Sunday Game gig for Tubridy

DOONBEG’s David

Tubridy has landed a new role subsequent to his retirement from inter-county football, writes Páraic McMahon

Fresh from calling time on his sixteen year senior career in the saffron and blue, David has been unveiled as one of the new additions to RTÉ’s famed GAA show, The Sunday Game.

With 22-421 to his name, David is the record scorer in the National Football League of all time, a feat he achieved in 2021. Lst season as Clare under

Colm Collins’ watch consolidated their Division 2 status for the sixth season in a row, David remained a vital figure of the side and he was again back in the starting fifteen as the Banner reached the All-Ireland quarter-finals for the sec- ond time of Collins’ tenure, losing out to Derry in Croke Park.

When Clare began their latest League campaign on Sunday with a one point win against Louth, it was the first time the manager set out without the Doonbeg man in his panel, Collins is the longest serving inter-county football manager since his appointment at the end of 2013.

In championship, Tubridy kicked 9-140 in the saffron and blue, making his debut in 2007 under Páidí Ó Sé and playing under subsequent managers including

Frank Doherty, Micheál McDermott and Mick O’Dwyer.

Tubridy’s retirement which was first reported by The Clare Echo is the third departure from the county football panel with both Kevin Harnett and Sean Collins also announcing their retirements in the winter.

Of relief to the Magpies will be David’s hope to continue line out at club level for a couple of more seasons at least.

He will be part of a newlook Sunday Game this year, Jacqui Hurley has

Asked about the challenge that Westmeath are likely to present he said, “We have seen over the last number of years that the standard is very even amongst all the teams. When we played Offaly last year there was one point between the teams with ten minutes to go. Westmeath have had some impressive results recently, they drew with Wexford last year, they had a good Walsh Cup campaign, they beat a strong Antrim team and they were close with Dublin.” been announced as Des Cahill’s successor as presenter of the highlights show with Damian Lawlor a Saturday equivalent.

It will be later this week before the Clare management finalise the starting team for Sunday. Shane Meehan (Banner) and Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones) are ruled out for the first round and are unlikely to feature in the opening games of the campaign due to injury.

“We have a number of players with soft tissue injuries and groin strains but we hope to have them back for some of the league. Then we have to be mindful of the Fitzgibbon Cup and some of our players are facing three games in six days next week”, Lohan explained.

According to the Clare boss “there is no easy solution to this situation (Fitzgibbon cup and league fixtures in close proximity). There is so much pressure on players who have an awful lot of matches to get through when you add in the under 20 championship”.

Seven members of Lohan’s squad are also part of the under 20 management which is managed by Terence Fahy. They are Adam Hogan (Feakle), Oran Cahill (Éire Óg), Patrick Crotty (Scariff), Oisin O’Donnell (Crusheen), Keith Smyth and Ian MacNamara (both Killanena) and John Conneally (Clooney/Quin). All seven are pressing hard for game time on Sunday when the team is expected to include a mix of youth and experience.

David is one of the new analysts involved this season as is Tyrone great Peter Canavan, four-time All Star Paul Flynn of Dublin, Mayo favourite Lee Keegan, Tyrone’s Enda McGinley. On the hurling front, Joe Canning of Galway joins the team which also includes Clarecastle’s Anthony Daly and former Newmarket-on-Fergus coach Liam Sheedy.

Clare face Munster under 20 championship games on March 22(v Tipperary), March 29 (v Limerick), April 12 (v Waterford) and April 19 (v Cork).

Amongst those expected to provide the experience are Conor Cleary, David McInerney, David Fitzgerald, John Conlon and Tony Kelly who will continue as the team captain for 2023.

With five games in seven weeks, the Clare management team is sure to have the opportunity to give game time to many of their panel. They play Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday February 11, Wexford at Wexford Park on Sunday February 26 before finishing with home games Galway on March 11 and Cork on March 18.

Clare’s Munster senior championship campaign will begin on April 23 against Tipperary in Cusack Park.