Republican News · Thursday 5 September 2002

Why I'm backing the Banner

BY CIARáN Mac ANNRAOI

In 1998 Clare were beaten by Offaly in the re-fixture of the All Ireland Semi Final. The match in Thurles was necessitated by a timekeeping error the previous week, but the Omagh bomb overshadowed the match itself.

Most pundits would agree that this was the end of an era, the start of the demise of a Clare team that had, for the first time in 80 years, reached the top echelons of the hurling world and stayed there for four years. They were a central part of what has since being coined the breakthrough decade. Who would have predicted a six-year gap between a Liam McCarthy Cup going to Cork, Kilkenny or Tipperary

Some would say four years wasn't long, but if you were a Clare fan walking out of the '94 Munster Hurling Final after losing to Limerick and had predicted that between then and '99, when Kilkenny beat them in an All Ireland Semi Final, they would have three Munster Senior Huring Championships, two All Ireland titles, four Munster Senior Club titles and two All Ireland Senior Club titles, you would probably have been lifted by men in white coats! What a feeling that must have been for dedicated fans who went through the heavy beatings of the '80s. But alas, as they say, all good things must come to an end.

Clare duly vanished from the scene after a '99 Semi Final defeat by Kilkenny. They had availed of the back door to get that far. But now, against all the odds, they are back. If you had seen the game against Tipp at the start of this championshop, you would hardly believe it.

Clare looked a beaten team earlier in the year, but they have come through the qualifier system and improved with every game, and it is the core of the old team, the experienced heads, who are behind this resurgence.

In their last two matches, Clare have started badly and come back to win. Galway threw the quarter final away, whie Waterford's start in the Semi Final against Clare must be rated as one of best ever. Unfortunately for Waterford, Clare settled down to business and did what they do best - taking it to the deck, frustrating the Waterford game play, interrupting their rhythm and wearing them down.

The successful Clare teams were built on a rock solid defence; the heart of that defence is still there in Brian Lohan and Seanie McMahon, both All Stars and members of clubs who competed on St Patrick's Day. In front of them you have what on its day is the best midfield combination in the country bar none - Ollie Baker and Colin Lynch. They mastered midfield for a whole year up until the infamous Lynch suspension of 1998. Only recently have they returned to their commanding best.

No one in their right mind would argue that Clare have the same power up front as Kilkenny; in fact I don't think there is any other county in the country with that type of firepower - Shefflin, DJ, Carter, among others. It says it all when a team can afford to leave a talent like Charlie Carter on the bench for an All Ireland Semi Final.

In Kilkenny's Semi Final against Tipp, they shook off the image of a tired team, most of whom have been on the go for four years now, with only one All Ireland title to their name. They also were runners up twice and most counties would be happy with this but in Kilkenny they expect more. Against Tipp, for the first time in this championship they showed they could hurl well and they did it in style. It was a powerful display in which they took points from all positions, distances and angles, with only the minimum of wides. It was a demonstration of top-notch forward play, which ended a 30-year voodoo against the Premier county.

Looking forward to Sunday, one thing I can say for certain is that the Kilkenny forwards won't have the excess of possession that they enjoyed against Tipp. Andy Comerford ran riot in midfield, it was unfortunately that Thomas Dunne, normally one of the most dependable midfielders in the country, was not at the races on the day. I am confident that Lynch and Baker (when he comes on) will not let this transpire in the final.

Working with scarcer possession against a much tighter back unit will pose a real test for the Kilkenny forwards and if Clare manage to frustrate and hold the Kilkenny forwards like they did their Waterford counterparts, they can manipulate the game play and force it into ground hurling. It is on the ground that the Clare backs are in their element; there is no stronger anchor to clear a defensive line than Brian Lohan.

The last place the likes of Shefflin, Carter and Co want to see the sliothar is on the deck; it doesn't suit their quick graceful style of play. It is in a scenario like this that Kilkenny will miss the services of John Power; he is the type of player you need to play against the Clare backs, he will graft for the hard ball, thriving on the physical side of the game.

This game, I believe, is a contrast of two styles, two completely opposite teams and the type of game that develops will reveal the outcome. Kilkenny would prefer the fast aerial battle. I am going to stick my neck on the line and back Clare's ability to force the opposition into their style of play and come out on top.

On a tangential note, before I finish I hope the Clare selectors will not draft in a 30th player to replace the injured Gerry Quinn, should he fail in his battle for fitness. With squads now officially expanded to 30, there should be enough strength and depth in a panel to see through the year. If a man is injured during the campaign, especially near the end as in Quinn's case, he should be named on the panel and be entitled to his medal; he put the same in throughout the year and was unlucky not to be able to play.

So it's Clare to defend a record they share with Down (football) of never losing a Senior All Ireland final!