Clare GAA Discussion - 2024 All Ireland Hurling Champions

I would be seriously considering wholesale changes for the Waterford game.

3 tough matches down, more to come, I think we need freshness - and of course to avoid injuries/suspensions.

Munster championship matches are fiercely physical, and Waterford are fighting to save their season. I don't want a good performance v Waterford and to be flat in the Munster final.

Duggan won the battle today, but the Limerick defence was excellent, swarming him on the ball. He had the beating of Casey in the air and won some amount of ball. Not all to hand but the winning and breaking weren't used enough. Surprised he was taken off as David Fitz had burned himself up with 10 minutes to go.

One thing that was obvious was the number of times Taylor was caught in possession today was surprising. Limerick figured out that he shows the ball a bit too much when moving it to the hurley and dispossessed him four or five times. It was obvious player analysis to my mind in the backroom. Same with Malone. Deny possession and he's not effective.

The game will be completely different with Gillane on the field.

While Kelly was the obvious man of the match from Clare, I thought Hayes side step of Flanagan one the end line and left Flannagan on his face. Both were smiling afterwards!

Get Shanaher and Reidy on next week from the start and get their legs working at championship speed.

I definitely take your point on this. It was mentioned on one of the GAA pods I was listening to this morning, Tipp in 2019(?) were through to a Munster final, but got Bonnar and Cathal Barrett injured in the last round robin match when they were already through. At the same time though, I think Lohan will want to keep up the momentum. He did say after the match though that he will assess the condition of some of the players. I think two obvious candidates for me to be rested are Malone and Taylor given the huge shifts they've put in a midfield these past 3 rounds, they're the two probably carrying the most knocks and bruises. I imagine any player, a bit like Gillane yesterday, dealing with soft tissue injuries will be rested. But all in all, I still think 3-4 changes will be the maximum, but probably Lohan using his bench alot more this fixture as he is usually pragmatic in introducing substitutes. I guess we will see.

Was thinking back to 1998.

We had probably the best team in the country, but we played so many high intensity matches that it just caught up with us in the end (very flat in the 3rd game v Offaly), along with the suspensions and injuries with go with that

Be great lads to bring off bench later in season.

Any links to that. Limerick would have no say where the final going to be

I take your point regarding momentum. But injuries would be especially serious for Clare. They've a lighter bench than most

that last line....WOW....talk about just making something up on the spot and putting it out there haha.

Watch this space. Thurles isn't a done deal at all. I wasn't just stirring the porridge.

Congratulations on reaching the Munster final lads. I think a well-earned break now this weekend for the likes of Tony Kelly, Peter Duggan, John Conlon, Rory Hayes and a few more would be just the tonic to recharge the batteries for the Munster final! 😉

Cork marathon on the same day as Munster final so hopefully that will rule it out. Thurles makes sense for everyone

Good point. The Marathon route goes very close to Pairc Ui Caoimh so sincerely doubt the GAA would be allowed by the Gardai to put on a match there on the same day

I think they will hope to play their own high intensity game and will mark Tony as best they can, without completely upsetting their own system- remember he scored 17 points- I thimk- two years ago and the boys still won by 11. Unlike Kilkenny in their pomp, Limerick do not do Hammer the Hammer. They seem to feel it is more important to play their own game.

Would rather play in Limerick than Cork if that was the choice. Great to see Lohan and Clare resetting the game of hurling somewhat back to the basics ,marking your man and winning your own ball, moving the ball at speed. Long overdue and Brilliant to watch and Im sure other teams are looking in and taking note. Its a simple game when played correctly and no need for some of the mental tactics we have been treated to of late.

I do too, but no way would the Munster Council go for that in case Clare or Waterford topped the group.