Following the opening two games last weekend in the Clare senior hurling championship, the race for the Canon Hamilton gathers pace this coming weekend as 12 more teams get their bids for the title in motion. Several big-name clubs who harbour serious title ambitions will be in action and there is likely to be some enthralling matches played in the Banner County this weekend.

Group 1

Clooney-Quin v Broadford @ Cusack Pk
It's a battle of two recent Intermediate champions at Cusack Park on Saturday and both have high hopes for the year ahead. Both have also made strides in the Munster Intermediate championship, which Clooney-Quin won in 2006 and Broadford reached the final of in 2008. The latter were unlucky not to defeat eventual champions Cratloe in the quarter-finals before succumbing valiantly in a replay. They each have ambitions at this level in 2010 and, in what promises to be a keenly-contested group, are entitled to aim high. Clooney-Quin will be looking to Fergal Lynch, Enda and Conor Harrison, Cathal Egan, Cillian and Martin Duggan, Derek Ryan and Adrian Fleming to guide the team to victory. Broadford's key men include Aonghus O'Brien, Padraig Hickey, Kieran Corcoran, Stephen and James Gunning, the Chaplin brothers Cathal and Craig and Padraig Taylor. It should be a close one to call but Clooney-Quin may have that little bit extra to tip the balance.

Verdict: Clooney-Quin

Kilmaley v Scariff @ Cusack Pk
Kilmaley are seeking to reach the knockout stages for the 7th year in a row and have been touted as Group 1 favourites while Scariff's bid to avoid a repeat of last year's relegation battle has been boosted by the recruitment of former Clare manager Mike McNamara. Kilmaley's hopes of maintaining their impressive record at this level have been hampered by the retirement of 1997 All-Ireland winning duo Colin Lynch (senior) and Brian McMahon (minor) while two-time All-Ireland winner Conor Clancy is suspended for this game. Meanwhile Scariff welcome back another member of the aforementioned All-Ireland success, Barry Murphy, who has played club hurling with Mallow in Cork for the last two years. They are also boosted by the return to full fitness of the talented Cathal Nash, who has been unlucky with injuries over the last couple of years. In addition to these players, Mark McKenna's team can call on current Clare senior panellist Michael Scanlon, Conor McNamara, Diarmuid Nash, Ross Horan, Patrick Moroney and veteran goalie Brendan 'Mousey' McNamara. Kilmaley will be looking to inter-county men Diarmuid and Conor McMahon and team captain Alan Markham, Kenneth Kennedy, Conor Neylon, Fitzgibbon Cup winner Noel Casey and impressive youngsters Colin McGuane and Daire Keane.

Verdict: Kilmaley

Group 3
Newmarket-on-Fergus v Whitegate @ Cusack Pk
It's now been nearly three decades since Newmarket, the record title holders at senior level in Clare, last won the championship when full-back John Ryan lifted the trophy and they have not delivered on their massive expectations in recent years. They set out again in the knowledge that anything less than lifting the Canon Hamilton will be a disappointment, but they can boast one of the strongest squads in the county right now and will be the bookies' favourites for the title. By contrast Whitegate go into the 2010 senior championship on the back of intermediate glory and, as we have seen in recent years, the momentum from that promotion can lead to great things at this level. Their last senior title came in 1961 when Jack Kenneally captained them to beat this weekend's opponents in the final. They also defeated the Blues in this year's Clare Cup, even though Newmarket were missing several regulars on the day. Newmarket's key players are Colin Ryan, Enda and David Barrett, Bernard Gaffney (who declared for Cavan for 2010), James McInerney, Stephen Kelly, Eoin Hayes and Paudie Collins. Whitegate will be hoping that Clare senior hurler Brendan Bugler, Trevor Kelly, the Fahys (Terence, Ian and Andrew), George Waterstone (if fit), Michael O'Brien and Pat Minogue can step up to the plate.

