*Brian Lohan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE are “back to where we wanted to be” by qualifying for a third successive All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final.
Brian Lohan’s charges advanced to the last four with a comfortable quarter-final win over Wexford on Saturday in FBD Semple Stadium as they bounced back from the Munster final defeat to Limerick at the beginning of June.
Speaking following the win, Lohan outlined, “We’re back to where we wanted to be. We were under pressure to get back winning after we lost the last day. There was pressure on our lads and they responded well, as they always do. They showed a bit of resilience, a bit of toughness and came out with the result”.
He was under no doubt on the challenge that awaits as they cross paths with Kilkenny at the penultimate stage for the third year running. “We’ve a great bunch. We’re carrying a panel of 40 players and they’re a very competitive, very ambitious bunch. We’ve done a lot of things well this year but we haven’t jumped the biggest fences. That’s where we have to get to. We’ve a big fence coming against us now. We have to take that on and see can we deal with it”.
In the first of this year’s All-Ireland semi-finals Clare will take on Leinster champions Kilkenny at Croke Park on Saturday week (throw in time 3p.m.).
These counties have met at the same stage for the past two years with Kilkenny winning on both occasions. The sides have met twice to date this year, the last meeting being the league final, and Clare have won both.
Overcoming Kilkenny in the league final was a big achievement, the former full-back pointed out. “Any time you win is good, inter-county hurling is about winning matches. We won those games. They were big targets for us, in the league and in the league final. Given the opposition and that there was a trophy at stake, that was a big deal for us. It mightn’t be a big deal for a lot of teams but it was for us so we were delighted with that. It’s another challenge now”.
Rory O’Connor’s first half dismissal was a big blow for Wexford in the quarter-final. On the difference his red card had on the game, Lohan commented, “when you have a marquee player like Rory O’Connor, he’s just a really good player, nobody ever likes to see a hurler being sent off. It was on the opposite side of the field to me so I didn’t see it as I was following the play, but nobody likes to see a player sent off”.
Tony Kelly’s return to form was a big plus for Clare and he led the way with six points to his credit in the Wexford game. “He had a fairly serious operation and it’s taken him a while to get back. Tony needs matches, he needs to get out on the field. Today was the opportunity for him to start and rebound. He didn’t play poorly in the Munster final but it just takes time to get to the level he is capable of”.
