*Clare manager, Colm Collins. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
“One thing we said after the Donegal game was that whatever happened today there was going to be a serious performance and we did do that but just came up a little short”.
So said Clare football manager Colm Collins after Sunday’s loss to Monaghan at St. Tiernach’s Park in Clones.
The result allied to Derry’s win over Donegal at Ballybofey means that Clare’s chances of progressing to the next phase have gone irrespectve of the Banner side’s result against Derry in the final group game in two weeks time.
The Cratloe clubman said, “there was some very good football played. There was an urgency about us today that was missing against Donegal. I am extremely proud of the players and the performance they put in. They gave it everything and just came up a little short”.
Looking ahead to their final group game against Derry, Collins noted, “There has been no upset yet, Louth came within a point of Mayo and Cork came close to Mayo and Westmeath came close to Armagh but the upset hasn’t happened yet”.
He added, “the display today showed that Clare are capable of competing at this level. It’s was a fantastic display by the lads, I am just sorry for them that we didn’t get something from the match”.
