Bench players crucial for Clare
Niall Gilligan believes Clare's dreams of winning their first All-Ireland SHC title since 1997 will not just rest with their 15 starting players - their bench will play a key role too.
The Banner men are on a a four-game unbeaten run since losing to Cork in the Munster championship in May and head into Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny brimming with confidence.
Manager Anthony Daly has made certain that Clare's game is a 20-man game, using all five substitutes in those three qualifier wins and also in the quarter-final defeat of Wexford last month.
The former captain is sure to rely on his bench again as Clare go in search of only their second championship win in seven meetings with the Cats, and his left half-forward Gilligan also realises the importance of good back-up.
"You need a 20-man panel to win an All-Ireland now. Everyone should chip in the same - that's why Cork are winning games too," said Gilligan, who is Clare's top scorer this summer with 2-23.
"Timmy McCarthy came out the last day and Neil Ronan and young (Cathal) Naughton that came on and they came up with 1-7 between them. Having good players, of a championship quality, to step in and take scores is crucial nowadays."
Speaking at a press conference in Dublin, the Sixmilebridge man was quick to defend two of the elder statesmen in the Clare team - Brian Lohan and captain Seanie McMahon - who are still performing at a high level.
"When you're talking about Brian and Seanie, you're talking about two colossuses of the game that have gone and proved people wrong time and time again over the years," he added.
"In particular with Seanie McMahon, players would often doubt him in training - things would be going bad - and then he'd come out the following Sunday and give a man-of-the-match performance.
"The same with Lohan, that has happened time and time again. You can't write off those two guys."
Asked about Clare's current age profile, Gilligan, who turns 30 himself on Saturday, said: "In the current game, there's only so many years you can play for. I think there are only four players the far side of 30 in our team and that's not too old.
"The important thing is that a new player or two has come on every year."
