*Colm Collins and Eoin Cleary at the final whistle. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE CAPTAIN, Eoin Cleary is hopeful their historic win over Cork will be referenced as an inspiration for future county footballers.
Colm Collins’ side booked their place in the Munster semi-finals with Clare’s fourth ever championship win over Cork on Sunday and their first since a famous provincial last four clash with the Rebels in Cusack Park back in 1997.
On that day a quick free from Ger Keane teed up Martin Daly to rattle the net and secure a famous one point victory for the side then managed by John O’Keeffe.
It was a moment referenced by Cleary in the aftermath of Sunday’s win when speaking to The Clare Echo. “We’ve only seen videos of Ger Keane and Martin Daly’s goal in 1997, a lot of us were only three and four, Cathal O’Connor is the only one that might remember it! This is a day when hopefully future Clare footballers will talk about but at the same time it will count for nothing if we don’t beat Limerick in two weeks time”.
In advance of the game, Cleary had outlined to The Clare Echo that that they are at their best when their backs are to the wall. “It’s great to be right for once. Hearing the bang of the galvanised when a few scores went over, the Clare crowd got behind us, a pivotal moment in the game for me, I don’t know Ciaran Russell had the energy but he shored up the line there and the ref could easily have blown it up, he came up through two Cork players and popped it over to Cillian, the rest is history”.
Countless moments could have been recalled during the game, whether it was Stephen Ryan plucking a Rory Maguire shot from the crossbar to stop Cork scoring, Cillian Brennan’s timely turnovers or Jamie Malone’s soaring runs, such was the nature of a strong collective performance.
“It was unreal. The second half was what were really all about, Jamie Malone spoke really well at half time, the energy we fed off the crowd, the first few points we got really got us going and that’s the performance we were looking to put together all year, we put it together when it most counted,” he said.
Along with Malone’s message, the narrative at simple was to improve the tackling technique to stop Steven Sherlock from slotting over frees and also to settle in front of goal. “Our shooting efficiency was a bit off, we rushed a few shots, we talked about fixing that and the boys identified that. Thankfully we were able to rectify that for the second half, I don’t think we conceded too many frees although Colm will dissect that performance and I’m sure we’ll hear a lot more about it on Wednesday and our mistakes, that’s what we need to do, listen to him and learn for the next day”.
Securing the win adds to the Easter weekend, the Miltown Malbay noted but said his celebrations may be curtailed due to the upcoming visit of a certain US President. “We’ll enjoy the moment and tonight as a group but once Monday morning comes it will be all about Limerick. For sure it’ll make the long weekend very enjoyable but I think I’m rostered to work for Biden this week so it might be quieter for me than most”.
