*Clare selector, Enda Coughlan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
ENDA Coughlan doesn’t need any introduction to Clare football followers. The Kilmurry-Ibrickane clubman has been a key figure in on the playing fields for club and county for over twenty years.
Holder of nine Clare senior championship medals, he also holds minor A and U21A Clare championship successes. He captained his beloved club to Clare and Munster senior club titles in 2009 on their way to the All-Ireland final on St. Patricks Day.
Having called time on his inter county playing days in 2016, he has continued to be a key figure with his club. Not surprisingly, county senior manager Colm Collins drafted him into his management team in 2017 and he continues to be a vital cog in the Clare set up.
Being invited into the management team “has been a great learning experience. I didn’t think when Colm asked me in that I would be still there five years on”, the Shannon based Garda told The Clare Echo this week.
As the finishing touches are being put to Clare’s plans for the new league season, Coughlan says “after one or two years in mid table the last two years have seen us going into the last game in the league in contention to go up. It’s disappointing we didn’t take those chances”.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s opening tie in this season’s campaign, Coughlan believes “the first two games are vital this year as the results will show what direction teams are going. If you don’t win you will be scrapping for survival. Every game in Division 2 is difficult. All the teams can take points off each other. We have got to make sure we get points on the board early”.
Enda is very happy with Clare’s preparation for this campaign. “At the moment things are going well. I am happy with the challenge games we have had and which have helped us to find players. While we won’t know until the heat of battle how we will go, we are really happy with the preparations. Between the challenge games and the McGrath Cup, we got to look at over fifty players”.
Sunday’s opponents Offaly will come to Ennis “high in confidence after their All-Ireland under 21 success and their performances in the O’Byrne Cup. John Maughan is an experienced manager and he has added Tomás Ó Sé to his backroom team this year,” Coughlan maintained.
“The focus for us is on this game. Things have gone well with preparations. I expect there will be a big home following. People are keen to get to games now that the restrictions have been lifted and it is important for the players that there will be big support. Éire Óg and Corofin did well in the club championships which is a good sign for Clare football. If teams can win their first two games in this league they will be in a good place. Hopefully we can get two points on the board on Sunday and then we can start to look at the Cork game the following week,” he concluded.
