Wolfe Tones’ Ben O’Gorman will make his first start for the Clare senior hurlers in a competitive outing this Sunday when they take on Waterford in Fraher Field at 2pm.
Twenty year old O’Gorman was first called on to the senior panel by Davy Fitzgerald at the beginning of the 2016 season but has been handed his first start by new joint managers Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor.
Clarecastle duo Bobby Duggan and Stephen O’Halloran are on the starting fifteen for the first time in 2017 this Sunday. O’Halloran departed the senior panel at the end of the 2015 season and along with Jamie Shanahan were the only additions to the squad from last season. Conor O’Donnell also makes his first start of the year as does goalkeeper Pa Kelly.
Moloney and O’Connor have made eight changes from the side that lost out to Limerick midweek.
Derek McGrath has unveiled his starting fifteen for the encounter. Once more he is giving younger players the chance to impress while he has also called back the experienced duo of Noel Connors and Kevin Moran while Jake Dillon is named at full-forward.
At present, Cork are top of the Munster Senior Hurling League with three wins from three games, Limerick are in second place followed by Clare. Waterford without a win in two outings sit in fourth place with Kerry at the foot of the table.
Clare:
1. Patrick Kelly (Inagh-Kilnamona)
2. Shane McNamara (Clooney-Quin)
3. Cian Dillon (Crusheen) Capt.
4. Stephen O’Halloran (Clarecastle)
5. Jason McCarthy (Inagh-Kilnamona)
6. Conor Cleary (Kilmaley)
7. Brendan Bugler (Whitegate)
8. Shane Golden (Sixmilebridge)
9. Ben O’Gorman (Wolfe Tones na Sionna)
10. John Conlon (Clonlara)
11. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)
12. Peter Duggan (Clooney-Quin)
13. Conor O’Donnell (Crusheen)
14. Bobby Duggan (Clarecastle)
15. Aaron Cunningham (Wolfe Tones na Sionna)
Subs:
16. Andrew Fahy (Whitegate)
17. Jamie Shanahan (Sixmilebridge)
18. Colm Galvin (Clonlara)
19. Podge Collins (Cratloe)
20. Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge)
21. Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones na Sionna)
22. Cathal O’Connell (Clonlara)
23. Eoin Quirke (Whitegate)
24. David Reidy (Éire Óg Inis)
25. Conor Ryan (Cratloe)
26. Cathal McInerney (Cratloe)
27. David Fitzgerald (Inagh-Kilnamona)
28. Kevin Hehir (Inagh-Kilnamona)
Waterford:
1: Ian O’Regan (Mount Sion)
2: Charlie Chester (Roanmore)
3: Barry Coughlan (Ballygunner)
4: Noel Connors (Passage)
5: Stephen Daniels (De La Salle)
6: Seamus Keating (Ardmore)
7: Gavin O’Brien (Roanmore)
8: Kevin Moran (De La Salle)
9: Eoin Madigan (Roanmore)
10: Martin F. O’Neill (Mount Sion)
11: Stephen Roche (Mount Sion)
12: Billy Nolan (Roanmore)
13: Brian O’Halloran (Clashmore/Kinsalebeg)
14: Jake Dillon (De La Salle)
15: Eamonn Murphy (Dunhill)