Both Clare and Dublin have named their respective teams for the crucial Allianz National Hurling League decider which takes place on Saturday evening at 15:00 in Cusack Park.
Davy Fitzgerald makes two alterations to his team that suffered a five point loss to the Premier County last weekend. Crusheen’s Donal Tuohy comes into the side in place of Patrick Kelly. Colin Ryan is unavailable for selection this week and his place is taken by Wolfe Tones man Aaron Cunningham.
Joint Captain Cian Dillion will be doing his upmost to ensure his Crusheen clubmate Tuohy gets a clean sheet and he lines out right in front of him at full-back. Paul Flanagan and David McInerney continue on either side of Dillon. After a very impressive display which saw him notch a personal display of 0-05, Conor Ryan retains the centre back spot and he is flanked by the experienced duo of Brendan Bugler and Patrick O’Connor.
At midfield Clonlara Colm Galvin partners Patrick Donnellan. Tony Kelly is named at centre-forward following a stunning performance in the Fitzgibbon Cup Final replay which saw him pick up the man of the match accolade. Sixmilebridge man Shane Golden is named at number twelve while John Conlon continues further out the field from goal at number ten. The inside line is composed of Cratloe’s Conor McGrath and Aaron Cunningham in the corners while Shane O’Donnell will play at full-forward.
Dublin boss Ger Cunningham has made two changes from the side that suffered an eleven point home defeat to Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s Cork. Both changes are in the Dubs attack with Ryan O’Dwyer and Mark Schute dropping to the bench while it’s Colm Cronin and Ballyboden St Enda’s Paul Ryan that take their places.
Cunningham has kept faith with the drastic positional changes he implemented at the beginning of the campaign with Liam Rushe continuing on the edge of the square; Peter Kelly wears the number six jersey while Michael Carton is named at full-back and Conal Keaney is left at wing-back.
All-Star nominee Alan Nolan continues between the posts for the Dubs. Cuala duo Cian O’Callaghan and Paul Schutte fill the corner back slots. Joining Kelly and Keaney in the half-back line is Lucan Sarsfields Chris Crumney. In the centre of the park, Ballyboden St Enda’s clubmates Shane Durkin and Niall McMorrow line out beside one another.
In attack Colm Cronin enters the fray at wing-forward. 2013 All-Star Danny Sutcliffe continues in the number twelve shirt and in the middle of the pair is Naomh Fionnbarra’s Eamonn Dillon. Dublin have opted for a lively full-forward line of David Treacey, Liam Rushe and Paul Ryan.
Teams:
Clare:
1: Donal Tuohy (Crusheen)
2: Paul Flanagan (Ballyea)
3: Cian Dillon (Crusheen)
4: David McInerney (Tulla)
5: Brendan Bugler (Whitegate)
6: Conor Ryan (Cratloe)
7: Patrick O’Connor (Tubber)
8: Colm Galvin (Clonlara)
9: Patrick Donnellan (O’Callaghans Mills)
10: John Conlon (Clonlara)
11: Tony Kelly (Ballyea)
12: Shane Golden (Sixmilebridge)
13: Conor McGrath (Cratloe)
14: Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg)
15: Aaron Cunningham (Wolfe Tones na Sionna).
Dublin:
1: Alan Nolan (St Brigid’s)
2: Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala)
3: Michael Carton (O’Toole’s)
4: Paul Schutte (Cuala)
5: Chris Crumney (Lucan Sarsfields)
6: Peter Kelly (Lucan Sarsfields)
7: Conal Keaney (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
8: Shane Durkin (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
9: Niall McMorrow (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
10: Colm Cronin (Cuala)
11: Eamonn Dillon (Naomh Fionnbarra)
12: Danny Sutcliffe (St Jude’s)
13: David Treacey (Cuala)
14: Liam Rushe (St Patricks Palmerstown)
15: Paul Ryan (Ballyboden St Enda’s).
