Antrim 2-15 Clare 3-21

Thankfully Clare make their way through the championship, once again via the back door. The Clare team is not too bad this year and I feel that they might be still in with some noise to make in the closing stages of the championship. They seem more settled and it is good to see Niall Gilligan once again on top form. I only saw his goal on the news last night, but it was a thing of beauty. In full flight, backs chasing him with little hope of success and a bullet shot to the top of the net. Bread and butter stuff for him on those days when he is playing well.

It was also nice to see James McInerney getting a run for Clare. That particular James McInerney is not, as far as I know, a direct relation. We simply share the same magnificent name. I saw him playing for St. Flannan’s in an all-ireland schools final some years ago. Looks like a fine prospect for the future.

We go on now to play Galway on the 7th of July. Lots of interest in this one, for sure, with Ger Loughnane managing the Galway team. Loughnane is, of course, the man they called The Messiah in Clare for bringing the county in from the hurling wilderness in 1995.

Galway look like they might be good. I don’t think we know for sure how good they are. They beat Laois by 3-20 to 1-14 on Saturday, which is impressive. I always feel a little conflicted when Clare have to play Galway. My cousin Niall played for Galway on their 1980 team that beat Limerick in the All-Ireland final, so I was always a Galway supporter and then I lived in Galway for nearly 9 years. Still, when you have to support one or the other, it still has to be Clare.

Must make sure I get to the next match.