Football life without former captain and talisman Gary Brennan will be a huge challenge for Clare in the 2020 Allianz League, but manager Colm Collins is bullish about the Banner County’s prospects of holding their own in Division 2 for a fourth successive year. Clare open their campaign on Sunday against newly promoted Westmeath in Cusack Park, Mullingar, where Brennan produced a man-of-the-match performance for Collins’ side in a thrilling 1-13 to 0-15 All-Ireland Qualifier win over Jack Cooney’s charges last June. “From our point of view it is what it is,” he said ahead of Clare’s first league campaign without Brennan since he made his debut under Páidí Ó Sé’s watch as manager in 2007. Gary Brennan was a tremendous servant for Clare football over many years and any player of his calibre will be missed to the team, just as Jamie Malone will be missed. “It’s a big challenge going up to Mullingar,” continued Collins, “and we know all about that from last year’s game.

Source: Irish Examiner January 21, 2020 19:41 UTC