Saturday evening in Ennis is championship hurling: a one-off game, the first of the season, where the team that loses is basically gone. Both Clare and Tipperary are going to have to throw everything at it and both are coming off fairly poor performances.
Tipp never got started in Cork and you would have to question their mindset going there, which ultimately led to Darragh McCarthy’s red card at the start. This meant they were never going to win.
Before they played Cork, I thought Clare were struggling to come to terms with their All-Ireland success but they have had so many injuries that finding any sort of form has been extremely difficult.
They have had one good half out of four to date and that after a poor league campaign but you must remember they played Waterford without two of their best players, two of the people who won the All-Ireland for them, Tony Kelly and Shane O’Donnell. Diarmuid Ryan, apart from 15 minutes, and Conor Cleary have also been missing.
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Speculation is that John Conlon is battling a back problem. That’s half of the defence and two of the best attacking players.
No team, no matter who they are – Limerick or Cork – can be stripped of resources like that and still be at their best. The level I expect from Clare this weekend will be dictated by who’s available.
If Shane O’Donnell plays, he’s a great player who showed his propensity to come back in last year’s league final when he contributed strongly, but at the same time he hasn’t played a single game in 2025.
So, there’s a question mark over the availability of key players and even if available, their likely form, given the struggles to get fit and healthy.
In a way, it’s no different from the last number of years; as I’ve always said, Clare reflect the personality and values of their manager, Brian Lohan, and when all seemed lost against Cork, they were able to turn it around. So, I’d expect they won’t be wanting for either desire or application but I just wonder if they can get anywhere near last year’s level.
[ Clare buoyed by return of Shane O’Donnell and Tony Kelly for Tipperary clashOpens in new window ]
From the word go this year, I have felt that getting into Munster’s top three and qualifying would constitute a very good result for Tipperary.
It could result in getting some of the younger players Croke Park experience in a semi-final, possibly, but first of all they have to wipe the slate from Páirc Uí Chaoimh. In fairness to Tipp, they fought away in Cork both days and showed plenty of application.
Cork maybe had taken the foot off the gas but Tipp had goal chances for Sam O’Farrell and Andrew Ormond, and didn’t lie down in a hopeless situation. I think that this is a great chance for them.
Have they the wherewithal? They scored five goals the last time they went to Ennis but Clare had a lot of chances themselves and created difficulty for Tipperary’s defence by running at them. Cork did the same this season. Pace really is an issue for them.
Peter Duggan has probably been Clare’s best player in the championship but Tipp have plenty of stand-up defenders to try to deal with him. It’s the running game that’s likely to cause more anxiety, emphasising how vital the wheels of a fit O’Donnell and Kelly would be.
If Tipperary can actually hold out defence and midfield, which has really been quite questionable for them as well, I think they can manage McCarthy’s absence. Jason Forde is not in bad form. Jake Morris has been in really good form and it could well be the kind of game would suit John McGrath.
I think it gives Tipperary very much a fighting chance in this game which, on balance, I think they’ll win.
In Leinster, the fight to get out of the province with Kilkenny will be a lot clearer by Saturday evening.
Wexford go to Pearse Stadium. After a poor league, which wasn’t improved on against Kilkenny, Galway were a good bit better beating Offaly. They were really up for it. Micheál Donoghue got yellow cards on the line, and although that’s not a great look for manager, it was a real call to arms for this current Galway team in that match.
It can have a galvanising effect and they needed something.
Wexford have impressed me despite a slightly unlucky defeat in Parnell Park when a goal was wrongly awarded against them at a critical juncture of the match. Dublin went on to score another quickly and well deserved the win but Keith Rossiter is getting nearly all he can out of Wexford.
They remain heavily largely dependent on Lee Chin, who is again in outstanding form, if a bit fallible finishing a few chances against Dublin. At the same time, he carries huge workload and responsibility and has consistently been an absolutely outstanding player.
I saw teams being picked from the last 25 years and he was one player who would certainly have to be included. He really merits very high praise, because at his best he is virtually unmarkable. Galway at home look more likely but Wexford will rise to that challenge.
I thought Dublin moved the ball well and intelligently. They also took all the handy scores, which hasn’t always been the case with them but previously questionable decision making has been transformed. They should seal qualification in Corrigan Park against Antrim.
