A CLASH OF THE TITANS

Conlon ready for meeting of champs

JOHN CONLON says Clare must hit the ground running in Munster after their breakthrough League title win on Saturday.

The two-point win over Kilkenny secured the Banner’s first major silverware in eight years and just their fifth ever League title.

But focus immediately turns to their Munster SHC opener against All-Ireland champions Limerick in Ennis on Sunday week.

It will be the first time since 1979, when Cork beat Tipperary in the Munster semi-final, that the reigning All-Ireland and League champions have faced off in their opening Championship game.

And Clare then face a difficult trip to face Cork a week later in round two.

Argue

“Ah sure it’s huge,”said Conlon (inset) of their daunting start. “We’ve Limerick, the All-Ireland champions, you could argue the best team that has ever played hurling, coming to Ennis and then you’ve Cork the week after in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

“Two massive games and two massive venues to play in, we’re just really looking forward to it. We’re taking it game by game. That’s our approach at the moment.

“We’ll just prepare right for it. Put the heads down, it’s a local derby, so anything can happen in those games, especially up in Cusack Park.

“Any time we go out and play each other, it’s like any club team that you play, you know, they’re your rivals, you know it’s going to be a hard battle. We’ll be prepared, they’ll be prepared, and hopefully it’ll be one hell of a match.”

There has been much debate around whether or not a lengthy League run would be beneficial to Clare’s Championship prospects but Conlon is in no doubt games like Saturday’s and their semi-final win over Tipperary will stand to them.

“The closer you come to Championship,

the games are excellent to get because there’s nothing like re-enacting the first 15 minutes when your tongue is out and you’re trying to get your second wind.You can do all the training in the world and you’ll never reenact that.

Medals

“In Clare we don’t have a lot of medals. I was only looking at the programme there, we’ve only four titles (previously) at National League, very little else in Munster and All-Ireland.

“Brian (Lohan) has been doing super stuff since we’ve come in and great to get some silverware and great preparation going towards Championship.”

Although star man Tony Kelly has yet to appear in 2024 as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury, there was a further boost on Saturday as long-serving pair Shane O’Donnell and David McInerney appeared off the bench.

“Ah sure savage, you just want all of your players available for you come Championship,” said Conlon. “They’re all coming around well and working hard on their recoveries towards getting onto the field. We had Shane and David back there, which is super, and hopefully we’ll have a few more coming back in as well over the next few weeks.

“Just great for the panel, great for the team, and just all about working hard for one another and being as good as we can.”