*Clare manager, Brian Lohan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
HUGE QUESTIONS were asked of Clare’s hurlers following their fifteen point hammering to Limerick but manager Brian Lohan said they answered them with their convincing eleven point victory which dumped All-Ireland holders Tipperary out of the championship.
Coverage in association with McKeoghs Hardware, Ballina-Killaloe
Twelve months on from Liam Cahill’s Tipperary coming to Ennis and ending Clare’s reign as All-Ireland champions, it was a role reversal in Semple Stadium with Lohan’s side fully deserving and comfortable 1-25 0-17 winners on Saturday evening.
A response was needed from Clare in the wake of their poor showing against Limerick a fortnight ago, Lohan outlined. “We had worked hard all year and to play as poorly as we did last two weeks was a real disappointment for the whole group, we needed a response and after looking at what the U20s did the other night with the heart and resilience they showed, comparing that to how we performed against Limerick was a real disappointment for our group so we had to respond and we did, that was crucial”.
He added, “We’re delighted with how we played and the attitude, we’re delighted with all of the players and the full panel that we have, we really dug in over the last two weeks after a very poor performance against Limerick”.
Clare needed to respond following the manner of the Limerick loss, the All-Ireland winning player and manager stressed. “When you play as badly as you played against Limerick there is a huge amount of question marks over the whole group and what we are doing, are we wasting our time at this so there was a lot of question marks about the group, we needed a response and we got a response”.
Starting strong was among the lessons from the Limerick outing, he said. “We were conscious that against Limerick we were 1-5 0-4 down and we missed an open goal and then we just fell apart. We were very conscious of that and very conscious of making a good start and not fading away after that, we wanted to push on and we did”.
Spirit, attitude and determination which is normally an ever-present within Lohan’s side was completely absent in their first loss of the year which needed to be rectified, he flagged. “There’s a good attitude in the group, great workrate, a really positive group that we are dealing with, they work very hard, we didn’t show any of that, none of that against Limerick, that was the most disappointing part, there was an awful lot at stake for us, we needed a response and our supporters needed a response”.
Munster success for Clare’s U20s served as a real lift for the seniors, Lohan admitted. “We got a massive boost from our U20s on Wednesday with the way they played and obviously getting the result was massive for that group and the county, there was a bit of a pep in our step coming into training on Thursday night, it was a real boost for the county but it was badly needed”.
Getting results away from home in the Munster championship is not easy, the Shannon man said. “It is such a difficult place to come and to win, all these matches are so difficult, we’re delighted to get the performance and the result”.
With a similar vein of thinking, he pointed out that getting a result in Páirc Uí Chaoimh against Cork on Sunday will be far from straight forward. “It is tough always and it is tough here, going away to Cork and away to Tipp is always tough but in fairness all those stadiums whether it is Thurles or Cork they are super stadiums”.
Ian Galvin’s goal with Clare’s first score of the second half made Saturday’s win “comfortable,” he noted. “We managed the game fairly well, we finished out as convincing winners”.
Beating Tipperary at least guarantees Clare a place in the All-Ireland series which “was crucial for us,” the manager acknowledged. “It is just one game, it is very competitive and what it does mean is that we are out of the Munster championship and we would have taken that at the start of the year because it is a very competitive championship, we’re delighted with our group and with winning two matches”.
Diarmuid Stritch on his starting debut finished with six points and certainly took the chance given to him by management. “He was excellent, probably missed a couple as well so there is always areas to improve on”. Lohan continued, “he did great work at midfield and centre forward, but that is what we expect of him, he has been doing very well in the league, he has taken his opportunities, he really attacks the game when he comes in, delighted for Diarmuid and the full panel”.
Stritch’s experienced clubmate John Conlon returned to the Clare fold for the first time in this year’s championship. “He was outstanding, he is one of those guys who comes with a great attitude whether he is starting or not starting, his attitude really is tremendous, his workrate, how he is in the group, the leadership he shows in the group and pulling things together and that doesn’t always happen for your top guys or leaders but it does for him when he is with us,” Lohan said.
Speaking in Semple Stadium, Lohan was optimistic that Mark Rodgers would be available for Clare against Cork. “He is okay but I haven’t gone into the dressing room so I will see when I get in, I was talking to his Mam outside and she is saying he thinks he is okay”.
