*Michael Kelly. Photograph: Ruth Griffin.
LISSYCASEY must take their chances if are they to dethrone the county champions Cratloe, manager Aiden ‘Horse’ Moloney has said.
Cusack Park will host the meeting of the county champions of 2023 and the Cusack Cup champions of 2024 this Saturday at 16:30 in the quarter-final of the TUS Clare senior football championship.
A gritty 0-8 0-4 win over neighbours Kildysart a fortnight ago saw Lissycasey seal their place in the quarter-finals. “We got a good reaction from our boys after the last day, they worked hard, there was a lot of mistakes on both sides and a lot of turnovers but it was a battle of whoever wanted it most and I think we were the better team throughout, we didn’t take enough chances and kept Kildysart in it for too long in my opinion but fair play to the boys, they didn’t give up and we got our reward in the end,” Moloney said of the win.
Missed chances jumped out at Moloney when he looked at what his side need to improve on. “It was a comedy of errors in the third quarter, we had so many chances in front of goal, it was a combination of mistakes and good play that we didn’t take enough of the scores, we left Kildysart hanging in there as such but realistically once we got the point or two ahead there was no reaction there, it was a matter of time before we could push ahead”.
He told The Clare Echo, “There’s no doubt we are creating a lot of chances, our problem is we are not creating enough of them which is something we have to work on, we’re making goal chances, we’re not taking them and that is where we have to improve on our game, our defence is good, we’ve good work right through the middle but I do think we’re not finishing enough with the possession we have and if we are to go any further in the championship that has to improve”.
Scores from Daire Culligan and Conor Finnucane at the end of the opening half saw Lissycasey reduce Kildysart’s lead from three points to a single score. “I thought we held onto the ball well in the first half and kept possession for most of the first half. We got some super scores towards the end, we were 0-4 0-1 down and went in 0-4 0-3 down, it was a boost, it was a matter of going out and getting the job done, the wind will never win you anything or the rain won’t win anything but it was a day they couldn’t get quick ball into their forwards and a day we could for the second half”.
Welcoming back Aaron and Shane Griffin to the fold has strengthened their cause. “They made a difference today, they took the responsibility and that is what you do with your good players, they take the responsibility on and bring other players with them, I thought Aaron had a fine game today as did Ryan Griffin, Connor Meaney and a lot of lads who put their shoulder to the wheel”.
Experienced players also stood up, he noted. “Cyril is old school but the one thing he will give you is he will put his head in and he won some great breaks, Francie (Hayes) came on and won some great balls for us, games can turn on one tackle and turnover, fair play to those fellas who haven’t forgot that, you can do all the tactics and talking in the world but you have to go out and beat your man”.
Sources of motivation were easy to find, the former Clare footballer admitted. “There was plenty of motivation there even from your podcast (The Water Break), we were listening to certain individuals that put us down a little bit over the Cusack Cup but I think we showed today what the Cusack Cup has done for us, it gave fellas a first taste of success at senior level and whatever certain people think about it, it has brought on lads on this team and there’s a lot of young lads there who need encouragement and if they get the opportunity I think most of them will take it”.
Aiden also outlined that the sudden death of former Fianna Fáil councillor, PJ Kelly was referenced by players in the dressing room. “He was one of the founding members of the club, he was a great support to the club, he picked out the jersey back in the 1960s, there was a real shock this morning when we heard the news and our condolences of course go to the family. The club appreciates everything he has done, I know I’m from outside but I could see it in the way the lads talked about him beforehand in the dressing room”.
