NEW CLARE COACH Paudie Kissane will be able to assess the abilities of the Banner players at close quarters tomorrow.
Kissane recently retired from inter-county football action but is still featuring for his club Clyda Rovers.
Tomorrow afternoon Clyda Rovers face up against Clare club St Joseph’s (Miltown-Malbay) in the Gaelic Grounds at 2.30pm in the AIB Munster intermediate club football final.
Gordon Kelly is the leading Clare inter-county player in the St Joseph’s line-up but Graham Kelly will be suspended after he was hit with a 12-month ban after an incident in St Joseph’s county final success last month.
Both Gordon and Graham lined out for the Clare senior footballers last June when they lost to Cork in the Munster semi-final. Kissane was in action for Cork that day in Ennis but will now be part of the Banner coaching ranks next year.
33 year-old Kissane was drafted in to the Clare setup for 2014 by new manager Colm Collins. His new role adds an intriguing subplot to tomorrow’s provincial club decider.
Clyda Rovers Paudie Kissane
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
St Joseph’s (Miltown-Malbay) have bounced back after being relegated from the senior ranks in Clare last year. They also include in their ranks several players who have lined out for Clare at underage level in recent years like Darragh McDonagh, Conor and Eoin Cleary, and Seanie Malone.
As well as scouting the opposition, Kissane will be hoping to steer his club to their first provincial title. Clyda Rovers won the Cork premier intermediate football title last month after suffering heartbreak in three successive finals between 2009 and 2011. Ray Carey, who has returned to the Cork senior squad for 2014, is also part of the Clyda Rovers team.
