This article is from page 107 of the 2008-06-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 107 JPG
CLARE v Limerick always throws up a different script — so it was on Sun- day, on the field and off. Clare FM and Limerick 95 were the partisans, as only they could and should be, but tuning into the national broadcaster, it was hard to escape the notion that everything was stacked in favour of Ore
Honorary Clareman Len Gaynor was parked beside Micheal O Muirc- heartaigh for Radio Eireann while next door in the Teilifis Eireann eye in the sky Anthony Daly was Ger Canning’s lieutenant.
And, it didn’t end there. Cyril Far- rell, who always seems to trump the
Clare card, was with Michael Lyster a few doors down. There were Clare cards everywhere, maybe this is why Limerick’s Martin Kiely played a different card by trying to summon some divine intervention when the game started running away from his team.
Kiely brought novenas into the hurling game at half-time. It was a throw of the dice — not desperate but a call to the heavens at the same time. “You’ve been to the novena this morning — maybe Limerick need it,” Kiely said hopefully to Limerick se- lector Bernie Hartigan.
From one Limerick man to anoth- er — a bit like Marty to Ger in 95. Thing is though, Ger was much more
convincing with his famous “we’re going to do it” line. Bernie wasn’t so sure, only hoping and trying to convince himself of Limerick’s belly for battle. “The team that’s up for it and really fights for it will win. It’s as simple as that,” he said.
At the same time over in the Clare FM booth they were digging a trench and building their Maginot Line, bracing themselves for a Battle of the Bulge like attack from Limerick. A desperate offensive that represented their last chance to turn their Mun- ster championship year around.
“Limerick are not going to go down without a fight,” said commentator Syl O’Connor. “It’s going to be a ferocious battle, there’s going to be
a massive onslaught.” For a minute bousoukas and not hurleys sprang to mind.
Limerick didn’t have them though, something Len Gaynor hinted at dur- ing the break. Maybe he was wearing his Clare hat when he said: “It should be enough for Clare — they started very lethargic, but are now into their rhythm.”
Anthony Daly did his best to keep his Clare hat off, but off air was sure- ly chuckling with delight as Limerick gifted goal after goal. “The soft first goal has turned it around for Clare,” he exclaimed. Cyril Farrell jumped in with his Third Secret of Fatima: “goals win games”.
Farrell, who championed Clare all
day added: “they stood up and were counted today. They got the breaks and were good enough to take the breaks. I don’t believe Clare are get- ting the credit they deserve.”
Just as he was talking, Martin Kie- ly had collared Colin Lynch on the field, but wasn’t talking about nove- nas anymore.
The time for novenas had passed — it was Lynch’s time. “It was a long time coming, it’s all about how badly you want it,” he proclaimed.
It wasn’t the only proclamation. Kiely then roared above the din. “The Clare Shout is back, they’ve swarmed the field.”
It was like old times — a long time coming as Colin Lynch said.