*Ken Ralph and Brian Lohan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
FITZGIBBON CUP hurling has not been an issue in impacting on availability of Clare hurlers according to Brian Lohan.
Lohan and his management made what many believe to be a sensible decision in resting four members of their named team for Sunday’s win over Waterford owing to Fitzgibbon Cup commitments. Darragh Lohan and Mark Rodgers are involved with UL while both Diarmuid Ryan and Adam Hogan will form part of Mary Immaculate College’s defence, Shane Meehan is also part of their side but was introduced as a substitute on Sunday.
Eleven of the Clare panel are involved in the competition, manager Brian Lohan said. “They had high intensity matches last Wednesday and will have the same this week. We didn’t use them today although we brought on Shane Meehan. It’s only one week in a year and it’s not an issue. We want to see all the guys, there is no point in doing so much training without giving them matches. I am happy with the application and the effort the lads are putting in”.
There were a lot of similarities in Clare’s performance on Sunday in Waterford to that of the previous week against Cork.
In both games the Banner side struggled somewhat in the opening quarter before showing improved form. In both games they dominated the third quarter which proved decisive.
Speaking after Sunday’s win, the Clare manager stated, “we played reasonably well in the second quarter, not so well in the first quarter, we conceded a couple of easy scores and I am disappointed with that. Scores were hard to get”.
This was not part of the plan, he admitted. “We didn’t mean to do it that way, it’s just the way it panned out, we were a little disappointed with the first quarter, but we were an awful lot better before half time”.
Cratloe based Lohan added, “it was good to get through today. I am very happy with the attitude in the second half, there were some good individual performances”.
On their approach to the Allianz National Hurling League, Brian said, “it’s game by game, its nearly half by half, play by play now. We will move on and we will look forward to Wexford, we have a break now for a week”.
