This article is from page 108 of the 2009-06-09 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 108 JPG
FOR Donie Buckley Sunday after- noon on Ennis’ Causeway wasn’t about the past – the way that Clare football had let go a man who had given so much voluntary work for club and county for nearly two dec- AYalohe
It wasn’t about Donie Buckley v Clare – that’s in the past, this was the present and it was all about trying to do his bit to guide Limerick into a provincial decider.
What’s done was done, but Buckley was quick to admit that manning the line on this day was different than another day during his year and a bit with the Shannonsiders.
“It was very difficult for me today,’ he revealed. “I know a lot of these Clare players and they are great play- ers – the service the likes of Conor Whelan, David Russell and Mike O’Shea have given Clare, they’ve been great servants.
‘When I was involved with Michael
Brennan in Clare, we introduced a number of those players. They’re fantastic footballers and Clare will bounce back. I know that.
“We got the rub of the green today. We got a great start but Clare came back very well at us. I think at the end of the day I think our experi- ence from Division 3 where we lost a number of games by a point gave us the determination to get through,” he added.
The former Clare manager was the most energetic of all the mentors manning the sideline – kicking every ball with his players, roaring instruc- tions from start to finish, making regular excursions over the white line with new instructions for battle.
He was most active after Clare had reeled in Limerick in the first half, while he admitted that the half-time break gave his side the chance to gather their thoughts and take up the battle anew.
‘We put our shoulder to the wheel in the second half. It’s all about at-
titude,’ he revealed.
“Clare came out with all guns blaz- ing – they were a very well prepared team under Frank Doherty, James Hanrahan and Kieran Kelleher. We were just lucky that we got it right in tom ntee
“The turning point of the game was where Dermot O’Brien made a great catch but coming out we turned it over and got a crucial point.
“We came up here today as favour- ites but Clare gave us a great game. We’re looking at a Munster final now and it’s going to be Cork or Kerry. That was our target at the start of the year.”
Beating Clare was also a target and it was mission accomplished for Do- nie Buckley.
Clare’s loss has definitely been Limerick’s gain.