Clare stunned the world in 2013, defeating Cork in an All-Ireland final for the ages.
The Banner had gone eleven years without contesting an All-Ireland decider and after losing the second round of the Munster championship to Cork, 2013 looked like it was going to be another year to forget.
But the bright young guns famously re-grouped with biscuits and Mi-Waidi in Davy Fitzgerald’s house before embarking on a championship run that will never be forgotten.
It was the summer of Podge Collins, the summer of Tony Kelly and Shane O’Donnell.
It was the summer of Davy Fitzgerald and his brilliant interviews with Clare McNamara and Ger Canning. They really are worth checking out.
The final went to a replay, and it all ended up with Patrick Donellan lifting Liam MacCarthy on the steps of the Hogan Stand after one of the most entertaining finals ever.
Five of the players who played that day are still in the Clare panel. Where are the rest of them now?
1. Patrick Kelly
Kelly famously stopped bullets from Anthony Nash in the 2013 final, repeatedly throwing his body on the line.
The Inagh Kilnamona man played with Clare until 2018 fighting it out with Donal Tuohy for the number one position.
He played a key role in his club’s journey to the Clare senior final in 2021 stopping a last minute penalty in the semi-final.
2. Domhnall O’Donovan
The Clonlara man was Clare’s unlikely saviour the first day, scoring a last second point to send the game to a replay.
Famously, when Clare had beaten Laois in the qualifiers that year, O’Donovan was their only outfield player not to score.
The occasion clearly wasn’t big enough for him.
In the years that followed, he struggled to hold down a starting place and retired in 2016 citing work commitments with global food giant Kerry Group. He is now based in Wisconsin, as their manufacturing manager in North America.
3. David McInerney
Even after all these years, McInerney is still Clare’s man for all seasons. 31 now, he was man-of-the-match in their semi-final win over Kilkenny two weeks ago and will line out at wing back on Sunday.
He’s a primary teacher and comes from a farming background.
4. Cian Dillon
The teak tough Crusheen player was Clare’s joint-captain along with Tony Kelly when they won the National League in 2016.
He remained a key player in the years that followed before retiring in 2018. He is still playing for his club, lining out at full back in their county final loss to Clonlara last year. Dillon is a primary school teacher.
5. Brendan Bugler
If Clare win on Sunday, don’t be surprised if Bugler whips out the accordion for a tune. He did so in 2013 and will be involved again this Sunday, as a coach in Brian Lohan’s backroom team.
He stayed hurling with Clare until 2017 after which he coached a number of clubs before working under Davy Fitzgerald with Wexford in 2019.
He is a construction and tech graph teacher in St Flannans.
6. Pat Donnellan
Retired two weeks after Bugler in 2017 having torn his cruciate at the start of the 2016 season.
The O’Callaghan Mills club-man struggled to nail down a position after his injury but he already had his place in the history books as only the third Clare man ever to lift Liam MacCarthy as captain, along with Amby Power and Anthony Daly.
Was still hurling senior for his club last year and works as a Sales VP for the IAC in Shannon, one of the world’s leading aircraft finishing companies.
7. Patrick O’Connor
Outside of the five who will be involved this weekend, O’Connor was the last of the 2013 team to retire, calling time at the end of 2022.
The versatile defender captained Clare in 2017 and 2018 before tearing his cruciate ligament in 2021. He works in sales for a biotech pharmaceutical company and was full back for the Tubber intermediates last year.
8. Colm Galvin
Hip issues forced Galvin into an early retirement in February ‘22 having just gone 29.
He’s still playing for Clonlara, scoring a goal in their county senior final win last year. His brother Ian is a sub for Clare this weekend.
9. Conor Ryan
Man-of-the-match in the drawn game, the replay was the last time Ryan played for Clare in Croke Park.
An issue with his pituitary gland restricted him in the years that followed and having fought against it, he had to retire in 2018 aged 26.
Ryan was also out of action for Cratloe at that point but returned last year as his health improved, winning a county senior football title.
That gave him the opportunity to play alongside his younger brother Diarmuid, who will be wing back for Clare this Sunday. Off the field, Ryan works in corporate development and strategy for computer firm IBM.
SEE ALSO: Clare's Ryan Brothers Get The Days They Thought Were Lost Forever
10. John Conlon
At 35, Conlon is the oldest player on the Clare team this Sunday but is one of the most important. Having torn his cruciate in 2020, he returned to play centre back, a role he still holds.
11 Tony Kelly
Young Hurler of the Year, All-Star and the Hurler of the Year outright in 2013 aged just 19, Kelly has since added three more All-Stars to his collection.
He has also won four county titles and a Munster club with Ballyea but another All-Ireland is the one he craves, and he’ll have his biggest chance yet this Sunday.
12 Colin Ryan
Retired in 2017 at the age of 29, having lost his starting place in 2016.
Lined out at full forward for his club Newmarket-on-Fergus in last year’s county championship and works as a teacher.
13 Podge Collins
Went onto win an All-Star in 2013 and was nominated for Hurler of the Year before playing dual in 2014.
Collins opted to play for the footballers exclusively in 2015 but tore his cruciate in a club game that May. He had accepted by the end of 2016 that the dual dream was no longer viable and returned to the hurlers in ‘17.
He finished out his career as a footballer from 2020 to the end of last year but still plays for his club, winning a senior football title last year. Collins works for Bank of Ireland.
14 Shane O’Donnell
The hat-trick hero in 2013, O’Donnell is odds-on favourite for Hurler of the Year eleven years on. He’s recently said that he’s thankful for another shot at final glory and that he would enjoy the victory more this time around.
15. Conor McGrath
Having lit up 2013 with his pace and fire winning an All-Star, McGrath remained a dangerous forward for Clare in the aftermath.
Injuries scuppered his 2019 season having come on as a sub in the 2018 All-Ireland semi-final against Galway. He never officially retired but that was his last game for Clare, and he now works for Deloitte Ireland as a director.
Subs:
Cathal McInerney
Was a sub again in 2014 before opting to play for the footballers exclusively in 2015, like Podge Collins.
He returned for the hurlers under Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor but opted out of Brian Lohan’s squad in 2021 due to injuries. Has won a spate of county titles, in both codes, with Cratloe.
Nicky O’Connell
If Domhnall O’Donovan is best remembered for the point that saved the day, O’Connell is known for giving him the perfect pass under huge pressure with time up.
Left the Clare panel in controversial circumstances in 2015 after a disciplinary row but returned a month later.
He wasn’t named on the Clare panel in 2016 and hasn’t played for them since.
O’Connell continued to play for his club Clonlara but missed last year due to a combination of work commitments and injury.
Darach Honan
Honan started the drawn match but O'Donnell would famously start at full forward in his place in the replay. 'The Duck' regained his place on the Clare team in 2014, scoring 1-1 in their qualifier loss to Wexford. The 6 ft 7 in giant was eventually forced into an early retirement in 2017, aged 27, due to a hip injury. He is a qualified financial advisor.
Seadna Morey
Was on and off the Clare starting team after 2013 but has been a sub in recent years, including this year, and will be hoping to come on this Sunday.
Manager: Davy Fitzgerald
Needs no introduction. Davy went to Wexford after leaving Clare at the end of 2016, winning a Leinster title with the yellow bellies in 2019.
He left Wexford in 2021 and managed Waterford this year and last. With TV shows Ireland’s Fittest Family and Davy’s Toughest Team, he’s certainly a busy man.
