*Clare selector, Tommy Corbett (centre) with Brian Lohan and Brendan Bugler. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
Sunday’s TUS Clare senior hurling final has all the ingredients for a brilliant contest.
That’s the verdict of a man who is well positioned to offer an assessment.
Current Clare senior selector Tommy Corbett played at all levels for Éire Óg but in recent years has spent a lot of time managing and coaching teams at Clooney-Quin, the parish in which he resides.
As a 17 year old he played at wing back on the Éire Óg team which last won the blue riband of Clare hurling in 1990.
As a juvenile he was part of Éire Óg teams that won championships at all levels. “Disappointingly we failed to win at under 21 level, losing the finals of 1992 and 1993 while we also lost in a few semi-finals”, Tommy told The Clare Echo this week.
He helped St Flannan’s College to Harty Cup and All-Ireland colleges honours in 1991.
When his playing days were over he answered the call and managed Éire Óg at senior level on three separate occasions. “I was manager for a year in 2003/04 and then I had a four to six week term when the previous manager stepped down. On that occasion we were relegated by Ballyea”.
“In 2017 the late Des Neylon asked me to get involved and I was manager then for two years. In 2017 we were beaten by Clooney/Quin and they went on to contest the final”, Tommy recalled.
Having set up home in Clooney, he got involved in coaching at juvenile level with the hurling and camogie clubs as his daughter Ava and son Matthew were part of teams representing the club. Matthew is a member of the current Clooney/Quin senior panel.
Tommy himself “togged out once or twice” for Clooney/Quin’s Junior B side since relocating to the parish.
Residing close to the Clooney/Quin pitch he walks from his home to the grounds regularly.
Having taken charge of various underage sides with the club, it didn’t surprise anyone when he was asked to take charge of the senior team, a role he fulfilled in 2022 and 2023 reaching the quarter-finals in both years. The team was in transition at the time as Fergal Lynch, Conor Harrisson and Cilllian Duggan had all stepped away although Cillian is back now as the team’s goalkeeper.
“This is a unique final, both clubs bring big crowds and they both play a brand of fast attacking hurling. The atmosphere in both parishes is building. Flags are appearing throughout this parish and I notice it is the same in Ennis. I would love to see both win but, obviously, that can’t be the case as there will have to be a winner”, Tommy explained.
Looking at the make-up of both panels he believes that “both have a lot of good young players. Clooney/Quin had ten under 22s playing against Ballyea while Éire Óg have similar numbers in that age bracket. There is a huge emphasis on youth. This is great for the county”.
Asked if it was a concern for the GAA and for clubs in rural parishes in particular that the four semi-finalists in this year’s championship all came from the middle of the county he said “Feakle won last year’s championship and it just didn’t happen for Scariff. Clonlara have been brilliant. Population has a big part to play in it and Clooney/Quin has had a huge population growth in the last twenty to twenty five years. Look at Quin National School where teams are now at the top in Division 1”.
As a Clare selector he is “delighted to see lads putting their hands up for selection. Overall, this has been a very good championship and the crowds have been there, Look at the competitiveness of the Clare championship. Sunday’s winner will be the twelfth different one in the last twenty five years”.
Whatever the outcome, Tommy believes that this final “is massive for Clare hurling. Both parishes have been waiting a long time for this title. Thankfully all of the Éire Óg team that last won in 1990 are still with us but, unfortunately, all of the Clooney team from 1942 have passed on”.
Noting that a number of other teams from both clubs are still in contention for honours he said “that’s true of all organisations. When the senior team is going well it gives a huge boost. On the Tuesday evening after Clooney/Quin’s semi-final win the p;ayers met with children from the parish, signed autographs and had pictures taken. There is a huge build up and both clubs should make as much as possible out of it. Promotion is huge”.
Concluding he repeated his belief that “this has all the makings of a great contest. As I said I would love to see both win but that, obviously, can’t be the case. I look forward to a great contest and, hopefully, hurling will be the real winner”.
