All Ireland Hurling Championship Semi Final
Croke Park
Throw In: Sunday 3.30pm
There
are numerous homes stretching along the 20km border between Clare and Limerick where both counties flags hang proudly out
the same windows in the lead up to this game, an example of the mixed marriages and the split
personality that defines many households in the area. It is also possible to stand on either side of the water for miles
and miles along the coast roads and look into the other's territory. No escaping therefore the rivalry between these counties and particularly in the lead up to a game of the magnitude of this All Ireland semi final.
Yet despite their many meetings over the years, Sunday's All-Ireland
semi-final between these two rivals is truly seen as a rather novel occasion. It's the
first time they have ever met at this stage of the championship. They
have met in a championship game at Croke Park before though - that was
back in 2007, when Limerick defeated Clare 1-23 to 1-16 in the
All-Ireland quarter-final, on their way to being well beaten by Kilkenny in the decider. They have met twice in the championship since then, their
most recent meeting being last season, when Limerick won on a 3-18 to
1-20 scoreline in Phase III of the All-Ireland qualifiers where both John Allen
and Davy Fitzgerald were in their first seasons as Limerick and Clare
managers at the time.
As much as the rivalry between Clare and
Limerick has been discussed ahead of this game, so too has been the
potential rivalry between the two men on the sideline. That's because
both men are firmly associated with the tactical side of hurling, and
there is an expectation that formations and strategies could be central
to Sunday's contest i.e Davy Fitzgerald bursting a gut on the sideline pucking every ball with his troops while John Allen would be seen as more sedate with the get up of a professor in his pomp.
The nature of Clare's victory over Galway in
the All-Ireland quarter-final marked them out as serious contenders for
the Liam MacCarthy Cup once more. That convincing 1-23
to 2-14 win came on the back of impressive qualifier wins over Laois and
Wexford and made up for their somewhat below par defeat to Cork in
Munster back in June. That form line may not be seen in such a negative light with the Rebels subsequent march to the All Ireland Final. This form, coupled with the continued
success of their U21 team
makes Clare as challenging an opposition as Limerick could expect to
face at this stage. With so many of those U21s, such as Tony Kelly,
Seadna Morey, Podge Collins, David McInerney and Colm Galvin to name but
a few, so central to the senior team's hopes, there is no doubt that
this is a Banner side on the march. The big question is whether this is just potential at present and a work in progress or can it manifest itself all the way to the ultimate prize?
This too is new ground for Limerick. This is their
first All-Ireland semi-final since 2009, and that match is probably best
forgotten from their perspective. They were beaten by 24 points by a
rampant Tipperary. This is a new team though. The likes of Declan
Hannon, Graeme Mulcahy and Shane Dowling have all blossomed into top
class senior hurlers, having starred in the county's Munster U21 triumph
in 2011. Other players from the successful Ardscoil Rís Harty
Cup winning teams have also made the step up, and this has already been
Limerick's best championship campaign in years. They ended a 17-year
wait for a Munster title with a thrilling victory over Cork in the
final, having impressively dethroned Tipperary in the provincial
semi-final. This is a different type of challenge though. It's
five weeks since Limerick played Cork and the question is whether rustiness will be an issue or not. Taking last weekends semi final as a baramoter the defeated Dublin players were categoric that their five week lay off did not contribute to their loss.
Limerick seem to have more experience through their ranks and also would seem to have more strength in depth on their bench. The Clare game plan is unique however and seems to be suiting this group of young, talented hurlers to the tee. Much will depend on how Limerick adapt to the roving role of Podge Collins once more and the pace of the other Clare forwards who will try and drag their opposite numbers out of position. Regardless of the outcome of the game, the prospect of the two
Shannonside rivals going head to head in an All-Ireland semi-final in
Croke Park is a mouthwatering one, and in this remarkable championship
of 2013, who would bet against another classic? And therefore the possibility of a further thriller in a replay.
Verdict: Draw Odds: 10/1
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