*Ryan Taylor gets away from Cork’s Ethan Twomey. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
REST and recovery is key for Clare’s senior hurlers as they gear up for their second outing in the Munster championship.
Brian Lohan’s charges make the trip to Waterford this Sunday and they do so in high spirits given the manner in which they managed to rescue a draw with Cork in the first round.
Midfielder Ryan Taylor noted the importance of Clare getting the bodies right for round two following a draining encounter with the Rebels.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Ryan said he was pleased to get any result against Cork given the way things stood as they trailed 2-15 0-9. “We weren’t happy with a lot of aspects of the first half, twelve down at half time isn’t ideal in any game. We dug in, we kept chipping away and clawed them back, we got a result out of the game which is very positive. In the last couple of years we didn’t start he championship too well. Look, just to get a result given where we were at half time, we will take it”.
Little attention was paid by Taylor to the narrative of Clare as All-Ireland champions being written off against Cork. “We literally were focussing on ourselves, that is what we always do, we were not listening to external noise. They are a very good team, they showed that and we had to dig real deep to get any form of a result. We are thankful we did and our focus now is turning to next weekend”.
He continued, “in the last few years we have had the better of Cork, I don’t know if it was our record was that good in years previous to that, that’s the way it goes in Munster, anyone can beat anyone and if you are slightly off you can get beaten by anyone. For now it’s rest, recovery and get geared up for Waterford.”
With a short turnaround for Sunday’s game versus a fresh Waterford, the Clooney/Quin clubman outlined the importance of Clare’s preparation for round two. “Rest and recovery is very important now for the next couple of days, to focus on our next game that is all we can do. It is the Munster championship, these are our only two games in a row without a break, it is really important we get the recovery right and take it from there”.
