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Leo's young cubs eager to test the mettle of the All-Ireland champions
ALL-IRELAND under-21 hurling champions Clare put their title on the line next Wednesday when they face Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds - the Wednesday, July 14 clash is a provincial semi-final and will have a 7.30pm throw-in.
Revenge will be on the mind of the Limerick players after last year's 4-22 to 2-13 humbling in Ennis. And, Leo O'Connor is once again the Limerick under-21 hurling manager.
"You can't avoid it," admitted Leo O'Connor on the topic of revenge.
"The lads are not afraid of them. It's making them more determined," explained O'Connor who won Munster and All-Ireland under-21 titles in 1987.
"They realise that last year they left themselves down," added the Claughaun stalwart.
In last July's clash in Cusack Park Clare were 15-point winners on an evening when they scored 3-16 from open play and hit just three wides in the hour. In reply Limerick hit just 2-5 from open play and recorded six wides in all.
"Just after half-time Clare got a run on us and punished us. I remember saying after the Clare game last year that they would go along way," recalled the Limerick manager who is assisted by selectors Mick Heelan, Peter Curtin, Pat Daveron and Pat Donnelly.
"Most of these lads were only 19 or 20 last year.
"In the last 12 months they have seen a lot of senior hurling and have grown up and taken responsibility.
"There were 18 of last year's panel underage and we have 17 of them involved because James Riordan was unlucky to get injured," said O'Connor.
"Things are going well. They are a great bunch of lads. They are very easy to manage and have taken ownership of things themselves. They have a great appetite for things," said the Limerick manager in praise of his troops.
The manager likened the county panel to a 'club atmosphere'.
"They are hurling well and we've had no problems with them. It is really in their heads this year and I will be disappointed if we don't perform on the night".
He added that 15 of the panel will be underage again in 2011.
"We are up and running since last March.
"Last year we were together only about ten weeks before the championship, but we are much further down the line this year.
"We have played the Limerick seniors on three occasions and we travelled away to play the likes of Kilkenny and Wexford. We learned from last year and the matches have brought them on and we are delighted with them so far."
O'Connor is hoping that a large Limerick support can make home advantage count.
"We've got to get a big Limerick support.
"Limerick hurling is crying out for a Limerick win.
"It is so important that the Limerick crowd come out and support us because the Clare crowd will travel to support their All-Ireland winning team who are on a crest of a wave."
Clare are once again managed by John Minogue with Cyril Lyons, Sean O'Halloran and Alan Dunne.
A number of last season's winning team and their current senior panel are underage this season. Key to their hopes will be former Ardscoil Ris students Nicky O'Connell and Darach Honan and their Clonlara club-mate John Conlon. Others likely to figure strongly for the Banner are Cratloe's Sean Collins, Conor McGrath and Liam Markham, Cillian Duggan and Caimin Morey - all of whom figured against Limerick last season.
Limerick are bidding to reach the July 28 final against either Cork or Tipperary.
Limerick under-21 panel: Barry Hennessy, Paudie O'Brien, Philip O'Loughlin, Graeme Mulcahy (all Kilmallock), Aaron Murphy (Hospital-Herbertstown), Brian Cleary (Knockainey), Patrick Begley (Mungret), John O'Riordan (Templeglantine), David Lynch, James O'Brien, Kevin Downes, Shane Dowling (all Na Piarsaigh), Mikey Kiely, Steve O'Reilly (both Ballybrown), Paul Browne, Jason Hayes, Colin Madden (all Bruff), Sean Madden (Ahane), Damien Quaid (St Marys-Sean Finns), Nicky Quaid, Conor Kearney (both Effin), Tommy O'Brien (Bruree), Thomas O'Brien (Patrickswell), Cian Hayes (Kildimo), Declan Hannon (Adare), Michael Ryan, Sean Tobin (both Murroe-Boher) and Timmy Fleming (Feohanagh-Castlemahon).
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Weather for Limerick
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 7 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: South east
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Light rain
Temperature: 8 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
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