This article is from page 102 of the 2008-06-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 102 JPG
THE win may have been unexpected but Clare manager Kevin Kennedy never for a moment doubted the com- mitment of his players.
Sunday’s victory over reigning Munster champions Waterford, owed everything, Kennedy said afterwards, to character and pride.
“All I can say is that we have a panel of 24 there and they are 24 of the finest fellas you could get,” said Kennedy, standing near the entrance
to the player’s tunnel.
‘There were fellas asked to play for Clare. Some fellas refused, we had more that were injured and unavail- able. Fellas refused to play for Clare. These lads didn’t. They were proud to wear the Clare jersey and I am re- ally proud of them. Simple as that now, they gave it everything.”
Preparations may not have been ideal and Kennedy acknowledged that everyone within the panel knew getting past Waterford presented a major challenge.
“It’s a great win. Waterford were in the All-Ireland final last year. We knew ourselves, we were up against it, but I am absolutely thrilled for those fellas. There were evenings there this year, when we had only the bare 15. They proved they were up to it. They were proud to play for Clare today, proud to win.”
Last year Clare defeated Cork, then Munster champions in the first round before losing to Waterford in the pro- vincial semi-final.
A year on Kennedy hopes the win
can be a springboard to greater suc- cess in the grade. Clare have never won an intermediate title, since it was elevated from the status of a jun- ior championship.
“Anything is possible now. We weren’t given a chance there, in fair- ness we thought we were up against it. We got the lads right. The last four or five games, I knew things were improving. I knew the attitude was good and that was it. They are decent lads. Good club hurlers and proud to get a chance to play for Clare.”
The Clare manager felt Clare’s work-rate and willingness to hunt in packs was the winning of the game.
“We hit and we chased in fours and fives. When a team is playing like that, they are very hard to beat. We felt we could beat Waterford. Clare lads feel they can beat Waterford anytime’, added Kennedy just as Clare’s senior hurlers ran onto the pitch for the day’s main event against Waterford.
Maybe he knew something we oleln ae