*Shannon Hibs manager, Aaron Leahy. Photograph: Natasha Barton
PROUD of his charges efforts in reaching the Banner Carpets and Flooring Clare Cup semi-finals, Shannon Hibs manager Aaron Leahy has admitted they can have no qualms with their season.
Although their Cup run was positive, Hibs suffered relegation from the Maloney Hardware Limited Premier Division having failed to win a game in fifteen games.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Aaron pointed out that the Cup became their focus as soon as they were relegated from the top tier. “We went down early and knew for a while we were going down, we got a really draw with a couple of teams below us, we’ve put in a lot of work for the last couple of weeks, we set up well knowing the way Avenue play and we did really well, I couldn’t knock any of my lads, they’ve been excellent”.
He was honest in his appraisal that teams in the Clare league ultimately get what they deserve when the year comes to an end. “To be fair we got what we deserved in the League, we lost too many good players like Jack Kelly and Jamie Egan, they all went to better teams so we were struggling at the start, the lads didn’t buy into what we wanted to do and when they did we it showed, we were just unlucky in the last couple of games, it just didn’t go for us and unfortunately luck doesn’t come into soccer too often, you get what you deserve and we know that”.
Aaron’s older brother Gary was unavailable for the semi-final loss to Avenue Utd due to an injury, “he was a huge loss,” the Hibs boss admitted. “When you’re struggling you can’t afford for anyone to be missing”. The family affair continued with the pair’s younger brother Darragh scoring the equaliser early in the second half.
They’re out but not down just yet with Shannon Hibs welcoming Lifford FC who also bowed out at the Cup semi-finals to Riverside Park this Wednesday, the Ennis club will be hoping to record some more wins before the Premier Division concludes to try climb ahead of Ennis Town FC and Sporting Ennistymon.
