This article is from page 96 of the 2007-07-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 96 JPG
And so it’s finally about to come to pass. Clare versus Galway. And the real thing too, not a league game forgotten about once it’s over, but a championship encounter with much at stake.
Bragging rights for one, between the two neighbouring counties. That’s always there anytime Clare and Galway meet, but this time it’s a little bit different. It’s all to do with Ger Loughnane, and Tony Considine
too.
Whether they like it or not, eyes will be fixed on Ger Loughnane and Tony Considine. As much as it’s Clare v Galway, it’s Ger v Tony. Two golfing buddies who once stood shoulder to shoulder in the salad days of Clare hurling.
Now, they could go shoulder to shoulder as they occupy different worlds. Loughnane trying to build a team to deliver an All-Ireland to Gal- way. And as Loughnane said him- self, “If within two years we haven’t
it done, we will be a failure here. Our eroup will be a failure. It will be time to get somebody else.
“But I don’t aim to be a failure — I don’t even contemplate that word failure. I never contemplated in my life in any area. I have a total belief that despite the huge task that’s out there, the huge competition, that our eroup — the players, county board, management and supporters can be successful in that two years.”
Considine wasn’t talking All-Ire- lands on his first day, but talking suc-
cess at the same time: “I think Clare are up there with the best of them but there’s no point being up there with the best of them. You have to be the best,” he said when assuming office.
It means something has to give — for the victors the likelihood is that they’ll have the easier of the All-Ire- land quarter-final. That means safer passage to the All-Ireland semi-final, where the All-Ireland is only a game AeA
That’s what Loughnane and Con- sidine are aiming for, for Galway
and Clare respectively, but for them- To AVone
All because, it’s all about them, even if Considine was quick to re- mark after the victory over Antrim “it’s not about Tony Considine or Ger Loughnane, none of us are going to hit a ball. It’s going to be done by the two teams. It will be down to them.”
Tony Considine and Ger Loughnane will puck every ball with their teams though. They wouldn’t have it any other way, as their two tribes go to eve