Clare must lick wounds & regroup for All-Ireland series

*Susan Daly in action for Clare. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill

Clare have to lick their wounds, regroup and see can they pull back a bit of pride in the All-Ireland championship.

That’s according to team manager John Carmody who was speaking after the team had suffered a heavy defeat from Tipperary in the Munster senior camogie final on Saturday last in Thurles.

After losing back to back Munster finals, Carmody admitted “we were totally outclassed to be honest. We never got to the pitch of the game. Some of the scores Toperary got, particularly early on, were as a result of outstanding striking. We looked leggy, we played second fiddle, it’s as simple as that. Maybe the occasion got to us but you have got to hand it to Tipperary, they were exceptional today”.

The Kilmaley man noted, “we struggled with the Tipperary sweeper in the first half, maybe our system was wrong. We weren’t using the ball well, we needed to work the ball from midfield through the lines. The girls didn’t go out to do that. We were under serious pressure from the Tipperary half forward line”.

The Clare manager added, “we made a positive start to the second half. We asked for a response at half time and we got it for a few minutes but once Tipperary figured out what we were at they took control again, a sign of a good team. They dominated in the last twenty minutes, picking off some outstanding scores. We have to look at that, we seemed to drop our workrate, we have to work for the full hour, we can’t do that again”.

“We suffered a couple of injury blows at the start of the week, We were glossing over that thinking it wouldn’t affect us but maybe it did today”, the manager stated.

Carmody felt that Clare goalkeeper Doireann Murphy had played a big part in ensuring that the Banner side didn’t suffer a heavier defeat. “Tipperary came to bury us at the end but she stood tall with three or four outstanding saves, she is a quality goalie”.

“We have to get our heads together now and make sure this performance doesn’t define out season. Our next game is against Down, tshe Ulster champions, a huge game away from home, We need to get a victory in that game. All our preparations now turn towards getting ready for that game”.