*Ger O’Loughlin. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
GER ‘SPARROW’ O’Loughlin had long secured his name in the history books of Clarecastle GAA but added a new chapter over the weekend.
When Clarecastle last won the Clare SHC title in 2005 beating Wolfe Tones in the final, it was Ger O’Loughlin that coached the side managed by Ger Ward. Stephen Sheedy captained the side with younger brother Martin one of their strongest performers at full-back, the brothers formed part of Sparrow’s management ticket alongside Anthony Daly and Donagh Murphy as Clarecastle ended a twenty one year wait for an adult title and more importantly secured promotion back to the senior ranks.
Sparrow’s playing days saw him five win Clare SHC medals with the Magpies, managing the side to prevail in the Clare PIHC decider and seal their return back to the top tier is an important addition to his Clarecastle contribution. “I’m thrilled, there is a big amount of people involved, starting with the club itself, we have fantastic people that would do anything and did anything to get us back up, we have a great community behind us and if you go around the village you can see the bunting, we’re very lucky that way. We had it in our head that this year was going to be different”.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, the former Clare manager and two-time All-Ireland acknowledged the importance for this panel of players of starting well and they did going 2-5 0-0 ahead by the tenth minute. “We won the toss, we decided that if we won the toss because there was a strong breeze there that we would go for it and for us to get a good start was important with this group, we got the perfect start, we didn’t let Corofin into it at any stage. Sometimes it goes with you and you get a day like today, I thought we were outstanding but we had the perfect A-game today and it worked out for us, I’m really thankful that it did because other days if you lost the toss and you were going in at half time six or seven points down with that wind you don’t know how it would materialise but we are thrilled. I thought we played well, we deserve it at this stage, we’re a team that has shown this year that we’re there or thereabouts, hopefully we can push it on now with the Munster club”.
Throw-in was deferred twenty three hours due to Storm Boela but Clarecastle managed this well, O’Loughlin maintained. “We assembled as we had planned in the clubhouse, we didn’t know until 11:40 that it was actually called off, we had people here and it wasn’t playable, we were able to sit down, have a cup of tea, we went into the gym, we stretched, we refocused and said lads switch off, go home, put the feet up, relax and do the same thing tomorrow morning and we’ll assessable at 12pm in the clubhouse and we have a mission which is to come up to the Park and perform, it didn’t take a whole lot and we’re more mature this year which is a big help”.
Losing 2-19 1-16 to O’Callaghans Mills in last year’s final provided plenty of learnings for all involved to go one step further in 2026. “I’d hope to think that we learned a good bit, we have five or six changes from last year, we have lads that have earned the right to play this year, we had to set the tone on what is and isn’t acceptable, I think we did that, it might have cost us but long-term it has us where we are today”.
