JAMIE SHANAHAN WILL return to the Clare minor hurling starting line-up for tomorrow’s Electric Ireland Munster MHC semi-final against Limerick in Cusack Park in Ennis after recovering from the shoulder injury that has curtailed his involvement in their campaign to date.
Shanahan missed the opening round defeat to Waterford in early May after injuring his shoulder in an U21 championship game with his club Sixmilebridge. He did come on as a half-time substitute during Clare’s win over Cork in the backdoor stages and will now start at centre-forward for tomorrow’s match.
Shanahan is one of the most highly rated young hurlers in Clare at present after his successful exploits with Ardscoil Rís in the Dr Harty Cup and Clare in the Munster minor championship in recent seasons. His introduction sees Niall Deasy switch to left half-forwad and Stephen Ward lose out.
CLARE MH: Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle); Shane O’Brien (Clonlara), Brian Carey (Sixmilebridge), Gearoid Ryan (Clarecastle); Aidan McGuane (Kilmaley), Conor Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay), Eoin Quirke (Whitegate); David Conroy (St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield), Alex Morey (Sixmilebridge); Shane Taylor (Broadford), Jamie Shanahan (Sixmilebridge), Niall Deasy (Ballyea); Conor Deasy (Sixmilebridge), Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg), Bobby Duggan (Clarecastle).
Clare’s opponents Limerick have made three changes from the side that defeated Cork in the opening round. Manager Shane Fitzgibbon has drafted in Diarmuid Dee at left half-back, Liam O’Sullivan, who fired the winning point against Cork, at right corner-forward and Jack Kelliher at left corner-forward. Evan Fitzgerald, Eoin O’Farrell and Brian Griffin are the three players to make way. The winners of tomorrow night’s clash face Tipperary in the decider on July 15th.
LIMERICK MH: Darragh Stapleton (Doon); Shane Irwin (Bruff), Richie English (Doon), James Carrig (Patrickswell); Diarmuid Byrnes (Patrickswell), Barry O’Connell (Kildimo-Pallaskenry), Diarmuid Dee (Mungret-St Pauls); Brian Finn (Bruff), Kieran Cleary (Knockainey); Ronan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh), David Condron (Granagh-Ballingarry), Cian Lynch (Patrickswell); Liam O’Sullivan (Knockaderry), Kevin O’Brien (Patrickswell), Jack Kelliher (Patrickswell).
