*Tensions flare between Clarecastle and Broadford. Photograph: Sport Action Photography
CLARECASTLE’S senior hurlers are “a work in progress” their senior manager has said as they face must-win games against Feakle and Éire Óg to avoid facing into another relegation battle.
In what was a very poor display from the Magpies, they fell to an opening round seven point loss in the Clare SHC at the hands of Broadford.
Eric Flynn who was part of the last Clarecastle side to win the Clare SHC in 2005 is now the manager of the club’s senior side. “It’s very disappointing, We didn’t show up today. We felt we had a lot of work done. We got off to a good start but we got no return from it. We had a lot of wides on the board. It’s back to the drawing board again for the next day. We will have to dust ourselves down now and get going again,” he remarked of the first round defeat.
“With wind advantage we were hoping to have a few more points on the board at half time but it didn’t happen. They (Broadford) are an experienced side, physically stronger and our lads are still at the development stage, they are young. It’s a work in progress, a lot of teenagers there. It’s tough going. We will be up against it again the next day,” Flynn added.
Broadford move forward with a pep in their step following the result. They meet Éire Óg in Dr Daly Park on Sunday evening, back to back wins would seem them likely qualify for the quarter-finals and could potentially eliminated last year’s beaten finalists.
Recording an opening round win is a weight off the shoulders for the East Clare side, manager Jimmy Browne admitted. “We are relieved. We knew coming into this with the work that had been done by this panel that we had a performance in us and ultimately there was a lot of that performance today that we liked. There was a patch there in the second half where we probably drifted out of it but we stayed true to our principles and lads worked it out again.
“Championship is like that. Things go wrong and you have to find and learn from it. I think we have a group of characters in our team who are well able to do it. It’s the first time in quite a while that we have got over the first round of the championship and certainly after today’s results this group has got interesting. Every game in this group is going to be challenging and today was the first step,” the All-Ireland winning U21 selector noted.
