*Graham Shine. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
PROMOTION was the initial aim for Clare’s ladies footballers in Division 3 of the Lidl National League but they came within a whisker of suffering relegation to the bottom tier.
Having been relegated from Division 2 last season, Graham Shine came within a point of dropping down to a lower division for the second year running. Fortunately, a draw with Roscommon sufficed in Clarecastle on Sunday for Clare to keep their status in the third tier.
Last April, Shine said the necessity to blood players was caused by other footballers not committing and served as a factor in their relegation from Division 2. “We didn’t really get relegated today, we probably got relegated last November when we didn’t get commitment from the players who brought us up to Division 2 last year,” he told The Clare Echo eleven months ago.
Speaking to The Clare Echo on Sunday, Graham pointed out that the average age of the team has not increased. “We had eleven girls under the age of twenty playing today, it is a building process. From three years ago when I came in (as coach), we’re down to four of the girls that started in the league final, that is the way it is, all you can do is credit them, they are a fantastic bunch who are dying for the jersey, wherever that takes us I can only be proud of that and not critical, they are dying for the jersey so I’m really happy with the bunch, we were hoping to get promoted and be at the top of the table but games went against us, all I can say is they have tried their best and have done everything they can”.
He was very frustrated with the decision of referee Kevin Phelan to penalise Clare for a breach at the death which afforded a Roscommon, this call was made despite the hosts having the required three players in their own attack. “I’m very disappointed with the decision at the end, we were pulled for a breach when we had enough players up our side of the field, he said we hadn’t the three players up and we did, the refereeing has to be better because we could have been relegated over that decision. The pressure was on us today and the girls did super, they fought till the better end and I’m delighted we got the draw but I’m very disappointed that it wasn’t a one point win”.
Reflecting on the league overall, the Listowel native commented, “I’ve said this from the word go, we lost to Antrim and we had a lapse in concentration so we had to take off girls because of double ticks, we lost that game. Against Louth in Clarecastle, there was a controversial goal and we should have beat Louth. We had seven shots on goal against Fermanagh and took one, they had three and scored two, it is not that we aren’t there or thereabouts, we just need to start scoring what are creating and if we do then we will have a good run at the championship. I’m delighted for them, they are a fantastic group the way they buy in behind a lot of us as a management, it is a pleasure to come here every week”.
Points from Chloe Moloney and Joanna Doohan levelled Sunday’s game for the fourth time before Roscommon scored their second goal via Clodagh Lennon. Clare responded with an unanswered 1-2 which was very pleasing for management. “They are a fantastic bunch who will fight and fight, every game this year we’ve won the fourth quarter, again today we won the fourth quarter and the goal that went in below was a missed kick and went into the corner, we don’t get that rub of the green and fight for everything we get so I can only applaud them”.
Both Caoimhe Cahill and Eabha O’Driscoll were introduced in the second half, having come directly to Clarecastle from Inagh where they lined out with the county’s U23 camogie side. The intermediates were also without their full compliment of players that represented St Joseph’s Spanish Point in the All-Ireland A final last Thursday. Balancing all the commitments has proven difficult, the manager acknowledged. “It is not easy at all, we had two girls playing for Clare’s U23 camogie side in Inagh and they had to play for us in the second half. Ellie (Hanrahan) got a dead leg for Spanish Point and she came on and gave us what she could in the second half, we couldn’t take away from Spanish Point because it was an absolute honour and privilege to get to an All-Ireland final so we ploughed on without them and I’m delighted to have them back. We didn’t have our full squad in any game this year and today was no different, we’re hoping for championship to have every player back and give it a good rattle”.
Clare will take a reprieve this week before switching their attention to championship, Graham confirmed. “We will take a week off, it has been a long and tough league, it’s been tough on the bodies and minds so we’ll take a week off before we head into the Munster championship on April 18th”.
