This article is from page 62 of the 2011-11-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 62 JPG
AFTER SUCH a historic day and match for Pat O’Rourke and his fellow Meelick clubmen one could have expected to find a very stressed and distraught losing manager. However this was not the case and instead this experienced mentor was brimming with pride both for his club and the panel of players who had just served him so well for sixty minutes against a superior Kerry outfit Dromid Pearses.
“I thought our performance out there today was absolutely excellent. We kept our heads throughout the game. We never dropped them. We played a good style of football and fought hard in every position on the field.
“Bearing in mind that Dromid Pearses are everybody’s’ favourites to go on and win this All-Ireland title I felt we did very well. It was always going to be a very difficult challenge but overall I thought we tried our best and put it up to them.”
The final margin of nine points was probably a bit unfair on Meelick who battled on for the duration of the contest and he first half in particular pleased O’Rourke but the concession of such a vital score was always going to make it an uphill struggle after the restart.
“The first half was great apart from the very soft goal we let in. It was very disappointing as we had fought our way back into contention before that but what can you do.
“Overall I don’t think it would have altered the final result. They are a super team and at the end of the day it would have been awful hard to beat them the way they especially played in the second half.”
A glimpse of hurt was evident in his voice but again this pain was swiftly moved away from and transformed into a positive.
“Clare was the main aim for us this year and we won that championship. We have to be delighted with that. Of course then a game in Munster was a huge bonus for the whole club. The lads really enjoyed it and were looking forward to it.
“The year though still isn’t over for us. We now have to prepare for a league final next weekend. This was definitely a very good work out for us today. Even for next year games like this give you great experience and preparation.
“We will be facing far better opposition in the 2012 championship and if all things go well next weekend we might be up in division three in the league as well.
“Last year when we got promoted a division we were afraid we wouldn’t win a game but now we have managed to reach another final. It’s been a great year.”