PREVIEW: Wary Clara on high alert for Tubber ambush raid

CLARA will be on the highest state of alert possible for Sunday's Tullamore Court Hotel Senior “B” Footbal Championship final against Tubber.

Hot favourites from the start of the start of the championship, Clara will be taking absolutely nothing for granted against a Tubber side who gave notice of their intent with a sensational semi-final dismissal of Ballycumber.

Clara are still warm favourites but this is a real banana skin for them and they are very aware of the pitfalls here.

One of Offaly's strongest football clubs for a few decades now, Clara were dismayed to be relegated from the Senior Football Championship last year. While no one expected them to win the Dowling Cup last year, few expected them to be the team making the drop but that is the way it emerged after a bitterly disappointing campaign – in the group they lost to Rhode and Tullamore, were fortunate to beat Cappincur and lost to Bracknagh in the relegation play off.

Clara were senior since winning intermediate in 1956 and won six Senior Football Championships – 1960, 1964, 1991, 1993, 2003 and 2009. They have lost a few finals and have been generally contenders for the past couple of decades.

They really need to get back up but Tubber won't be one bit concerned about Clara's standing in the football world. Indeed, they will positively relish the opportunity of keeping their town rivals down and it should make for an engrossing final.

Clara will be looking at the fate of Gracefield as an example of what could happen here. Gracefield were relegated in 2019 and were expected to bounce straight back up but Durrow ran them ragged in the final last year and they had to survive a relegation play off against Ferbane this year.

History is littered with examples of teams who come straight back up after relegation but there are also plenty of examples of heading in the opposite direction. Edenderry for example were disgusted at relegation in 2006, went straight back up by winning intermediate in 2007 (there was no senior “B” at the time) and were senior champions again in 2011. That is the aim for Clara but there are plenty of others who kept going down or had prolonged absences after making the drop – Shamrocks is one while clubs such as Doon, Shannonbridge, Cappincur (who are still there) and Tubber will always find it difficult to stay senior indefinitely.

Clara certainly shouldn't go any further down than senior “B” and they really should be capable of holding their own at senior level. They were, however, relegated on merit last year and while Clara have plenty of talent, they have often proven brittle in the white heat of battle in the past.

The final is between the two best teams in the championship. As expected, Clara have progressed with a 100% record. They weren't brilliant in the group but they did what they had to do, beating Ferbane, Ballycumber and St Rynagh's. They destroyed Walsh Island in the semi-final, 2-22 to 1-4 and really could have won by a lot more.

Tubber suffered a shock first round defeat to Walsh Island but have been excellent since then. Wins over Gracefield and Erin Rovers secured top spot in the group and they were brilliant as they hammered a shell shocked Ballycumber in the semi-final, 1-17 to 2-5.

That performance suggests that Tubber have a great chance here and their confidence is flying. It would be wrong to suggest that Tubber have nothing to lose here. They do and a defeat will be devastating for them but they are underdogs and a win will be a bonus for them,

Both sides have a lot of quality. Clara have vastly experienced players in Scott and Ross Brady, Thomas Deehan and Graham Guilfoyle, they have two current Offaly senior footballers in Colm Doyle and Carl Stewart and they have All-Ireland U-20 football medal winners in Ed Cullen, Cormac Delaney and Adam Kelly. Another promising player, Alex Egan is out with a hamstring injury.

The veteran Ciaran McManus is still playing for Tubber. Now in his mid 40s, McManus has returned home from working in the USA and he has been a great addition to Tubber. He is playing very controlled, very efficient football at midfield while Tubber's star man is Bernard Allen. They have a hardcore of very steady, very good players and Tubber have earned complete respect.

Tubber can blow hot and cold at times, flatter to deceive. They could be very good in the final or they could have a horror show. It is more likely that they will be good and Clara will have to produce their best to win.

It is a huge game for Clara and a defeat would have big repercussions in the club and town. There are doubts about them and their ability to perform when the pressure is at its most acute. Tubber have a good outside chance.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MANAGEMENTS

Tubber: Manager, Padraig Farrell; Selector, Kevin Sheridan.

Clara: Manager, Mark Scanlon; Selectors, Tony Dalton, Tom Naughton, Brendan Lowry and Caoimhan Sheridan.

CAPTAIN

Tubber: Lee Colgan and Ronan Farrell.

Clara: Colm Doyle.

PATH'S TO THE FINAL

Tubber: Group 1, Walsh Island 2-13, Tubber 3-9; Tubber 1-16, Gracefield 0-6; Tubber 1-13, Gracefield 1-9. Semi-final, Tubber 1-17, Ballycumber 2-5.

Clara: Group 2, Clara 4-11, Ferbane 0-6; Clara 2-13, Ballycumber 1-10; Clara 3-11, St Rynagh's 1-8. Semi-final, Clara 2-22, Walsh Island 1-4.

STAR MEN

Tubber: Bernard Allen.

Clara: Carl Stewart.

KEY PLAYERS

Tubber: Joe Higgins, Sean Farrell, Ian Daly.

Clara: Colm Doyle, Ross Brady, Josh Fleming.

BIG BATTLE

Clara have two very strong and attack minded half backs in Carl Stewart and Colm Doyle. Both have benefitted greatly from being on the Offaly senior football panel and will attack at every opportunity. Tubber have to find a way of curbing their influence.

VERDICT

It should be a very interesting encounter and Clara can anticipate a big test. Their victory is far from certain and Tubber have a lot going for them. They have improved with every outing since that first round defeat by Walsh Island and they have a very well balanced side. While they will need Bernard Allen going well to win this, they have other forwards who can step up. At the same time, it is difficult to go against Clara winning this. They could make the transition into a competitive senior football team, capable of winning a championship in the next few years. You couldn't really say the same about Tubber.

Verdict – Clara.