*Cormac Murray is kept under pressure by Padraigh Chaplin and Diarmuid Ryan. Photograph: Ruth Griffin
DECISION MAKING proved costly for St Joseph’s Miltown when they fell to a five point defeat to county champions Cratloe in the opening round of the TUS Clare senior football championship.
By Ross O’Donoghue
Beaten semi-finalists in 2023, St Joseph’s Miltown didn’t get the start they had hoped for in this year’s championship but the attitude within the panel is on the right note, manager Martin Guerin maintained.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, he stated, “We’ve a great group. They work really hard and they worked really hard today from start to finish. They never gave up. Even when the ref blew the whistle, we were still attacking their goals and that’s a good sign. There’s two more games and everyone else is going to be saying the same thing so we have to get ourselves back up quickly”.
Correct calls were made by Cratloe when in possession whereas this is where Miltown let themselves down, Guerin felt. “We were playing the county champions and they are county champions for a reason. When their chances were there, they took them. When our chances were there, we didn’t. That was probably the difference. The decision making was better on their side. Look it. We’ll be disappointed but we’ll come again for sure.
“In the last six minutes, we left about four points behind us going for goals. Wrong decisions there so that’s something we’ll learn from,” he added.
Guerin said, “We got a performance today. It didn’t end the way we wanted it, but decision making is crucial. Particularly with the ball. I think that’s what cost us today”.
Without Eoin and Conor Cleary, Miltown blooded new players and they didn’t seem out of place according to the manager. “We got to blood a few new guys today as well and there’s a bit of youth on the line we might get on the next day as well. We’re strengthening our panel even though we’re without a couple of key players, no doubt about that. I thought Paul Frawley did well up against two really experienced midfielders and he emptied the tank. Ralph Whelehan and Cormac Devitt came on and didn’t look out of place at this level. Paul Keane is just back from America and we got minutes into him and get more into him the next day”.
Round two pits Miltown against Doonbeg in what will be a keenly contested clash in Páirc Naomh Mhuire, Quilty after both sides had opening round losses. “The chances were there. Once you’re creating chances, you can never be too despondent. We’ve a massive battle against Doonbeg in Quilty. There’s never more than a kick of the ball between the two teams and in our last two games, that’s what it’s going to come down to. We just have to focus on that and try and get a result”.
