Clare head into Sunday’s crucial National Football League clash with Fermanagh knowing that their destiny in Division 3 lies solely in their own hands.
Clare vs Fermanagh 05/04/15 at 15:00 in Cusack Park.
Before a ball is kicked in Round 7 of Division 3 of the Allianz National Football League, we know that Wexford are relegated while both Armagh and Fermanagh will be playing Division 2 football in 2015. However the lack of clarity hangs over which remaining team will be dropping down a tier along with the Model County. Neither of Clare, Limerick, Sligo or Louth are guaranteed to avoid the drop. It all depends on what way results fall this Sunday. In the final round Louth face Limerick where the winner will take it all and remain in Division 3, Sligo host Armagh needing a win to survive and the same applies for the Banner versus Fermanagh.
Clare will go down if they lose along with a defeat to either Louth/Limerick as long as Sligo win. If the Yeats County suffer defeat to Armagh they drop down and Clare will prolong their stay in Division 3. When teams are level on points it will come down to head-to-head not scoring difference, Clare have lost to both Louth and Limerick so they cannot afford to be level with both come 17:00 on Sunday evening. In short Clare just need to focus on getting a win against Fermanagh, simple really.
One of the big questions ahead of the three o’clock throw in, is which Clare team will show up on the day. The side that overwhelmed Wexford in Round One, beat Sligo by eight points and ran Armagh to their pins of their collars for the final thirty five minutes in the fifth round. Or will it be the Clare that coughed up possession to Louth in a dismal Drogheda dismal, that lacked fight verus Tipperary and Limerick and that showed Armagh too much respect in the first half. It might be stating the obvious but for the sake of Clare Football it needs to be the former as relegation is not an option.
It’s a complete contrast for the Fermanagh men, they are unbeaten in six games with five wins and a draw with Armagh. Manager, Pete McGrath is targeting silverware for his side and Sunday is another chance for them to lay down a marker that they mean business and to find the right mix ahead of the upcoming Division 3 League Final. However there is a difference between trying out some fringe players for a match and underestimating the opposition.
Doonbeg’s David Tubridy is still absent for the Banner as he is struggling to overcome a groin injury and won’t return to training for a number of weeks. Both Alan O’Neill and Miltown’s Eoin Cleary are long-term injuries and their lack of game-time will have an impact when it comes to the selection of the Clare squad come championship time. Of the six Clare forwards who featured versus Limerick, not one of them scored from play, putting it mildly when this happens, defeat is a certainty. When Colm Collins’ men bossed Armagh for a spell, Jamie Malone was their most effective attacker, yet for some bizarre reason he was employed as a wing-back in the 2-10 to 1-05 defeat versus Limerick.
Fermanagh have made a total of six changes to their starting fifteen following their eight point win over Wexford which effectively relegated the Slaneysiders. Chris Snow replaces Thomas Treacey between the sticks. Che Cullen enters the fray at midfield in place of Ryan Jones whose brother Conall starts at centre forward with Belcoo’s Ciarán Flaherty moving to the corner and Rúairí Corrigan dropping to the bench. The other changes are in defence with Declan McCusker and Marty O’Brien losing their starting places.
When Sligo man Michael Duffy throws the ball in at approximately 15:00 on Sunday, we are going to learn a lot. In a moment when a team has their backs to the wall, questions of character are asked, but the crucial thing is if and how this question will be answered. To put it mildly this is a tough test for Clare, but it is a test they are more than able to pass with flying colours and the ball is in their court now what remains to be seen is if they will give it away to the Ernesiders too easily.
