*Clare manager, Brian Lohan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE MANAGER Brian Lohan has said it is “very disappointing” that they lost a game “we were in control of” against All-Ireland champions Limerick.
Limerick produced a powerful finish to proceedings in Cusack Park on Sunday which left Clare reeling as they let a nine point lead slip and as a result ended up on the losing side.
Nine points ahead as the end of the third quarter approached, everything pointed to a Clare victory over the All-Ireland champions but somehow it all went wrong for the home side in front of a full house of 20,055 patrons.
Four unanswered points in five minutes saw Limerick get back into contention and then disaster struck when they conceded 3-1 in seven minutes and Limerick opened a three point lead with five minutes to play.
Speaking following the loss, Brian Lohan commented, “It’s very disappointing, the last fifteen minutes in particularly to lose a game that we looked like we were in control of”.
He added, “We did a lot of things we had hoped we would do, performed well for long periods of the game but didn’t see it out. They were three shocking goals to concede from our perspective, they happen some times and they happened to us and we have to see if we can respond now. It’s very hard to see the good stuff when you perform so poorly in the last 15 minutes”.
“Goals change games and they got a couple of handy ones,” the two-time All-Ireland winning full back said.
Asked if he felt there was a ‘square infringement’ for one of those goals he said, “I haven’t seen it back yet. Look they were poor goals to concede from our perspective, there was very poor defending which we are disappointed with. It is what it is and we can’t do anything about it now”.
Losing the opening round heightens the importance of Clare securing an away win in Páirc Uí Chaoimh against Cork next Sunday. “It’s the very same as last year, a very poor display from us last year in the opening game, there were a lot of positives and we were facing an away game, It’s disappointing for us to lose a home game particularly, having played so well for long stages of the game”.
