CLARE MANAGER DAVY Fitzgerald has made radical switches, in terms of both personnel and positioning, for this evening’s All-Ireland SHC phase two qualifier against Dublin in Cusack Park with last year’s minor stars Seadna Morey and Tony Kelly both set to make their starting championship debuts.
Morey, who did come on as a substitute in the recent Munster semi-final defeat to Waterford, will start at midfield while Kelly, as revealed in TheScore.ie earlier this week , will enjoy his first taste of senior championship action by lining out at left half-forward having recently completed his Leaving Cert examinations. The teenage duo have been hugely impressive in the Clare minor sides that collected the last two Munster crowns.
Elsewhere, as Fitzgerald makes five personnel changes in all, Fergal Lynch comes into the side at right half-forward for the injured Enda Barrett. While Sean Collins and Darach Honan have shaken off hamstring and groin injuries respectively, to be named at midfield and left corner-forward. Aside from Barrett, the other players to lose out are James McInerney, Patrick O’Connor, Paudge Collins and Colin Ryan.
Notable positional changes include the deployment of Patrick Donnellan and Nicky O’Connell, the midfield pairing against Waterford, in the half-back line for this game while Jonathan Clancy is named at centre-forward and Conor McGrath is selected at full-forward. The goalkeeper position and the full-back line are the only areas of the Clare team that remain intact from the narrow provincial semi-final loss to Waterford.
CLARE SH: Patrick Kelly (Inagh/Kilnamona); Domhnall O’Donovan (Clonlara), Cian Dillon (Crusheen), Conor Cooney (O’Callaghan Mills); Brendan Bugler (Whitegate), Patrick Donnellan (O’Callaghan Mills), Nicky O’Connell (Clonlara); Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge), Sean Collins (Cratloe); Fergal Lynch (Clooney-Quin), Jonathan Clancy (Clarecastle), Tony Kelly (Ballyea); John Conlon (Clonlara), Conor McGrath (Cratloe), Darach Honan (Clonlara).
Join us later this evening at 7pm as we go minute-by-minute to record all the action from the clash at Cusack Park in Ennis.