Jamesie O’Connor admits it is hard to see Clare beating Limerick this weekend given that it would leave John Kiely’s All-Ireland champions in grave danger of an early Championship exit.
Limerick recovered from defeat to Cork by routing Waterford last weekend, but their summer would be over should they lose to Clare on Sunday, and if Cork defeat the already eliminated Waterford the previous night.
With Cork and Clare also struggling in the table, defeat now would mean Limerick cannot qualify due to their weaker head-to-head record and, with so much on the line, O’Connor thinks the Banner are up against it this weekend.
“We have obviously got to get something out of the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday. When I say something, at this point in time I can’t see us beating Limerick,”said Clare legend O’Connor.
“It’s a must win game for Limerick and you’d imagine given how flat they were in the Gaelic Grounds in their opening match, given the fact that Clare have beaten them the last three years in the Championship, they’ll be massively motivated on Sunday,” O’Connor told Tipp FM.
Clare face Cork in the final round and it is also possible for Limerick, Cork and Clare to all finish on the same points total, leaving scoring difference as the deciding factor – currently Clare have the worst record of the three.
“It’s imperative for Clare that we get a performance this weekend,” O’Connor added. “Shane O’Donnell, John Conlon, Peter Duggan and Tony Kelly contributed three points from play between them (v Tipp) and that’s not good enough. Conlon and Duggan have got to find some form.”
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