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*Gavin D’Auria. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
DESPITE strolling to a seventeen point victory in round one, Éire Óg manager Shane Daniels insisted they were tested as they brushed by the challenge of Cratloe.
Each outing in the Clare SFC provides stiff tests, Éire Óg manager Daniels stressed following their comprehensive start to defending their title as county champions.
He told The Clare Echo, “Every day you go out you try work on a couple of things, we worked on a couple again It was a test, Cratloe battled hard, they didn’t get the scores on the board, they were missing a couple of players but every game you go out in Clare in the senior football championship you get tested, we were happy with aspects of what we were working on and disappointed with aspects too”.
They had two debutants in round one, teenager Danny Lyne making his bow at corner forward while three-time All-Ireland senior club winner with Galway club, Benard Power made his debut between the posts. “Bernard has been around a while, he is a really good goalkeeper, he is a great addition to the squad and we’re very happy with his performance,” said the five-time Clare SFC winner.
Shane continued, “Every day you go you you’re hoping you don’t get injuries, we can get injuries when we’re training for football next week, we’re trying to build a panel so if guys do pick up injuries we have guys to come in. Danny Lyne started today, his first start and he is only out of minor, I thought he did quite well, worked really hard and got a point on the board, he will be a super footballer as he goes on, so we’re just hoping to keep building”.
“We’ve lots to work on, we’re getting some young fellas into the team, we have to try integrate them in. Can we do our transition better when we’re moving the ball, can we do it faster, we have loads to work on. We asked for a bit of honesty and workrate from the lads and in fairness this group always do that,” he added.
Introduced off the bench for the first time in championship was David Loftus while Jack Joyce landed a two pointer when he entered the fray. “Jack Joyce is a super footballer, he could be playing the next game, that is just the way it is, we’re trying to build a squad and do the right thing, we’re trying to get competition for places and that is one thing we have, we had an inter-county footballer coming off the bench, we had Jack Joyce too, Jarlath Collins a super footballer, we brought on another young fella David Loftus who has a big future too”.
Within defence, Ronan Lanigan lined out at centre back and anchored their backline well. “Ronan Lanigan is a super footballer, he can play in any position, you can play him in any of the six backs or six forwards, he is a key player for us and we want him in a key position”.
David McNamara’s red card for an off the ball incident with Enda Boyce means the Townies are without his strong presence in the middle third for round two against Doonbeg. “I missed exactly what happened, we will look back at the video and see, if he was wrong and he get a red card then he was wrong, we’ll take it on the chin and move on”.
On the test that Doonbeg will pose, Shane stated, “Every game we play is going to be tough, every game is going to be a battle, it will be different to the Cratloe game but we’re ready for challenges, that is what we want”.
