Banner will roar in enemy territory for Clare-Limerick clash this weekend

THE BANNER will roar like never before in Cusack Park, Ennis on Sunday when Clare take the field for the clash with Limerick but you could also hear a shout for the men in saffron and blue deep in the heart of south Limerick.

Marian O'Rourke, a sister of All-Ireland winning Clare captain Anthony Daly in 1995 and 1997, is domiciled deep in enemy territory in Bruff.

Anthony is one of the most popular figures in the GAA through his appearances on the Sunday Game, his Irish Examiner column and the successful Dalo's Hurling Show with Limerick's own TJ Ryan and Cork's Mark Landers.

Unfortunately for Marian she will be heavily outnumbered as husband Pat is a proud Bruff and Limerick man and their four boys - Martin, Kevin, Aidan and Cathal - have gone over to the green side.

“I would shout for Limerick if you were playing Cork or Tipperary or whomever - I’m here long to do that - but if they're playing Clare, I'm a Banner woman 100%,” smiled Marian, who adds they are all very proud in Bruff of their local GAA hero Sean Finn.

All her sons played hurling and rugby for Bruff and for a while she thought she have some Clare company with her youngest son and grandson

“Cathal had a soft spot for Clare. I used to bring Cathal to all the Clare matches. The rest of them would be 100% Limerick. My grandson James is nearly nine and he loves hurling, football and soccer. He has a bit of a soft spot for Clare too. I have got to him a little bit,” said Marian, who hails from Clarecastle.

And why not when their relation is the man who lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup for Clare in 1995 after an 81 year wait.

“We absolutely loved it. My mother Mary was alive then. We had a great time going to all the matches. They are wonderful memories. The best one I think was when they brought the Munster final cup back to Clarecastle after they won it in 1995. That was very special,” said Marian.

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Marian said the tight-knit Daly family is very proud of Anthony's success on and off the pitch.

“Dalo” is the youngest of eight and Marian said: “He was the baby of the family. We all spoiled him lots when we were growing up!”

Looking ahead to Sunday, Marian will watch it home on the TV and, like all of us hurling fans, will be nervous.

“Even watching it on television, if it gets very close at the end I nearly have to walk out,” said Marian.

She's not alone in that regard and given recent encounters between the counties, we could be in for nailbiter.

Indeed, it will bring memories of the titanic clashes of the mid-nineties that Anthony was a part of but Limerick fans hope it is more like 1994 and 1996 than 1995!

Clare v Limerick in round one of the Munster Senior Hurling Championship has a 2pm throw-in this Sunday, April 21 and is live on RTE Television.