Round 2 takes place this weekend and as always, itās now that when things start to get really serious. As of today, every team can still win the Canon. Come Sunday evening, that will not be the case. It promises to be an interesting weekend of action at worst and hopefully it can even graduate to an exciting one with a few shock results.
My predictions for Round 1 werenāt hectic by any means, only getting 5/8 results correct. I will give myself a pat on the back for calling the draw between Cratloe and Clooney Quin that paid out 10/1. Iāll also follow put the what I feel are the best value bets at the bottom, in case anyone is looking for a tip or 2.
First up in Group 1 is the meeting of Inagh Kilnamona and Doora Barefield in Ruan in Saturday evening. In the first round, IK showed how talented and free scoring they can be while it was a sense of deja vu for DB who again let the chance of a big result slip through their fingers in added time. If this is anything other than an IK victory, itād be a shock but I wouldnāt rule that possibility out. Playing in Ruan versus playing in the Park is a completely different challenge and one that IK may not like to face. Ruan is about 10m shorter and much narrower than the vast expanses of Cusack Park. When Inagh are at their best, they nearly turn hurling into a non contact sport, with their ability to stretch the field with shooters and to spray ball to hand. If DB can front up physically and really limit the space between the 2 45s, theyāre in with a right chance. Iāll still go with IK to win because of the weapon that is Foudyās puckout and that DB donāt really have anyone for McCarthy. Hopefully Iām wrong and itās a landmark result for DB, but Iāll go with Inagh Kilnamona by 4 here.
The other game in this group takes place at Sunday lunchtime in Cratloe, where Ballyea and Clonlara lock horns. Ballyea are in shit or get off the pot territory here after a disappointing performance vs IK, while Clon managed to pull it out the fire vs DB. I picked Ballyea to win it out before a ball was pucked, but when I gave my rationale for it, I glossed over their goalkeeper. Once IK went on a full press and made him hit it as far as he could, the game changed. He struggled to hit it to midfield against a moderate breeze and its clear that I underestimated how much of a liability his puckouts are. Iād be worried it could be a similar issue versus a very strong Clonlara half back line of McMahon-Moriarty-Oisin O Brien. I do think Clonlara are a bit caught for depth with the injuries theyāve picked up and their full back line is gettable. They still do have marquee forwards in Galvin, Conlon and Collins and theyāll have right battles vs Flanagan, Browne and Garry respectively. Apparently Tony had all the stalwarts out doing hard running the Sunday morning after theyād lost, and Iām sure that their training over the last 2 weeks has had plenty of edge. On that basis, and because Iām not backing down from my pre championship pick now, Iām going to go with Ballyea to win by the mininum.
Group 2 continues on Saturday afternoon in the Park with Eire Og and Scariff meeting. Eire Ogās vaunted inside forward line sparkled as they gave Crusheen a trimming while Scariff suffered a surprise defeat to Broadford, but the loss of Mark Rodgers to a broken hand is perhaps the bigger blow. The main point of interest in this game is that the successful managerial tandem of Donal Moloney and Gerry O Connor will be facing off, so both sides will be plenty familiar with how the other wants to go about things. Scariff are weak defensively and Iād be surprised if they can hold Cleary, Russell, Reidy and SOD to a total that would give them a chance of winning the game. That said, they have good forwards themselves and had a strong Clare Cup minus Mark Rodgers, so I donāt think itāll be a massacre. Iāll say Eire Og by 6
Crusheen then play Broadford on Sunday afternoon, a game that also takes place in the Park. Itās probably the most low key contest of the weekend, as people focus more on the bigger names, but this one is actually incredibly important in determining whoās qualifying for the 1/4 finals and whoās headed for relegation. A win for Broadford here seals their passage to the knockout stage and would more than likely sentence Crusheen to a quasi relegation quarter final vs Scariff in the final group game. A win for Crusheen would mean everything is up in the air going into the final round. On the game itself, I think itās a really hard one to call. Crusheen are always a tough out and a Broadford team that arenāt too used to being favourites may struggle with that tag. However Crusheen are down a good few bodies and are starting to age so Iāll predict Broadford to squeeze through by 2 here, with Niall OāFarrell proving the difference in the end.
