*Clare’s Dermot Coughlan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE failed “to have a go” when it came to their do or die promotion clash with Down in the final round of the Allianz National Football League.
Following on from their 3-15 1-10 loss, Clare will compete in Division 3 of the league next season.
Without question, Clare manager Mark Fitzgerald felt Down were the toughest and best side they had faced off with all season. “We will learn from it and we’re not going to let it define us, we need to learn from it and that is the level we need to get to”.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Fitzgerald said of the eleven point loss, “It was a fair reflection of the way we played but I don’t think it was a fair reflection of where we are as a group, it is disappointing because we didn’t really play at all, even when we got the goal it didn’t seem to kick us into life. We were poor in the first half and we were fortunate to go in only three points down at half-time but we were poor all over the pitch at times”.
Once again basis mistakes cost Clare at vital junctures but it was compounded by facing a much better quality opposition. “I think Down brought a level of ferocity that we hadn’t seen all year, we spoke about that during the week, they are a really good side, I think we didn’t have a go and that is the most disappointing thing, you don’t mind being beaten if you play well but we didn’t have a go”.
During a forty second spell in the second half, Clare conceded two goals which effectively killed off the contest. “From kickouts, we need to work on that but I think it was indicative of the way we were playing,” Fitzgerald said.
He did not believe there was more that could have been done prior to the game to have helped Clare to ‘have a go’. “We spoke about it and we spoke about being brave and going after it”.
