Clare’s All-Ireland winning captain in 2013 Patrick Donnellan has returned to training with the county side.
Donnellan sustained a cruciate ligament injury at the end of January last season in a challenge game against Limerick club, Na Piarsaigh. His lengthy recovery process meant he had to watch from the sidelines as Clare collected their first National Hurling League title in thirty eight years and bowed out of the championship at the quarter-final stage to Galway.
Joint managers, Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor have received more good news as Clonlara’s Oisin O’Brien has been restored to full health and resumed training with the panel. The LIT student became a regular at corner back for Davy Fitzgerald last season and proved to be one of the side’s top performers. He was out of action since November with a knee injury.
Four players remain on the treatment table, Ian Galvin is nearing a return to action after rupturing his cruciate ligament in 2016, Patrick O’Connor and Conor McGrath are on the road to recovery following surgery while the team’s medics are monitoring the fitness of Shane O’Donnell.