Clara GAA Club in Co Offaly will have their new grounds officially opened by GAA president Liam O Neill this coming Sunday 20th May, with All-Ireland champions Kilkenny and Offaly staging a glamour challenge game.

There is a chance that Henry Shefflin may feature for the cats for the first time since last years All-Ireland final,depending on how he comes through his outing for his club Ballyhale Shamrocks against Muckalee on Friday night.

The occasion at Pairc Proinsias is amoung O Neills first engagements since assuming office last month and he commented:"I am looking forward to this event as Clara GAA Club is one of the oldest clubs in Ireland,having been founded only weeks after the Association itself on December 15,1884."

Ahead of their Leinster Championship opener on june 23,Kilkenny manager Brian Cody said:"I'm delighted to be asked up to the Clara club in what is our last outing before their Leinster semi-final.

"Playing Offaly will be a good test for us and I'm expecting a good open game of hurling."

Offaly boss Ollie Baker is also fine-tuning preparations ahead of their Leinster campaign.

"It's great preparation for the championship," said Baker. "They don 't come any better than Kilkenny and, having been in Clara, it's one of the best pitches around."

The game,which throws in at 6.30pm, will be refereed by Clara native and club vice chairman Brian Gavin, who took charge of Kilkenny's All-Ireland final win over Tipperary last September.
Admission is €10 adults,with children free of charge. Tweet

Most Read Stories