Clare football boss Micheal McDermott attributed his side's McGrath Cup victory over UL last Sunday to the gym work undertaken by the players during the close season.

"We haven't really done much on the pitch yet, but you can see that their winter programme in the gym has stood to them because they finished very, very strong in the last 10 or 15 minutes. But we're under no illusions that UL hadn't really prepared well for this match and it probably showed in that game today," he told the Clare Champion.

"It's very important that we look at the whole panel between now and February 5 (when they face Waterford in the first round of the National League) to see what our options are because it's important that come then we have our best team taking the field.

"But you have to be fair to the lads that performed today. It will give them confidence. It was Podge Collins and Stephen Tierney's first games, Shane Brennan is U21 and Eoin Troy was in a new position at wing back. They all acquitted themselves very well." Tweet

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