Clare GAA discussion thread

blue note

We had Davy for 4 years and while there are certainly good points about him - conditioning was excellent and the fight the players showed was exceptional.

However, his tactics were frustrating at the best of times. Playing with a two man full forward line is sometimes the right way, but most of the time it wasn't. And insisting lads take a tackle before playing the ball was ridiculous - a quick ball down to the corner would have been much more effective.

On balance he's decent. Just not a top manager.

premierstone

Look at the finances of the Waterford County Baord after he's 4 years aswell, I have been to a number of he's training sesions and the amount of backroom staff, trainers etc he has is frightening. As I said Im not trying to be deliberately critical of the chap I just feel he falls short in a number of areas and no amount of passion or running around woods will compensate for that.

Hidalgo

premierstone wrote: »

This theory was floated last year as well as to why Clare were playing a posession based game and tbh it doesnt wash. Honan, Kelly, Conlon, Duggan and Lynch are all well able to win ball in the air, besides just because you hit first time ball into forwards doesn't mean you have to ''rain high ball down on top of them'' you can still play low fast intelligent ball into them or the space their movement can create.

The type of hurling Clare are playing is risky, it takes 5 or 6 passes to get the ball to where a first time hit ball would travel to, that obviously increase's the chaces of it breaking down, see Waterford's goal on Sunday as an example and there were many others especailly around midfield.

I have said it many times and nothing I have seen to date haas changed my mind, Davy was the wrong appointment for Clare, they have the most talented generation of hurlers the county has ever produced and Davy's tactical ineptness will hinder their progress, he has great passion and motivational powers but just doesn't have the nous for top intercounty management.

Just because Honan is tall it doesn't equate to ability in the air. It's very rarely he's caught a high ball over his man at inter-county level, I'm actually struggling to remember him doing so.

Lynch, while good in the air won't be starting.
Of the team that started last Sun, Conlon was the only one I'd class as a ball winner.

The likes of Honan are at their best when they get ball dropped in front of them. The problem I see with all the passing out the field is that this gives the opposition time to funnell back and crowd the space in front of our FF line. This in time decreases your chances of goals, there's simply too many bodies in the way to create 1 on 1s

Direct ball doesn't have to be coming from the sky, angled ball from the HB/mid-field area with movement in the FF line is our best shot imo.

Hidalgo

blue note wrote: »

We had Davy for 4 years and while there are certainly good points about him - conditioning was excellent and the fight the players showed was exceptional.

However, his tactics were frustrating at the best of times. Playing with a two man full forward line is sometimes the right way, but most of the time it wasn't. And insisting lads take a tackle before playing the ball was ridiculous - a quick ball down to the corner would have been much more effective.

On balance he's decent. Just not a top manager.

Stubborn is probably the best word to sum Davy up. At times he's very unwilling to change. He has a plan and he'll stick to it without taking into account the opposition or how thew game is going. Not fluent enough.
He'll bring a team on, but imo is lacking that little bit to get them to the peak of their powers, (not many have that extra little bit mind you)

premierstone

Hidalgo wrote: »

Just because Honan is tall it doesn't equate to ability in the air. It's very rarely he's caught a high ball over his man at inter-county level, I'm actually struggling to remember him doing so.

Lynch, while good in the air won't be starting.
Of the team that started last Sun, Conlon was the only one I'd class as a ball winner.

The likes of Honan are at their best when they get ball dropped in front of them. The problem I see with all the passing out the field is that this gives the opposition time to funnell back and crowd the space in front of our FF line. This in time decreases your chances of goals, there's simply too many bodies in the way to create 1 on 1s

Direct ball doesn't have to be coming from the sky, angled ball from the HB/mid-field area with movement in the FF line is our best shot imo.

Honan got 1-3 on he's debut in 2010 when Clare played direct ball into him, tbf he has been plagued with injuries since, I have seen him underage and indeed for Clonlara destroy FB'S aerially.

Fully agree with your final line, this idea of first taking the ball into contact and then giving a short offload is baffiling considering the skillfull hurlers Clare have, I would say despite their own problems Cork will be quietly confident of beating Clare unless they improve alot from Sunday, JBM certainly will win the battle of the wits if thats what it comes down to.

