*Ian McNamara breaks through the tackle of Cork attackers. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
FUTURE HOPES FOR Clare hurling are positive from the U20 manager despite his side exiting the championship at the first hurdle.
Clare’s U20 side were the first to exit the provincial campaign following defeats to Limerick and Cork by one and two points respectively.
Manager, Terence Fahy acknowledged that they were guilty of failing to see out both games when the chance to win was certainly within their grasp. “We reviewed last week and that was the killing thing, we lacked a bit of conviction in our shooting and we left good teams in the game, when you leave good teams in a game they will always come back, there’s great learning there and learning for us, there’s learning for us and the lads, these lads are going to go on and do some fine hurling this year with their clubs, some of them will be going on with the senior team”.
While disappointed to bow out, Fahy was full of admiration for his panel of players. “We’ve a great group here, a group of fairly committed hurlers, they’re committed to the jersey and their hurling, for what they’ve put in it doesn’t surprise us that they deliver performances, they’re fine hurlers and are as good as what is in the country. We played the challenge match circuit, we’ve fine players, the disappointment is raw, we were hoping to stay alive for another two weeks and improve again a bit more, it is disappointing, two big performances but two losses, one point and two points”.
Followers of Clare hurling will not have been surprised by the talent within the panel given that they reached a provincial decider at minor level, the Whitegate man outlined. “This team was in a Munster minor final three years ago that is the reality, in 2019 they gave great joy to supporters as minors, there’s a lot of talent there, it is a pity that we didn’t make the step. There’s fine margins within the group, there’s nothing between Limerick, Cork and Clare but we are the first team out”.
He said that fellow members of his management, Brendan Bugler and Tomás Kelly were confident some of their players would make the grade at senior. “As a management team we reflected many times and we got great pleasure in working with them, the enjoyment we got working with them and they work in straight lines, there’s no diagonals or headaches, they are fine Clare men and that was reflected in their performances, some cruel lessons for us there and I look forward to seeing them go on”.
