*Penalties could determine if Conor McGrath & Cratloe get past Clonlara this weekend. Photograph: Mark Hayes
Teams competing in the quarter-finals of the Clare SHC and IHC this weekend may be dumped out of the respective competitions on penalties.
Clonlara delegate, Flan Mullane at the September meeting of the County Board asked what format was being followed for determining the results in quarter-final clashes for both the senior and intermediate hurling championships.
“They will finish on the day. There will be extra time and penalties if needed. In the case of a county final, there would be a replay,” Chairman of Clare GAA, Joe Cooney responded.
Such a scenario did not do justice to the effort put in by clubs across the county, Mullane felt. “I don’t think a penalty shootout is a fair way for any team to be knocked out. I remember we all coming in here after Clare were beaten by Limerick in a shootout and how we said it wasn’t right”.
Cooney commented, “Maybe it’s not fair but it cannot be changed until 2020”.
Clare were eliminated in the 2018 Allianz National Hurling League quarter-finals following a free competition against Limerick where players took 65s from the middle of the field, the first time such a shootout occurred. However in the case of the club games this weekend, it will be penalties as opposed to 65s.
