This article is from page 91 of the 2008-02-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 91 JPG
THERE was an air of gloom around Ardfinnan on Saturday afternoon for anyone in the Clare corner — some of those who made the journey were just standing around afterwards and talking in hushed tones.
You didn’t need to hear them, be- cause their body language said it all. They had started out the National League campaign with a pep in their step after the successful McGrath Cup campaign — they had hope for the future, but it was replaced by a feeling of hopelessness come 4pm on SY TAU KOE Ds
“Not now lads,’ was manager Frank Doherty’s stay-away sound- bite to the press as they closed in for a few words after the game. Instead, Doherty held in powder for the dress- ing room and his player’s ears only.
While there was anger welling
within Clare after the final whistle of the Carlow game, it was replaced here by something sombre. Manager, selectors and players just walked off the field resigned to the fact that they’re rooted to the bottom of foot- ball’s basement with London and OT ath
Captain Michael O’Shea, whose goal in the eighth minute should have teed Clare up victory was dumb- founded by it all. “After we scored 1- 2 without reply we seemed to change tactics. We seemed to fall apart,’ he PHO
‘The second half we just didn’t play at all. We won very little around the middle of the field and found it very hard up front and gave away a few handy frees. They kept popping them over and we just couldn’t haul them back for a finish.
“It’s not good enough to come any- where near the top of Division 4. We
started well and even for the 20 min- utes before half-time we had plenty of possession to pull away if we made it count on the scoreboard. We just didn’t seem to click up front.
“Eighty per cent of the breaks, we probably lost them and it cost us the game. If you don’t win around the middle of the field, you’re in serious trouble and we didn’t win around the middle. It’s hard to put a finger on it, whether it was lads not getting in there or just being unlucky. At the end of the day it’s up to every half- forward and half-back to get in there and get the breaks. We just didn’t do dake ne
They’ ll have to start doing it against Antrim or the losing streak will con- tinue next Saturday.