This article is from page 106 of the 2008-07-29 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 106 JPG
THERE’RE not many who can swal- low the bitter pill with a smile on their face – fewer still who can pause while licking their wounds and offer a good word for their conqueror. But that was the scene in the chat-rooms and blogs on the internet this week- end. But maybe we were set up for a fall. One Clare supported had ob- viously eating absolutely all of the optimism pies before throw in as he predicting not just a Banner victory but a good old fashioned hockeying for the Rebels.
“Cork have already shot their load
and will not hang with the Banner for the full seventy minutes,” comment- ed Osceola on AnFearRua.com.
‘Memories of the Munster final still loom large, what better way to erase them – the half back line looks solid and the forwards could finally come good… Clare 2-24 Cork 1-15.”
If only supporter optimism could fuel a hurling team.
After the final whistle however, the Cork bloggers were uncharacteristi- cally humble in victory while the neutrals pointed to “hurling” and “the championship” as being the real winners. Now there’s some cold ofeynen Koya m
‘The game was won pure and sim- ple on the bench. Cork have the subs to bring on and we don’t. It’s just that simple. People will blame the wides Clare had but if you don’t have a go you can’t score,’ said Give Em Tim- ber. “The strength in depth in the Cork panel was the killer punch from a Clare point of view.
‘They even had 15 subs on standby to Clare’s 10. That statistic on its own speaks volumes.”
“Clare could have won it but I think for the Championships sake it was best that Cork came through,’ said Qwerty. “They will obviously give Kilkenny a decent game. To my
mind the Cork/Kilkenny semi-final is the All-Ireland Final.”
Meanwhile, all was quiet on the Clare corner over on boards.ie, but the thoughts of the Rebel posters have already turning to Kilkenny and one major piece surgery of the own starting line-up.
“We need to drop the Rock and move Gardiner in his place and bring Cadogan on at right half back,” post- re Cod aliiouaur-rmeyeieny
“If Cork can hold them in the first half and not give away a silly lead like the past two games I can see them having a chance but if they give away a lead I can’t see KK giving
away a lead like Galway and Clare did.”
Last word to Clare poster Turfcut- ae
“Living proof that despite the dark- ness and despair in the Saffron and Blue corner, we’re still the supporters with best craic. “Fair play to Cork, they took their chances, we didn’t.
‘Perhaps D Murphy didn’t help us but he didn’t help Cork a few times either,’ said Turfcutter.
‘Hope to see ye all in Lisdoonvarna for September. The farmers are back in popularity with the girls up there… the bit of land is handy again. Up the By Teneo ae