Why is the Minor Football Championship much later being run off than the other Underage grades?
Split season
30k or so expected in Thurles tomorrow for the double header.
Only terrace tickets left
If Clare win tomorrow it will lead to some occasion above in Kilbane where the captain hails from.
It is a small townsland located between broadford and Bridgetown. It had a church, pub and somehow there is a small primary school still going there. It is often referred to as the Bermuda Triangle locally due to the amount of tragedies that have befallen a number of the families in the community down through the generations which there is a piseog about.
There would be auld boys glued to Clare fm and the paper checking the death notices for Kilbane to see if there is s funeral coming up as typically they can go on for two or three days solid in the one pub there - Gunnings.
As it is up the side of a mountain and off the main road and s tight knit community nobody bats an eyelid. I remember being at a funeral in late June there circa 2006 - around 5am there was still a good 25+ men mainly 50+ portering hard in the pub. The publican filled every man two drinks and said Iām away to tend to the cattle, will be back in a hour or so. If ye need anything give s shout upstairs and the wife will come down.
The pub is like something from a time warp, big open space in the middle and they often have Irish dancing nights there. Then behind the bar he has all the messages you would need. Tins of peach halves, light bulbs, packet soup, insulating tape - all the kind of essentials that your typical bachelor farmer would need.
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Some team
On the matches tomorrow- Galway have been hammering all before them this year and look to have a couple of outstanding prospects at this level in Niland and Rabbitte - they have close to 100 point scoring different in their 6 matches so it is hard to see them being beaten but the longer Clare can stay in this game it will be interesting to see how Galway react as they have really had to dig deep this year.
Clare have a string set of backs and are well organised but my only real gripe is the style of hurling they play is a bit too short/off the shoulder at times and they donāt create goal chances really despite OāBrien at 14 being an excellent prospect.
The likes of Sheedy, Gunning and Hegarty look about as good as prospects we have had at this level since the 2010/2011 minor side. I would expect all three to be seniors before they are out of under 20s while Collins, Treacy and the aforementioned OāBrien who is underage again next year all have real quality about them as well.
Hard to look past Cork in the 20s but again Offaly with a big support behind them can be tough to deal with when they get a bit of momentum going in games.
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I think the minor game is very tough to call. Two very good teams. Galway look more dangerous up front but if Clare can somehow curtail Niland then I give them a right chance. Keane at 3 is the right man for Rabitte
As a unit the Galway backs are far more impressive than the forwards.
Whos the captain?
Eoghan Gunning
He would be a nephew of the great gaa maverick Fingers OāConnell
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Thatās a Ger Hickey thing (one of the coaches). Have seen enough of his teams now to know thatās the way he drills them. Apparently a very good coach. Wonāt mention about his āmanagementā skills/personality though!
I know Ger, he was a hot enough hurler back in the day. He has that small man intensity.
Think he is living out county limerick these days. Crecora or fedamore direction iirc
Yeh - lives in Crecora now. Actually was involved with their U21 Hurlers in 2022. Still does bits with Broadford (Clare) Camogie and TUS Freshers too
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He is a good coach but shouldnāt even try to manage teams tbh. Because I know a lot of people who simply canāt stand him; just rubs people the wrong way.
Definitely needs a softer/warmer manager alongside him.
Ronan Keane will look after Rabbitte inside. Will Clare allow Gunning to tail Niland??
If they do, itāll go a fair bit towards Clare winning it. I fancy them.
@Big_Dan_Campbell who is Treacy??
Galway will win by 6-8 points.
Pretty sure he was involved with the Limerick Academy for a few years was gotten rid of due to this type of thing