Clare can get show on road in Portlaoise

IT’S been a shaky few months for the footballers of Clare. After a hugely promising start to 2017 the Banner men have managed to win just once in their last five outings in League and Championship. But they can put that right today in Portlaoise where they look a good bet to march on into the third round of the qualifiers. League wins over Ulster and Munster finalists Down (2-11 to 0-11) and Cork (2-11 to 0-9) respectively showed that Clare can mix it with the big boys, and they almost secured the most unlikely promotion in just their first campaign in Division 2 before ultimately falling away with losses to Kildare, Meath and Fermanagh. That near-miss may have taken the wind out of their sails a little bit, but they can get the show back on the road today and kick on from a breakthrough 2016 that saw them win the Division 3 title (beating Kildare at Croke Park in the final) and make it to the last eight of the All-Ireland where they ultimately ran into old rivals Kerry at HQ. Clare found themselves outgunned despite a gallant effort in a Munster semi-final against Kerry but the Banner can prove a major test for anyone if they can emerge from a very tricky assignment against a Laois side who put in a workmanlike performance to beat Wicklow by three points in the last round.