*Shane Gleeson gets away from Killian McDermott and David Tuohy. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARECASTLE AND O’CALLAGHANS MILLS cross swords in the Clare SHC for the second time in as many years and once again there is a lot at stake.
Last year, they faced off in the relegation play-off, the Magpies and Crusheen though they finished bottom, managed to fend off the drop after pursuing the matter to the provincial council.
They renew rivalries on Sunday in the second round of the Clare SHC, with both sides having shipped disappointing losses in their first outings, they are both feeling the pressure to turn around their fortunes. The meeting is made all the more interesting with two-time All-Ireland winning captain Anthony Daly coaching Clarecastle while Davy Fitzgerald has trained O’Callaghans Mills this week in the aftermath of the club parting ways with Donach O’Donnell.
Reflecting on their twelve point loss to Cratloe, Clarecastle manager Brian Russell said, “We might have been a bit too respectful in the first half. We were a bit too stand offish and against a very experienced team like Cratloe who are well drilled on what they do, the damage was done in the first half. We had the wind to our backs in the second half and we rose it a small bit but the early goal for them was a sickener but we battled away”.
Russell added, “We were down a few bodies due to injuries but it’s a physical hurling game. We all know what to do, we should be marking our men, we should be up tighter, more confrontational and less respectful as we go forward regardless of who we are missing”.
There is no time for the Magpies to slowly tread the water in championship, he maintained. “We are playing the Mills in the Park next Sunday. We had a battle with them last year out in Meelick so we know what they are all about. We know they are a dangerous team. They were in a county final a couple of years ago. They are up and down like ourselves. We have to go again next Sunday and get the win otherwise we will be further on the back foot. We have to learn our lessons, it’s as simple as that”.
Meanwhile, Cratloe boss Conor Earley was content to begin their bid with a comprehensive win. He told The Clare Echo, “The lads battled really well from start to finish. We’re delighted. Yes, there’s loads to work on but it’s great to have the first round won. There was a strong wind out there. Coming down here we didn’t expect it but it was going straight down the pitch”.
Tubber native Earley believed they still had plenty of work on before their next hurling outing which is against Broadford in a fortnight’s time. “We coughed up a few goal chances but we look forward to working on those things and we can now look forward to the next match. We got a great start to the second half. Diarmuid (Ryan) made a great call to come up field and it was a great goal. We have a three week break now, two weeks to football and then another week to our game with Broadford”.