Hidalgo

premierstone wrote: »

Honan got 1-3 on he's debut in 2010 when Clare played direct ball into him, tbf he has been plagued with injuries since, I have seen him underage and indeed for Clonlara destroy FB'S aerially.

Fully agree with your final line, this idea of first taking the ball into contact and then giving a short offload is baffiling considering the skillfull hurlers Clare have, I would say despite their own problems Cork will be quietly confident of beating Clare unless they improve alot from Sunday, JBM certainly will win the battle of the wits if thats what it comes down to.

That doesn't make him Einstein

Although, I thought Cork were very poor tactically in the relegation playoff V Clare, when Cronin eventually tired from having to contest every puck out, they had no idea what to do. Highlights how important he is for them,
but he is recovering from pneumonia at the moment, expected to be fit but surely that'll take a lot out of him.

For me he's Cork's most important player.

Regarding carrying the ball into contact, its a fine tactic if your KK or someone like Paudie Maher. Clare just don't have the physical players to do that successfully, bar maybe Conlon. With speed like Morey, Galvin and Kelly, that's the strength Clare should play to.

Davy wants lots of short passes out the field to work the perfect scoring opportunity, problem is we tend to overdo it and draw ourselves into bother

Henno30

premierstone wrote: »

Honan got 1-3 on he's debut in 2010 when Clare played direct ball into him, tbf he has been plagued with injuries since, I have seen him underage and indeed for Clonlara destroy FB'S aerially.

Fully agree with your final line, this idea of first taking the ball into contact and then giving a short offload is baffiling considering the skillfull hurlers Clare have, I would say despite their own problems Cork will be quietly confident of beating Clare unless they improve alot from Sunday, JBM certainly will win the battle of the wits if thats what it comes down to.

Honan is not that good in the air, certainly not good enough to consistently hit him with high ball.

Clare played direct as you like under Sparrow in the massacre at Salthill. That level of directness is suicide without a selection of strong ball winners, which we do not have.

keeponhurling

I'd agree with the poster above who said that Conlon is our only starter who is particularly strong in the air, as in he could get the better of a good inter-county standard opponent.
Whether Honan is or isn't good in the air is a moot point, as we were never going to build a game plan around somebody who has been injured as often as him.

Lynch & Duggan aren't starting, and wouldn't have been able to finish goals like O'Donnell and McGrath did the last day.

The Clare lads were very raw under under Sparrow, but now they never seem to take a step backwards. And we're racking up big scores regularly.

When you consider that we hadn't won a championship game in years, and were playing in Division 2, Davy has taken us a long way. We even lost to Laois in the league in 2011, and had some hard battles with Carlow. That was our level. And that was with the All-Ireland U21 winning team of 2009.

In 2012 we won Division 2 and won our first championship game in years, v Dublin.
In 2013 we have retained our Div 1A status, beating Galway & Cork and almost beating Kilkenny, as well as winning our first Munster SHC game in 5 years, v Waterford.

In Davy we Trust!

Niallers87

Todays result has really thrown open the munster championship now!!! Great win for Limerick they will take alot of stopping of they can reproduce that performance, roll on Cork for the 23rd!! itl be hell for leather!!

InchicoreDude

Niallers87 wrote: »

Todays result has really thrown open the munster championship now!!! Great win for Limerick they will take alot of stopping of they can reproduce that performance, roll on Cork for the 23rd!! itl be hell for leather!!

From a Clare viewpoint, it should really galvanise them as they have a real shot at Munster if they can beat Cork. Clare will not fear Limerick at all as they have played each other so often in the league etc. in the last few years (vying with each other for a position in division 1 a lot of the time). The problem is it might make them take their eye off the Cork game (as they will be thinking about beating Limerick!).

Hidalgo

keeponhurling wrote: »

I'd agree with the poster above who said that Conlon is our only starter who is particularly strong in the air, as in he could get the better of a good inter-county standard opponent.
Whether Honan is or isn't good in the air is a moot point, as we were never going to build a game plan around somebody who has been injured as often as him.

