*Éire Óg manager, Matt Shannon. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
A HEARTBROKEN Matt Shannon believes Éire Óg left a senior hurling championship behind them.
Éire Óg lost Sunday’s Clare SHC final to Ballyea by a single point, having led by three points with fifty eight minutes on the clock.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Matt said the outcome was “heart-breaking to be honest about it”. He added, “It’s really tough to take as we were in control for the majority of that second half. We just didn’t kick on and get that fourth point when we really should have. Credit to Ballyea, they came back at us and hats off to the. We gifted them a soft goal at the start of the second half but we fought our way back and we took over. We just didn’t see the game out”.
Conceding a goal at the start of each half dented the Ennis side’s charge. Shannon felt the concession of “soft goals” all year had been a problem for them. “We wouldn’t have been happy with our overall performance in that first half. We’ve had problems all year conceding goals and the bottom line is you can’t concede soft goals especially against top opposition”.
Knowing how to see games out stood as a key lesson that Éire Óg must get to grips with, Matt stated in the aftermath of their county final loss. “You can’t fault our lads for the effort they have given. They are an incredible bunch but we need to learn to see games out. When you’re in a winning position you have to finish the game out. Ballyea have been here before and done it. They know how to win. When you get to the last two teams out of 18 you must win it. We had the chance today and like Inagh/Kilnamona last year we didn’t take it. You have to win when you are given the opportunity”.
While he believes the last free awarded to Niall Deasy to send Ballyea one point clear was soft, the Corofin native had no qualms with the performance of match official, Jarlath Donnellan. “The last free was awful soft but in fairness the ref had a very good game. I’m often giving refs earache but he was very fair and we did have a chance to level it in the end but we really should have been out of sight at that stage. We weren’t and it’s just heart-breaking for everyone”.
