THERE’S BEEN A strong Dublin influence on the progress of the Clare senior footballers this season and now there’s been a Cork recruit drafted in as well.
Mick Bohan’s coaching credentials were assured before he joined Clare at the start of this season after his previous work with Dublin while both Shane McGrath and Pat Burke play their club football in Dublin, qualifying for Clare under the parentage rule.
And last Saturday’s win over Sligo featured the inclusion for the first time of a Cork native with three All-Ireland football medals on the bench.
Defender Kevin Harrington was part of Colm Collins 26-man squad, named on the bench for the Banner for the first time this season.
Harrington is from the Bantry Blues club in West Cork and was left corner-back on the Cork team that won the 2007 All-Ireland U21 football title against Laois.
That Cork side included current seniors Paul Kerrigan, Colm O’Neill, Eoin Cadogan and Daniel Goulding, who featured in their qualifier win over Longford last weekend.
Harrington also won All-Ireland junior football medals in defence for Cork in 2011 and 2013 while he lined out for the county in the McGrath Cup during Conor Counihan’s spell in charge as manager.
The 30 year-old works in the ESB Moneypoint power station in Kilrush in Clare and transferred to play his club football this year from Bantry Blues to St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield.
He didn’t join the Clare squad during the league, having to wait until he had played club championship in Clare for St Joseph’s before linking up with the Banner setup.
Harrington didn’t see game time last Saturday in Markievicz Park as Clare won out by 2-17 to 1-14 but is now preparing for next Saturday’s Round 4A qualifier tie against Roscommon in Pearse Stadium.
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