*Clare camogie manager, John Carmody. Photograph: ©INPHO/Andrew Conan
CLARE were not the best team when it came to their Very National Camogie League final defeat to Antrim, manager John Carmody has said.
On Saturday, Antrim defeated Clare 3-10 1-11 at the sports centre of excellence in Abbotstown ensuring a long journey home from the capital for Carmody’s charges.
Speaking to The Clare Echo before making that journey, he said, “the best team is going home with the cup”. He added, “They got a great start, they had 2-3 on the board before we knew we had arrived here and ultimately that was the difference. They are a good side and they showed that”.
Kilmaley’s Carmody insisted his Clare side were “a work in progress”. He stated, “We showed great character to bring it back to level with ten minutes to go but they kicked on and got some fantastic points. Look the best team is going home with the cup today, we are a work in progress. We are happy enough with what the league campaign has given us. Today we ran out six or seven subs from the bench, all making a good impact. We will learn from this. We came up to win but sometimes you have to take your beating. Antrim are deserving champions”.
He added, “we had some outstanding performances but we never managed to go in front. We showed huge character in the second half to claw it back to level but we never looked like getting the point to go ahead. Just after we equalised we conceded an unforced error and a very soft score then and this seemed to inspire them. Everything seemed to go for them in the last five or six minutes when the game was still there. They got five or six handy frees in a row and they got quality scores to win it”.
Championship now becomes the focus for Clare, he flagged. “Our goal is to get to the All-Ireland quarter final. This is a learning curve on the way. This league has been very beneficial to us. We have rolled out a lot of players and they have got huge experience. We are very happy with out panel of players. We have eight weeks before we face Wexford and that is our focus, to get a win over Wexford at home in Cusack Park”.
Concluding, the manager said “before that we have Cork in Ennis in the Munster championship. Cork are the form team in the country and that is a bonus game for us. It will be great for the girls to get out in Cusack Park ahead of what will be a huge hurling game between Clare and Cork, We will regroup in a week’s time and get ready for that”.
