Mills. Both teams will be vying for victory but if Cratloe need to put up a fight for their crown and that fight must begin this weekend.
Clonlara vs Crusheen 26/04/15 in Clonlara at 14:00.
In a repeat of the 2014 County semi-final, Clonlara and Crusheen renew acquaintances at the weekend. It’s been a completely different start to the year for both teams, new manager Sean Stack has struggled to get early results with the South East Clare club and Colm Galvin’s departure to America for the summer seems to have affected the mood in the Clonlara camp. Since their emergence as one of the top teams in the County in 2008, Clonlara have tested themselves to the limit in the Clare Cup. If they ask themselves have they done that this year, the answer would certainly be a resoundingly negative one. Three points was the gap between Clonlara and the Mills in Round Two while Sixmilebridge hammered them by twelve points. Their only victory was a comprehensive win, beating Feakle by twelve points. On the other hand, Crusheen have been in flying form. Three games and three wins underline how serious Crusheen are taking the Clare Cup. They had three point victories over Clarecastle and the Mills while they told Feakle a few home truths in the 6-12 to 0-10 massacre induced on the 2014 Intermediate Champions. The outfit trained by Clare U21 coach Kevin O’Grady have been very clinical from placed balls to date with Paddy Vaughan taking advantage of the indiscipline of other teams. Clonlara cannot afford to give away a large quantity of frees at the weekend and if they can stay disciplined, a win against an unbeaten Crusheen may just be the start of a long year for the side including the O’Connell brothers, John Conlon, Darach Honan and Domhnall O’Donovan.
Sixmilebridge vs Newmarket-on-Fergus 26/04/15 in Sixmilebridge at 16:30.
Two of the biggest rivals in Clare sport go head to head on Sunday evening in O’Garney Park. John O’Meara’s Sixmilebridge have started the Clare Cup with a bang with wins over County Champions Cratloe, Clonlara and Clooney/Quin. They have been aided in their preparations by the addition of former Ennistymon hurler and Lisdoonvarna based school teacher, Cathal Malone a member of Davy Fitzgerald’s Clare Senior hurling panel. However his county teammate Jamie Shanahan looks set for a long spell on the sidelines as he will undergo surgery on a back complaint in the coming weeks. On the field, the Bridge have ticked all the boxes in their games to date, with the workrate that aided them in claiming the 2013 County Championship beginning to reappear in their play. Newmarket under the guidance of All-Ireland winning midfielder from 1997, Colin Lynch have been inconsistent to say the least. They opened their campaign with a strong display versus Clooney/Quin and followed this up with a dire performance against Inagh/Kilnamona which saw a distance of eleven points between the sides at full-time. More recently they drew with Cratloe, in a game that the Blues should have put to bed. How this game will go, all depends on which Newmarket team shows up, if they are not ready for a battle, Sixmilebridge will gladly put them away.
Feakle vs Inagh/Kilnamona 26/04/15 in Feakle at 17:00.
It’s a meeting of two sides who have rarely met in competitive action when Inagh/Kilnamona descend on Feake for the Round Four Clare Cup clash. Visitors Inagh/Kilnamona will be hoping to recover from their one point defeat versus Clarecastle last weekend and the best way to recover is to get back to winning ways. Inamona have caught the eye so far with some strong displays under their belt including an eleven point trouncing of Newmarket-on-Fergus plus a two point victory over O’Callaghans Mills. A new management team of Flan Barry, Eugene Cullinan, Paul Queally and Johnny Cullinan has brought a new vigour and dimension to what was becoming a stale Inagh/Kilnamona. Feakle on the otherhand have yet to adjust to life in the top flight of the Clare Champion Cup with just one win under their belts, that being a five point victory over Clooney/Quin. Nonetheless each game is proving to be a learning experience for the East Clare men and they will be keen to pick up what would a massive home win versus Inamona.
Clooney/Quin vs Clarecastle 26/04/15 in Clooney at 18:00.
It hasn’t been a good start for Clooney/Quin so far, that’s putting it mildly as they’re the basement side in Division 1A and with three consecutive defeats comes a lack of confidence and morale. In their defence, they were minus one of the brighter stars in Peter Duggan for the opening two games as he overcame recent surgery but Duggan would not have overturned the defeats inflicted upon them by Newmarket-on-Fergus and Sixmilebridge. However, Clooney need to stop the losing streak and the sooner the better. Tommy Dunne is proving to be a very positive addition to the Magpies, it has been a very strong start to 2015 from the 2014 County semi-finalists with two wins and one defeat, that defeat coming in the opening round but they showed the mettle to bounce back with wins over Cratloe and Inagh/Kilnamona. Patrick Kelly has been in flying form for his adopted Kerry and he will only drive on his fellow teammates. Bobby Duggan is going very well while in attack for the Magpies while Stephen O’Halloran is delivering consistent performances. A win at the weekend aided by a defeat for either Sixmilebridge or Crusheen would see the Magpies enter the top two and that alone should drive them on come Sunday evening.
In Division 1B, Kilmaley and Whitegate are sitting in top spot with three wins from three encounters. The town teams of Wolfe Tones and Éire Óg are just behind them on four points. Broadford and Tubber have yet to register a point with both rooted to the bottom of the table. Tulla are in fifth position with three points on the board, followed closely by St Josephs Doora/Barefield both on two points, while Scariff are just ahead of the bottom two with one point.
Clare FM will have live updates from all the League action throughout the weekend on our Sports Bulletins while we will bring a full roundup of results in the Final Whistle.
