*Ryan Taylor. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
CLARE are focused on getting back to their best, midfielder Ryan Taylor said following their successive victory in Division 1B of the Allianz National Hurling League.
By Maghnus Dunne
A fourteen point win over Antrim saw Clare follow up their first round victory against Dublin to put themselves in a strong position of sealing a return to the top tier of the league.
Speaking to The Clare Echo in Antrim, midfielder Ryan Taylor was very pleased with the result plus the performance from himself and his team mates. “We knew it was going to be a big challenge having to come all the way up here (Cushendall) today. You know we came up here four or five years back and we were beaten that day so you know I’ve been in Antrim and know what it’s like to lose, so we really were under no illusion that it was not going to be an easy day out”.
Taylor put on a strong showing on the North Coast on Sunday afternoon, but believes that Clare knew it would require a physical tussle on the afternoon. “You know Antrim are a very tough bunch and they always give you a physical game that has to be said. We did though put in a strong performance, I think the score line reflects that, but there is probably still a lot that we will look back on and realise we need to work on it but, yeah, we are happy because it’s another victory and another step in the right direction.
Fifteen wides was jumping out as an area for Clare to work on, he felt. “Absolutely, it’s something we were not happy with today. You know, it’s not like we can even blame the conditions or anything as it’s as good a day you’ll get in January, but yeah for sure we know we have a lot to work on. Eleven wides in a half of hurling, it’s not something we’ll take lightly, we will regroup and in training sharpen up”.
Overall, there’s plenty to be optimistic about on the Clare hurling front, the Clooney/Quin man believed. The focus now switches to welcoming Down to Ennis on Sunday. “I think overall, it’s a game where we will take some great positives from. Now next Sunday we have Down, that’s where we will take our focus too and hopefully, we can continue to kick on now, and improve as we look to go from strength to strength and get back to our best”.
