This article is from page 100 of the 2008-01-29 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 100 JPG
DIFFERENT year, different Clon- lara performance but the same Jim Gully. As ever, the Clonlara manager was his animated self on the sideline as he watched his charges take on Galway side Tommy Larkins. Yet for the first time since possibly the semi- final against Killanena in 2006, his post match mood was one of under- standable disappointment yet im- mense pride in his players.
“We’re definitely disappointed by not winning it but I don’t think we can have any excuses. I think the bet- ter team won, I don’t have have quar- rels about that. I thought even in the first half we were very lucky to be six points apiece at half time. They had all the hurling done and I even said to the boys at half time that I thought the wind was going to suit them play- ing into it in the second half because it would have stopped the balls from going wide.
“In fact they killed the game well by slowing it down and we never got to the pace of it. I never thought we were in a comfortable position where we were going to drive on. Maybe the time we got the goal that was dis- allowed, we might have drove on af- ter that but I think our heads dropped and they definitely got a wind from it.”
Clonlara never really reached the lofty heights of previous games. The spark that ignited inspirational per- formances against Killanena, Car- rgitwohill and Lorrha just wasn’t there and even though the supporters stayed on to the bitter end awaiting another comeback, it never really materialised.
“I thought with ten minutes to go that it was going to take an unmerci-
ful effort to get out of it because we weren’t creating chances which was different for us. In past games, we al- ways had a forward running through and maybe they would get the ball to him but that wasn’t happening to- day. Apart from that one chance that was disallowed, I don’t think we ever threatened their goalkeeper and that was worrying me.”
The loss of Donal Madden was cer- tainly a factor on Sunday. Having got
seven points in their last outing in the Munster Final against Dromin-Ath- lacca, his influence from both open play and frees was crucial to Clon- lara all year but while Gully agreed, he wasn’t making any excuses.
“We knew we were coming in here under fierce pressure without Donal Madden but they were missing one or two of their fellas as well. I think probably the experience of being there two years ago, they knew how
to kill the game. Tommy Larkins played like a senior team today, we probably didn’t and we were just that little bit more naive.”
It may be the end of the road for their All-Ireland challenge this year but with a senior championship to look forward to, Gully now feels his side can make an impact at the highest level of Clare hurling, seeing last year’s successes as a huge learn- ing curve for his players for the year
ahead.
“We are definitely looking forward to playing senior. As I said to the lads inside, from a management point of view, I would gladly swap playing in the All-Ireland final on Saturday week to be in the county final next September. I would gladly swap it all but from the players point of view, from the day you are born all you ever want to do is play in Croke Park. That was their chance and that’s why I feel so sorry for them today but we ll definitely be looking at giving the Clare senior championship aright good go this year. We have a good, lively team and they will learn from today and from what happened last year. I think we proved today that we are no flash in the pan either. I mean we put it up to Tommy Larkins who were there two years ago and it came down to a puck of a ball really. We can play better than we did today, that would be my reading of it.
“But It has been a real rollercoast- er and I am just delighted to have played a small part in it and I’m sure I speak for Niall (Hogan) and Kieran (Whelan) as well. It 1s just a pleasure to work with those lads and It been a fantastic year and hopefully now this year we can drive on, make it count and be up there with the best of them.”
Accepting second best is not in Jim Gully’s vocabulary. The rest of the county beware.