*Emma Deegan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
CLOONEY/QUIN were “second best” when it came to the Munster Junior camogie final but their next focus is become a competitive force at senior level in Clare once again.
Patrickswell produced a powerful display to defeat Clooney/Quin 2-15 1-5 in Sunday’s provincial junior final.
It was a level too far to compete with the Sarah Carey inspired Well according to Clooney/Quin manager, Eoin Gallagher. “Patrickswell are a very good team and they really drove into the final from the start today and we just didn’t have the answers unfortunately. Our touch was off a bit and maybe that came down to nerves as this is such a young team but at the end of the day, finals are there to be won and fair play to Patrickswell they really took that chance with both hands.
“We were predominantly second best to every ball today and it’s a great pity because the girls have trained so hard and have put in a great effort but it just wasn’t their day today. Overall, it’s great to get this far and we didn’t expect to get to a Munster Final but once you’re there it’s all about winning and unfortunately we didn’t do that today,” he told The Clare Echo.
A former full-back with the Clooney/Quin hurlers, he admitted they were in bonus territory after winning the county intermediate title. “These are the days you learn from. It’s important to bottle this hurt and use it to get the team to the next level. Our aim at the start of the year was to get to a county final and hopefully get back to senior. Beating Lismore and getting to a Munster Final was bonus territory but we can have no qualms about today as we were clearly second best”.
Senior is the next focus for Clooney/Quin. “It’s to be competitive at senior is the next goal now. It’s important for the club to retain their senior status for the foreseeable future as there are some great young players coming through in Clooney and there is great work being done behind the scenes so hopefully this team’s day will come again”.
