Annoyed by a lack of training time with his players, the Banner boss had urged for a series of Clare club championship matches to be postponed last weekend.

However those games went ahead and it now appears that the failure of the Clare County Board to accede to the manager's wishes has proven costly.

There are a number of players in the Clare camp currently nursing injuries. A hand injury has ruled Brendan Bugler out, while versatile player Jonathon Clancy is a major doubt for Saturday week's clash with the Ulster champions.

Clancy, the Clarecastle midfielder/wing forward, picked up a shoulder injury in a club championship game on Saturday night.

Doubts also hang over the availability of goalkeeper Philip Brennan who made his championship debut against Cork last month. Brennan failed to line out for his club Tulla over the weekend.

Daithi O'Connell was added to the Banner's injury list when he damaged his knee during Wolfe Tones' loss to O'Callaghan Mills. However it is expected that attacker O'Connell will recover in time for the Antrim test.

Reacting to this injury jinx, Considine has bolstered his squad with the introduction of Doora-Barefield's Greg Lyons and Conor McMahon of Kilmaley.

Lyons is hoping to become Clare's first dual championship player since Frank Lohan in 1997. Lyons lined out at wing back for the Clare footballers in their Munster championship defeat to Waterford last month.