*Oisin Whelan and Rory O’Connell. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
BELIEF is building within the Clarecastle squad that they can secure a return to the senior ranks.
Successive wins for Clarecastle over Tubber and Whitegate by nine and fifteen points respectively have set up a Clare premier intermediate final showdown with O’Callaghans Mills.
Though they ran out 3-17 1-8 winners over Whitegate, it was not all plain sailing with only a point between the teams at half time. Manager Ger ‘Sparrow’ O’Loughlin told The Clare Echo, “We didn’t look like a team that was going to win at half time, we had a gale force wind in the first half and we hit eleven wides and missed three goal chances. It wasn’t looking good being realistic about it but as I said to the lads at half time, we had that amount of chances which told me that we dominated the game and we said we’d do the same and play with a bit more composure in the second half, I think to be fair we played better into the wind than with it, we took our chances and the wind was blowing right into the corner and it wasn’t easy. We were a lot more composed in the second half which led to the win for us”.
In the opening half they missed 3-11 demonstrating that it can sometimes be more difficult to play with the wind than against it. “I think we showed that today. Despite us saying to aim two or three metres to the far side of the post and for the ball to come in, that’s how strong the wind was blowing, we had three quarters of our wides at the far side of the goal, it is gut wrenching to be the manager watching it”.
O’Loughlin can feel confidence is growing within the Clarecastle panel. “At half time our backs were to the wall but we were lucky to qualify, we have five or six lads that are nineteen or twenty, this is their first year playing adult hurling and they are good lads. Momentum is definitely building but we have a massive task against O’Callaghans Mills, they are red hot favourites to win it out to be truthful about it, they are a seasoned team who probably shouldn’t be down intermediate but isn’t it lovely to be in the final and have the problem of plotting against them”.
James Doherty and Oisin Whelan between them struck for a combined 2-5 when introduced off the bench in the semi-final. “Both lads were disappointed when they weren’t starting, Oisin Whelan had been starting along, his form dipped a bit, James Doherty had a serious shoulder injury earlier in the year, it was the beginning of May before he could start hitting ball, he had been a massive loss up to now, his touch and fitness has come along and more importantly he wants to play”.
Coupled with this, they outscored Whitegate 3-10 0-5 in the second half. “To be fair we got two of the goals towards the end but we really worked hard on the scores in the second half, we showed we were the better team but it could have gone way differently, we’d be naïve to think that if we didn’t come out and play with more intelligence in the second half that we wouldn’t be in trouble. They are showing a lot of maturity for their age, I am thrilled with them, I hope we can stand up and be proud in the final, what will be will be, we won’t be going up to make up the numbers and hopefully we can give a good account of ourselves”.
Despite losing to Ruan and Sixmilebridge’s second string in the group stages, Clarecastle recovered and are now sixty minutes away from a return to the top tier. “We’re in the final now and we’re looking forward to it, it is good for this group because they are a group of lads that really trained hard all year, very little problems with them, the eighteen or nineteen lads we are using are the guys that have really showed up, it is upwards and onwards, we’ll keep the fingers crossed that we give a good account of ourselves”.
