This article is from page 97 of the 2008-09-16 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 97 JPG
JAMES Hanrahan’s return to his na- tive club this year has had a profound effect on the footballing fortunes of St Joseph’s. Last year, uncertainites over the senior management struc- ture left their footballers with little preparation approaching the champ1- onship but his switch from Eire Og, after a successful stint both on and
off the field, has given St Joseph’s much needed guidance this year.
The emphasis at senior level was on youth and bringing through the un- doubted underage talent that exists in Wome bee
Ten of that senior side were eligi- ble for Saturday’s replay against the current holders Kilmurry Ibrickane and it was that added experience and balance that Hanrahan felt eventual
won the club it’s first Under 21 cham- pionship.
“I thought we played well and de- served it on the day. We played some excellent football.
“We probably knew coming in that fellas were disappointed from the last day and I don’t think it was that we didn’t win the game the last day, I think they were more disappointed that we didn’t play well so we turned
that around today.
“We moved the ball a little bit quicker. A lot of fellas have played Under 21 games when we haven’t played well whereas in the senior, we have been playing at a different pace so I think we brought that pace into the game tonight and I think that was the difference.”
Hunger was a key factor in Satur- day’s victory. An appetite that Han-
rahan explains has accumulated from being on the losing side too many times at underage level
“We have had so much heartbreak in the last few years losing underage finals so maybe if they had won a couple of those they would have been as hungry as they were out there to- day but you could see that they want- ed to win and that was the difference between the teams.”