Lynch & Duggan aren't starting, and wouldn't have been able to finish goals like O'Donnell and McGrath did the last day.

The Clare lads were very raw under under Sparrow, but now they never seem to take a step backwards. And we're racking up big scores regularly.

When you consider that we hadn't won a championship game in years, and were playing in Division 2, Davy has taken us a long way. We even lost to Laois in the league in 2011, and had some hard battles with Carlow. That was our level. And that was with the All-Ireland U21 winning team of 2009.

In 2012 we won Division 2 and won our first championship game in years, v Dublin.
In 2013 we have retained our Div 1A status, beating Galway & Cork and almost beating Kilkenny, as well as winning our first Munster SHC game in 5 years, v Waterford.

In Davy we Trust!

All great, but they don't make Davy some sort of managerial genius. We've never had a group coming from underage as talented as this. If we're going to make a push at something big, it needs to be in the next few years as these opportunities don't come around too often for counties like Clare. Its realistic to expect we won't see the type of talent coming through for another long time, hay needs to be made whilst the sun shines.

rufty

Lads and lasses. Can't wait for this game Sunday week. I arrive into Ennis about 2:30am that morning having (by then) moved home for good. Having only missed 1 championship game between 1993 and 2008 (when I left) I only managed to get to the 2009 throuncings. So basically I haven't seen Clare win in the flesh (outside of a few league games I happened to catch on visits home) since the win over Waterford in Limerick 5 years ago (left the country 5 days later). Jesus, it would be a great homecoming to see us back to a Munster final.

That 15 minute slum in the game will have to be sorted and event though Cork look like they'll be down a player or two they'll be ripping for Clare after the NHL.

What I find most interesting about this young team is that the philosophy of Clare hurling seems to be completely changed from one of a team built on strong defense, long balls and superior fitness; to one built on skillful quick forwards, ball retention and of course, fitness. Although my expectation aren't sky high, what we saw last weekend is that the 'big 2' have many a weakness and that they are very beatable, as are everyone else. Our boys shouldn't be fearing anyone.

kala85

I dont think that this game is on the TV as far as I can see. What is the story for tickets? Looking for a few stand tickets - can i get them before the game on the day?

Edit - sorry I thought this was the hurling match Clare vs Cork. In fact its the football thats on this week. false alarm!! ( wondering why it wasnt on the TV)

Hidalgo

kala85 wrote: »

I dont think that this game is on the TV as far as I can see. What is the story for tickets? Looking for a few stand tickets - can i get them before the game on the day?

Certain Centra shops will have the, for sale, the one on the right as you enter Ennis from the Lahinch Rd definitely has them
I'd say they'll be on sale before the game also.

If the day is dine, go for the open stand, great view and no pillars unlike the Mackey.

Hidalgo

Cork are without Lorcan McLoughlin, dislocated shoulder Tuesday evening.
Pa Cronin a doubt after pneumonia/viral infection.

Those 2 would be massive losses for Cork, esp Cronin. He's the best ball winner Cork have.

Round 2 of the club championships have been postponed till mid August, They were down to be played the weekend after the Cork game

kala85

Where is the Cork Clare hurling match going to be played?

Thinkstoomuch

kala85 wrote: »

Where is the Cork Clare hurling match going to be played?

Sunday week in the Gaelic grounds

Thinkstoomuch

Any news on yere team for Sunday in the football lads??
Has Micko given ye a bit of hope??
I cant see Cork being beaten,but I hope ye make it make a game out of it.
A big win is useless to us in the lead up to Killarney.
The bookies have it around 12 points in the handicap.I hope its close,and a big clare crowd turn up,it would be a good test for them.As much as our hurlers dont like the Gaelic Grounds most Cork football teams are never comfortable in the tight ptich in Ennis.
It will surely be worth a few points to ye.

Will Micko play defensive?? What is clare style under him.I hope he goes blanket style,be a good test for us.

Clareman

rufty wrote: »

Lads and lasses. Can't wait for this game Sunday week. I arrive into Ennis about 2:30am that morning having (by then) moved home for good. Having only missed 1 championship game between 1993 and 2008 (when I left) I only managed to get to the 2009 throuncings. So basically I haven't seen Clare win in the flesh (outside of a few league games I happened to catch on visits home) since the win over Waterford in Limerick 5 years ago (left the country 5 days later). Jesus, it would be a great homecoming to see us back to a Munster final.

