This article is from page 71 of the 2011-03-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 71 JPG
IT WAS pretty much a carbon copy of last year’s game in that Clare were always in control of their own fate without ever decisively closing the door on Westmeath. And despite conceding their highest total of the year, in the end Clare managed to ease to a seven point victory.
However, while last year was all about the result as Clare just needed a victory to guarantee their place in the Division 2 final, Sunday’s game was all about the performance and showing a marked improvement from their opening ties and on that score, manager Ger O’Loughlin was predominantly satisfied.
“1-27 was a good score and again we looked good at times, especially for the first ten minutes of the second half when we came out of the traps great and we got some great scores. But again we just made life a bit uncomfortable for ourselves by letting them back into it and I think just when we drop our workrate, we invite teams onto us and most teams, even the likes of Westmeath, will capitalise on it so we have to just learn that lesson.
“We scored 1-27 which is brilliant and I’m delighted with that and I think there was a good improvement again there today. The conditions and the field were fine and going forward, I think the better the ground the better for us but I also think conceding 2-17 is a concern again so we have to try and work on that.
“Overall we are delighted that at least we are back on track and things are in our own hands again.”
Now back in control of their own fate, Clare now have two home games to further stake their claim for a final place.
“We have Down next Sunday and Kerry the following week and as I was saying to the lads, we just have to treat every game in the league as a knock-out game and we have to try to win every one of them. But it is in our own hands and as I say I thought we saw an improvement but we knew we also have to work on conceding 2-17 because if we don’t, it’s going to cruxify us somewhere along the way.”
If they are to tighten up at the back, another carbon copy of their 2-20 to 0-06 demolition of Down on Sunday would be greatly welcomed this Sunday.