FEAKLE hurled like they wanted it more and so it proved as they secured the coveted title of Clare senior hurling champions.
Goalkeeper Eibhear Quilligan has capped off an unforgettable 2024 on the hurling field by adding a first Clare SHC medal to the Celtic Cross and National Hurling League medals already obtained from his exploits between the posts for Brian Lohan’s Clare side.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Quilligan outlined that given the conditions mistakes were going to be common so they focused on keeping their concentration. “It was a first final for all of us so it’s important that the little things were nailed down early. If you get the little things like the parade and the anthem out of the way, you can just concentrate on hurling. It panned out today. We went and we hurled really really well. You look around. It’s raining. The pitch Is in great condition considering but it’s still soft in places. You knew there was going to be loads of mistakes and it was just next ball every time”.
Desire and hunger came to the fore in their display, he said. “We hurled like we wanted it more in stages. That should be the case because we’d gone so long without one. If we didn’t want it that bit more, there was something seriously wrong. We hurled with real hunger but we hurled well too at times. We used the ball well. There was stages when they were getting back on top and we got the goal and then brought it back and we kicked on again with a couple of crucial scores that just killed the game off”.
Each substitute made their presence known off the bench, Quilligan commented. “Everyone from corner forward all the way back worked really hard and it makes it easier for the full back line. The subs that came on worked tirelessly and you’re not going to beat a team of the Bridge’s calibre unless you work really hard. Even at that you still have to hurl well.
“It’s an absolute dream. You look around and you see how happy everyone is. It’s an absolute dream. Growing up, at my age, the dream was to win the intermediate championship. That was the standard that Feakle were at. Very quickly that dream turned to senior and we’re just delighted now that it’s come true,” he concluded.
