Hurling League: Relegation looming for Clare as Cork travel to Ennis

After registering their first win of the Allianz National Hurling Leagues last weekend, reigning All-Ireland Champions Clare host a Cork outfit chasing a league final place in what will be both teams’ penultimate fixtures barring a league final appearance for the Rebels.

A series of three losses meant the Banner appeared doomed for Division 1B in 2026, but somewhat surprisingly, Clare trumped Limerick at the TUS Gaelic Grounds in a cracker. It now leaves the All-Ireland champions in with a chance of evading relegation, though they’ll need to win both of their remaining two games.

FALTERING START 

Clare have endured a tricky start to the season so far, and unsurprisingly so.

Brian Lohan has been playing far from a full-strength team in the early months of the year. Their manager has slowly been upping the quality on field as the games have gone on, with the win over Limerick seeing 10 of last year’s All-Ireland final team starting.

No doubt Cork will be up against a tough Clare side, much improved from the team that were beaten by Kilkenny, Galway and Wexford.

Shane O’Donnell was yet to make a league appearance when it was confirmed that he would be missing the entire season due to a shoulder injury. No doubt a major below in their bid to retain the All-Ireland title – something that the Banner have never been able to achieve.

While Clare did win without O’Donnell in the trip to Limerick, that victory was just the second game that both Mark Rodgers and David Fitzgerald started this year.

Tony Kelly was named to start at full-forward but featured further out the field, and his return of 0-3 against Limerick and the 1-4 bagged in the defeat to Wexford showed he’s not going anywhere in 2025. Their talisman will be essential if they are to mount an All-Ireland charge again this season.

VULNERABLE 

With their league form this season presenting a stark contrast from last – it's clear that the All-Ireland champions are in a vulnerable position, particularly with the relegation question looming.

Given the fact that it’s only the league it’s far from season over – but the loss of O’Donnell will be costly.

It’s certainly going to have a psychological impact playing without the Hurler of the Year, and defeat to Cork this weekend could very likely consign the county to 1B for next year. For the sake of a competitive league season, it’s essential they avoid that.

With a league final possibly on the cards for Cork and both of last year’s defeats to Clare fresh in the mind of Ryan’s players, this contest should come with a little bite.

The stakes are as high as they’ll ever be for a game in March, that much is sure.

EARLY DAYS

Spring is hardly an appropriate time of the year to write any team off – and it has to be said the slow start was expected, given various injury issues presented to Lohan’s side.

The test has begun now with the final three league games, the first of which they impressed to beat Limerick. Cork are next on the list and will be followed by Tipperary in Thurles.

Young guns Jack O’Neill and Seán Rynne impressed in the win over Limerick, but Cork’s half-back line is where the strength is, and where the game over Kilkenny was won with Rob Downey and Micheál Mullins excellent at picking up possession and emerging with the ball.

This game won’t be season defining by any means – though it could hamper Clare’s preparations for championship and the 2026 season if they don’t get the result they need on home soil.

Cork on the other hand have an opportunity to end the less important drought, only if victory can be achieved here.