Iāll go out of chronological order with Group 3 and start with Feakle and Clooney Quin on Sunday in Tulla, because I want to get on my a soapbox a bit here. Feakle never get the credit they deserve for being one of the top 3 teams in Clare for the last 3 or 4 years. Theyāre unfairly cast as a team of hammer throwers + Shane McGrath but theyāre a lot more than that. They are obviously incredibly physical and well conditioned but Oisin Donnellan is absolutely gifted, Eoin Tuohy scores a point or 2 every game from wing back, Ronan O Connor is a force of nature around the middle, and everyone knows how good McGrath, Hogan and Quilligan are. Theyāre 16/1 for the championship and I couldnāt name too many teams that are better than them in the county.
On the match itself, itās no surprise that I think Feakle will beat CQ. I was very disappointed with CQās attitude and set up vs Cratloe, they completely took their foot off of the gas and nearly sleep walked into a loss. Theyāve got oodles of talent and theyāll have a stronger team Sunday than they did vs Cratloe, but in saying that, I donāt think all that talent fits well together. I think theyāve too many runners and not enough lads who are really good strikers and playmakers. The only qualm I have with picking Feakle is that Feakle Fest started Thursday and runs until Tuesday, but I trust theyāll be able to put that to one side until Sunday evening. Iāll go with Feakle to win by 3 in their second home of Tulla.
The other game in the group is the meeting of Cratloe and the Mills in SMB on Saturday evening. Cratloe will be happy enough with the point they got the first day out, while the Mills will have been stung by the manner of the defeat they suffered to Feakle. Cratloe will probably be down Podge Collins, Cathal Mcinerney, Tadgh Lohan and a couple more depth pieces on top of them. I thought their game was a bit of an anomaly as CQ sat off their puckouts in the 2nd half, and for some reason didnāt push up and make them win it long. Cratloe did do well in working it out as they do have a lot of hurlers in their back 6, but Iād imagine the Mills wonāt make the same mistake as Clooney did. The Mills obviously took a fair beating from Feakle, but Iāll put that one down to Feakle being really good and being able to hold the Mills at armās length after starting with the wind. I still think the Mills are a good team with a lot of running in them and Iāll think theyāll have a bit too much of it for Cratloe, who had a tough day at the office vs Eire Og in the football last week. Iāll say Mills by 3
First up in Group 4 is the meeting of old rivals Sixmilebridge and Newmarket on Fergus at Saturday lunchtime in Tulla. NOF put in an encouraging performance vs Kilmaley as they were level with 55 played, before Kilmaley pulled away with a late surge. Meanwhile, the Bridge looked exceedingly mediocre in a 2 point loss to Wolfe Tones. This is still very much a 50/50 game in my opinion, and like any SMB vs NOF championship game, itāll come with plenty blood and thunder. Particularly when the stakes are so high, as a loss for SMB puts them straight into relegation and NOF would be in a similar spot should they lose. Newmarket looked far more well drilled and compact than their rivals did, but how much of that is down to playing in a tight pitch in Ruan? The Bridge look like a team that are passed their sell by date, but they do still have serious pedigree and you couldnāt write them off having one last kick in them. I think Iāll have to sit on the fence here and go with a relatively low scoring draw.
Kilmaley and Wolfe Tones will throw in at 2pm in Clarecastle on Saturday, with both teams coming off of opening round wins. Kilmaley may feel slightly fortunate to have a win under their belt, as they didnāt really hit the heights of last year and NOF spurned a handful of good goal chances. WT will be extremely pleased with the manner of their victory, as they held off a late charge from the Bridge to register a famous win. Unfortunately for them, I still think Kilmaley are far more balanced and ultimately a better team and Iād be surprised if they donāt win tomorrow. I donāt love that all of Wolfe Tonesā key men seemed to be on holidays for the last week. Iād fear that theyāre treating this one as almost a free hit and will be focusing on beating Newmarket in their last game instead. Iāll go with Kilmaley by 6 here.
Best Bets
Feakle @ 31/20 (365)
Mills @ 15/8 (PP)
Small bit on SJDB @ 13/2 (PP)
