Clare goalkeeper Donal Tuohy hopes this weekend's trip to Boston for the Aer Lingus Fenway Hurling Classic will prove as beneficial as last year.
Clare won the title for the first time in 2017 when they defeated All-Ireland champions Galway and Tuohy said they benefited a lot from the trip and the victory.
He has been on the Clare panel since 2009 and with a lot of changes to the squad since the All-Ireland success five years ago, last year's trip to Boston proved to be a real team-bonding exercise.
"You don't get the chance to go away that often as a group," he said. "We had not been on a team trip abroad since the holiday after we won the All-Ireland in 2013 and for a lot of the younger players last year's trip was their first.
"We found it very beneficial. The games are competitive, nobody held back last year and we would expect the same this year.
"Then there is the different format, teams are eleven-a-side with interchanging subs and, of course, with only goals being scored it means us goalkeepers are kept on our toes," said the Crusheen clubman.
Tuohy revealed Clare are bringing a strong squad to Boston and they are looking forward to linking up with Shane O'Donnell who is on a Fulbright Scholarship at Harvard.
"It will be good to see him and it's handy the way it has worked out," said Tuohy. "He went out there a month or two ago and will be back in the spring, so it will be good to link up with him again.
US switch won't hinder O'Donnell
"There was a great atmosphere in Fenway Park last year and I believe another huge crowd is expected this year.
"I know of a lot of Clare people heading out for the weekend, but what we noticed last year was how much it meant to the Irish people living in America. It really mattered a lot to them and hopefully they will enjoy it as much again this weekend," added Tuohy, a financial advisor with Dell Ireland who splits his work week between Dublin and Limerick.
Clare will take on Cork in the opening semi-final on Sunday with the winners facing either All-Ireland champions Limerick or Wexford in the final.
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