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*Barry Toner. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
AN ADDITIONAL GAME TO qualify for the knockout stages of the Clare SFC proved costly for Clondega in the assessment of their manager.
Clondegad started the championship with gusto defeating Ennistymon and Doonbeg but a loss to Kilmurry Ibrickane pitted them in third spot and thus in the quarter-final play-off where they overcame St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield.
Manager, Martin Brennan believed this extra game was detrimental to their cause. He told The Clare Echo, “probably what cost us was the last day, a few decisions went against that day which could have given us a slightly different route, that didn’t help us, we’d have preferred to have gone straight through without the extra game. We had to be up for every game, we’re not like Éire Óg with as many players. We have to compliment Éire Óg, wish them the best and take our beating like men and work on it for next year”.
With the competitive nature of their group, Brennan felt they had no choice but to peak for their opening game rather than timing this for the knockout stages. “Honestly with the group we were in, two of them have gone through to the semi-finals, we had no choice, we went through relegation last year, it wasn’t a question of having a choice”.
Bowing out to the reigning champions is nothing to be ashamed of, the Sligo native acknowledged. “We first have to credit Éire Óg, they are a fine team, they played a superb game tactically and I felt our energy levels were a bit low, the long year has caught up with us. We went through a tough group, with all the lads playing hurling too they have a lot of work done, Éire Óg beat us with energy and they played well, they are a fine team. We got beaten by a better team, we can’t make any complaints about it, that’s what happens”.
They survived a relegation battle in 2021 so to reach the last eight this season was a big plus for the club, he stated. “There has been a lot of good work done this year, when you lose you haven’t done everything wrong and when you win you don’t do everything right, we have to take it on the chin and be better next year”.
