Tony Kelly (Clare) v Ger Millerick (Cork)
Clare have one of the most dynamic forward lines in the game right now with Aidan McCarthy, Mark Rodgers, David Fitzgerald, and Shane O’Donnell, with Ryan Taylor providing pace from deep.
Still, the key man is Tony Kelly and shutting down his influence โ whether he plays high up the pitch or drops into his own half โ will be crucial to Cork’s hopes of success this weekend.
The Rebels desperately need to win this game because defeat could set them up for a win-or-bust clash with Limerick in the final round, while victory makes life much simpler.
Ger Millerick was a trusted lieutenant under Kieran Kingston and much was made of his man-marking job on Cian Lynch during the 2021 Munster SHC, not to mention how costly his absence was in the All-Ireland SHC final last that season.
Millerick is often trusted with tagging key men and, of all the options available to Pat Ryan, may be most comfortable with playing both in his own full-back line and out the field.
it will not simply be a one-man job for the citog, as his team-mates will need to break even in the middle zone to ensure Kelly is not getting ball on the front foot. Easier said than done, of course.
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