Verdict: Newmarket-on-Fergus

Smith O'Brien's v Tulla @ Scariff
Since their shock county final success in 2007 Tulla have not reached the same heights, although they can defeat anyone on their day while Smith O'Brien's have been no strangers to relegation battles in recent years, save for a quarter-final appearance four years ago. They have been boosted by the assistance of former club man and one-time Irish rugby icon Keith Wood to the side in the line of conditioning work over the past few months. Meanwhile Jim McInerney has returned as Tulla manager, a move that has evoked memories of three years ago when he guided them to that county title. Tulla's key men are Andrew and Mark Quinn (whose brothers Brian and Karl are also on the team), Philip Brennan, Sean Torpey, Paul and Aidan Lynch, Danny O'Halloran and Ray Stewart, who was a selector in 2007 due to injury and returned to the senior panel last year. Their opponents will be looking to John Cusack, a member of the Clare senior panel, Trevor Howard, Ian O'Halloran, captain Paul McKeogh and key members of Under 21 team that contested this year's B final Pat Vaughan, Liam and Kevin Walsh and Mark McInerney.

Verdict: Tulla

Group 4
Corofin v Crusheen @ Cusack Pk
Will this finally be the year when Crusheen go the distance and claim the Canon Hamilton? Their only recent success of note was last year's Senior B title and they will not want to fall short at this level yet again. Corofin still cite their quarter-final showing in 2007 as the high point of their recent history and will hope to blood key players from their Junior A success last year into the senior team for 2010. However they will be hard pushed to get the better of Crusheen, even though Michael Browne's team are likely to be without Gerry O'Grady, who dropped out of the Clare panel due to a persistent ankle injury. Crusheen followers will be hopeful that the mercurial O'Grady will be available for this match, but they still have a strong defence containing Ciaran O'Doherty, the Dillons (Cian, Cathal and Cronan) and Alan Brigdale. Clare corner-back Pat Vaughan is likely to feature in midfield for the Blood and Bandages. Up front they lack a player who will consistently deliver as top scorer, but Fergus Kennedy and Conor O'Donnell are quality forwards. Interestingly David Forde who has been living in Crusheen for the last few years has now decided to throw in his lot with his adopted parish. The Ogonnelloe native has featured as a substitute in the Clare Cup so far and he could feature at some stage on Sunday. On the other hand, Corofin's key players are inter-county man Gerry Quinn, Martin Tierney, the Heagney brothers (Kevin and Stephen), Declan Lee, Darragh Clancy, Darragh Shannon and Luke O'Loughlin. They will be eager to return to the heights of 2007 but Crusheen should have too much for them here.

Verdict: Crusheen

Clonlara v St. Joseph's Doora/Barefield @ Sixmilebridge
On paper this appears to be the tie of the weekend in the senior championship, with both teams harbouring realistic ambitions of winning the county title come October. Clonlara, of course, have made an extraordinary impact on Clare hurling over the last three years, coming from intermediate in 2007 to contesting the last two senior finals (winning in 2008) and producing the backbone of Clare's Under-21 All-Ireland winning team. St. Joseph's, known colloquially as the Parish, have fallen short at the crucial stage of the senior championship in recent times, including two successive quarter-final defeats to a rampant Newmarket-on-Fergus side. They have been dealt a blow with the retirements of the legendary Seanie McMahon and Jamesie O'Connor, who made a brief return to senior hurling in 2009, while David Hoey, a member of the Clare panel for a number of years, has also retired. This year they will be seeking good performances from Ken and Damien Kennedy, Greg Lyons, the consistent Marty O'Regan, Ivor White, Conor Hassett, Kevin Dilleen and experienced netminder Christy O'Connor. Clonlara will be hoping that big names such as Darach Honan, the O'Connells (Ger and Nicky, while teenager Cathal could also feature at some stage), the O'Donovans (Tomas, Domhnall and Cormac), John Conlon and Tommy Lynch can spur them on to victory. It should be a riveting game at O'Garney Park with Clonlara belying their poor Clare Cup form to kick-start their championship with two points on Sunday.

Verdict: Clonlara Tweet

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