This article is from page 72 of the 2009-01-06 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 72 JPG
THE Clare hurling team has been strengthened with news that both Niall Gilligan and Colin Lynch will play for the county team in 2009. Manager Mike McNamara con- firmed that both former All-Stars have given at least another year’s commitment to the county. He was speaking following Clare’s five- point win over IT Tralee at Meelick on Sunday – a game which Clare fin- ished with 13 men as a result of new rules from the GAA which stipulate that following a yellow card, a player must leave the field of play. Speaking of the decision of Lynch and Gilligan to commit for ’09, Mc-
Namara said it paints a bright picture for the county.
“Tm happy that all of last year’s panel with the exception of Frank Lohan have committed for at least another year and that added to the emerging talent looks for a very, very bright future,’ he told The Clare People. “The bar is very, very high and we have to stand up there and stand up to the challenges.”
On the new rules, while acknowl- edging the need for some, he said others were unnecessary.
“I suppose some of the new rules have to come into play — tackles around the head and abuse of offi- cials but after that there is very little wrong with hurling. Why tinker with
a game that is studded with excite- ment and passion and aggression and everything that is good in it? I don’t think there is any need to tinker with hurling. Can you imagine some of those rules in the ferocity of a Mun- ster championship game?”
Speaking on Monday, Clare foot- ball manager Frank Doherty echoed McNamara’s comments and said that asking players to adhere to the rules having just returned to training was a step too far.
“The whole thing is crazy,’ he said. “On one hand they’re telling us not to train until January and then they expect us to come in a couple of days later and adhere to these new rules. It makes no sense.
‘Lads have been playing this game since they were eight and ten years of age and to expect them to change the way they play overnight is ask- ing a lot. If they want us to take these changes seriously, then they should give us proper time to adapt.
“Gaelic football can be a great game when it’s played properly but you can’t take the physical aspect out of it. Otherwise lads will be back to kicking a soccer ball.”