Preview: Munster SHC - Clare v Limerick

May 23, 2015

Limerick's Donal O'Grady with John Conlon and Conor McGrath of Clare.
©INPHO/Ryan Byrne.

Fasten your seat-belts folks because the Munster SHC roller coaster is about to take off and twists and turns, highs and lows, are guaranteed.

Semple Stadium plays hosts to the quarter-final meeting of Clare and Limerick tomorrow with a prize of a semi-final date against Tipperary up for grabs.

It's a hard one to call because both teams endured disappointing league campaigns and haven't been seen in competitive action since March.

Davy Fitzgerald, who will be determined to make amends for last year's disastrous campaign, is sweating over the fitness of Conor Ryan and Conor McGrath while Brendan Bugler misses out through suspension.

On a more positive note, despite their relegation, the Banner showed something of a return to form towards the tail end of the league and, in Tony Kelly and Shane O'Donnell, they possess two of the best finishers in the game.

"We were disappointed with the League campaign," O'Donnell noted during the week. "But towards the end of it, things started to come together and we seemed to be going well.

"That Kilkenny game (relegation play-off) was near Championship pace. We were disappointed at the end but it was close to where we wanted to get."

TJ Ryan, meanwhile, has handed championship debuts to Barry Hennessy, Seanie O'Brien and Cian Lynch while there are 11 survivors from the team that started last year's narrow All-Ireland SHC semi-final defeat to Kilkenny.

Hennessy takes over from the injured Nickie Quaid between the posts while O'Brien and last year's minor captain Lynch are named at left half-back and left corner-forward respectively.

And the mood is upbeat in the Treaty camp according to midfielder Paudie O'Brien: "We are in a great place and couldn't have prepared any better.

"We know we have to go hammer and tongs but we are very calculated in what we want to do and just want to put our best foot forward."

Verdict - Limerick.

Clare team: tbc.

Limerick team: Barry Hennessy; Stephen Walsh, Richie McCarthy, Seamus Hickey; Tom Condon, Gavin O'Mahony, Seanie O'Brien; Paudie O'Brien, James Ryan; Paul Browne, Declan Hannon, Donal O'Grady; Cian Lynch, Shane Dowling, Graeme Mulcahy.

Match details: Sunday, Semple Stadium, 4pm.

Referee: Colm Lyons

Odds: Clare 11/10, Draw 10/1, Limerick 10/11.


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