DONAL MOLONEY AND Gerry O’Connor will manage the Clare senior hurlers again for the 2019 season.

O’Connor and Moloney have been in charge of Clare since October 2016.

Source: Bryan Keane/INPHO

The pair were formally ratified on Tuesday evening at a Clare county board meeting as the joint managers for next year’s campaign.

It will mark the third season that Moloney and O’Connor will be in charge, having first taken the managerial reins in October 2016. 

Clare lost out to Galway at the All-Ireland semi-final replay stage in August by 1-17 to 2-13 in Semple Stadium, eight days after playing out a thrilling draw that finished 1-30 apiece after extra-time in Croke Park.

For the second successive year Clare contested the Munster final this summer but again lost out to Cork. Their Munster round-robin campaign saw them begin with a defeat to Cork before they rebounded to claim victories over Waterford, Tipperary and Limerick.

They overturned Wexford at the All-Ireland quarter-final stage to ensure Clare would return to senior action in Croke Park for the first time in the championship since their 2013 Liam MacCarthy Cup triumph.

Clare boss Donal Moloney celebrates after the 0-27 to 1-17 victory over Wexford.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

Clare are due to begin their 2019 Munster championship campaign away to Waterford on the weekend of 12-13 May next year followed by a home game against Tipperary, a trip to face Limerick and another home tie to Cork.

Moloney, a native of Scarriff, and O’Connor, who hails from Killanena, had previously burst to prominence with their exploits at underage management level for Clare.

They steered Clare to a five-in-a-row of Munster titles with minor wins in 2010 and 2011, before achieving U21 successes in 2012, 2013 and 2014. All three of those U21 campaigns culminated in All-Ireland victories. 

Donal Moloney and Gerry O'Connor confirmed as Clare Senior Hurling managers, with All Ireland medallist Fergal Lynch taking charge of the Minor Hurlers and Dermot Coughlan managing the Minor Footballers for the coming year.

— Clare Gaa (@GaaClare) October 23, 2018

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