*Patrick Crotty is congratulated in Tulla. Photograph: Ruth Griffin.
SCARIFF/OGONNELLOE have won the Clare U21A hurling championship on two occasions and Patrick Crotty is one of the select few to have been part of both successes.
Along with Gearoid Sheedy, Scott Cairns, Keelan Hartigan, Shane Kavanagh and his younger brother Liam Crotty, Patrick started in their U21A successes of 2022 and 2024.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, he said the Scariff/Ogonnelloe dressing room at half time in Saturday’s under 21 A hurling championship final was “a mix of positives and negatives”.
“In one sense we were in control of the game but the scoreboard didn’t reflect that. We had been very wasteful with the chances created. We knew we had a really good chance, we just had to fine tune a few things”, he said as supporters extended congratulations to the Clare senior panelist.
A focus on keeping composure and battling hard was adhered to by Scariff/Ogonnelloe. “Yes, they started well but we knew they are a really good team and that they would get chances. We knew we would be up against it, and that there would be times when we would be under pressure as with the quality of players like Keith Smyth in their ranks, they would be good. We just had to reset. We had talked about it before the game. At this time of the year it’s tackles and winning rucks that win the game”.
Commenting on how they ‘opened up’ the Feakle-Killanena defence when getting in for the goals he said, “the chances were there and we had the speed and the finishers. We had left goals behind us in previous games so it was nice to convert today”.
Acknowledging that it was “extra special to beat our neighbours” he stressed “we didn’t let the fact that we were playing neighbouring rivals affect us too much. At the end of the day we were here to win a championship but obviously there was the rivalry and that bit of extra pressure. We tried to stay focussed and get the job done”.
For Crotty “one of the biggest positives from today’s win is that we had lads who haven’t played at senior level making key contributions, lads like Aaron Collins, Cathal McCaul and many more who stepped up and really played out of their skins and it’s the same for Ogonnelloe. They have players coming through as well. It’s great to see the potential that both clubs have. It’s a great way to finish the year and there will be great celebrations,” he concluded.
