This article is from page 87 of the 2007-11-20 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 87 JPG
MICHAEL Browne looked at the big picture minutes after Tulla’s latest chapter with a happy ending. Clare hurling. There hasn’t been much to cheer about in 2007, but maybe it’s about to change. Browne certainly We DA ecmcee
“It’s fantastic to have a Clare team back in a Munster final. It’s a while
since we’ve had it and now we have two teams in Munster finals, with Clonlara and Tulla looking forward to big days. It augurs well for Clare hurling to have teams in Munster fi- nals.”
Not that Browne was thinking of Munster finals before this day. You see, not thinking too far ahead has been a tenet of their hurling year so far.
“Everything we have done this year has been unchartered. We have tak- en it one game at a time. We never talked about the Munster final before this game. We never talk about the next match before any game.
“It was extremely worrying to only go in three points ahead. That was the big drive at half-time. We had dominated, we had totally outhurled them in the first half, yet we only had
a three-point cushion.
“The big danger was that we were going to end up getting caught at the post. It was very tight until the goal went in. There was an element of luck with the goal — we worked very hard for it, but it did come back off the post and then in off a defender. But you take those and it was crucial for us today.”
Factor in Tulla’s hunger, when most
within the county felt they would have nothing more to give after the county final. Wouldn’t really care about giv- ing it either, went another line after their 74-year famine ended.
Nothing could be further from the truth, all because Munster club hurl- ing has been an easy sell. “The easi- est job ever was to motivate them for Munster,” says Browne.
“Since this team has won the Clare final, they have been so focused and very determined that they’re going to represent Clare with pride at the highest level. They’ve shown it now — they’re prepared to do that, not alone are they prepared but they are able also.
“This game showed that we are extremely fit. We are an extremely strong and physical team, but the fit- ness is also there. We were able to battle it right out to the end. Having said that, this team showed character as well.
‘There was never a way we were going to overcome Waterford cham- pion easily. Ballyduff had pride and they came here with Waterford pride riding on their shoulders and they weren’t going to come and lie down and die under the Clare champions. They didn’t and we knew there was going to be a spell in the game when they were going to dominate.
“They dominated at the end of the first half and then again in the first half of the second half. We just had to keep working, keep fighting and keep at it in hope that our chance would come. It did with those two goals near the end.”
Only after victory would Browne looked ahead to the final. “We’ll sit down on Tuesday night and begin to think about it again, and plan and plot and see what we can do for that Oyen
They’ll come up with something — they have all year.