That 15 minute slum in the game will have to be sorted and event though Cork look like they'll be down a player or two they'll be ripping for Clare after the NHL.

What I find most interesting about this young team is that the philosophy of Clare hurling seems to be completely changed from one of a team built on strong defense, long balls and superior fitness; to one built on skillful quick forwards, ball retention and of course, fitness. Although my expectation aren't sky high, what we saw last weekend is that the 'big 2' have many a weakness and that they are very beatable, as are everyone else. Our boys shouldn't be fearing anyone.

Don't go too mad in Flynn's on Saturday night rufty and you might be able to make the football on Sunday

Fireball07

Davy delaying naming the team?

Big shock.....is it likely to be the same team as last time? Maybe Duggan in?

Clareman

I heard that Podge is starting as is Nicky.

As bad as naming dummy teams is not naming a team is just peevish

angelfire9

Clareman wrote: »

I heard that Podge is starting as is Nicky.

As bad as naming dummy teams is not naming a team is just peevish

Morley is injured
I think there are a few other injury worries that are being decided upon this evening

Thinkstoomuch

angelfire9 wrote: »

Morley is injured
I think there are a few other injury worries that are being decided upon this evening

Is he defo out???? I wouldnt wish injuries on any players but if ye have injuries it will balance it up a bit considering our bad luck.
Who else is out ???

Ye have depth in yere panel compared to ours but Morley would be a savage loss.

Steel Dog

Clare team to play Cork in Munster Hurling Semi-Final:

23/06/2013, Gaelic Grounds, Limerick @ 4pm:

1 Patrick Kelly
2 Domhnall O'Donovan
3 David McInerney
4 Cian Dillon
5 Brendan Bugler
6 Pat Donnellan
7 Pat O'Connor
8 Colm Galvin
9 Nicky O'Connell
10 John Conlon
11 Tony Kelly
12 Colin Ryan
13 Conor McGrath
14 Darach Honan
15 Padraic Collins

Fireball07

So, will that team actually start? Or are there expected to be changes again?

Morey is obviously a big loss, although Nicky O'Connell is a good player in his own right, he's a different type. Although could be a good foil to Galvin.

Collins over O'Donnell in the corner?

Thinkstoomuch

Fireball07 wrote: »

So, will that team actually start? Or are there expected to be changes again?

Morey is obviously a big loss, although Nicky O'Connell is a good player in his own right, he's a different type. Although could be a good foil to Galvin.

Collins over O'Donnell in the corner?

id agree with all that and i was wondering the same.
Morey is the ideal link man for the game they play.A very pacey hurler and great stick work.A real intelligent hurler at such a young age.

Nicky OC gives them a physical edge at midfield.

Clare still have a strong bench.Duggan is a good man to win ball.
It will be interesting to see if thats the starting team.

Keano

Well we won't have long to wallow, we got a decent draw in the qualifiers but if we do win it'll just be papering over the cracks.

Clareman

Cork showed up our weaknesses yesterday and got their tactics spot on, we weren't able to counter act it. They gave us the wind in the first half cause they knew we're slow starters, they also choked our half forwards of possession and space.

Thinkstoomuch

Clareman wrote: »

Cork showed up our weaknesses yesterday and got their tactics spot on, we weren't able to counter act it. They gave us the wind in the first half cause they knew we're slow starters, they also choked our half forwards of possession and space.

id agree the wind was a huge factor.I had said during the week Clare were slow starters in the first half,think they lost every first half in the league and championship so far this season.Our key was to hold Clare to half time and then bring in Coughlan.JBM was spot on with playing against the wind in the first half.

I still felt Clare had too much of a bench though but Im suprised Clare did not bring Duggan on.

The wind was crucial.Not only did it stop Honan getting ball any ball he did get was slow ball and Mcdonnell who was awful had help from O Neill and Connor Sul.

The wind also meant Clare really had to take every score they got in the second half as such was Nashs puckouts the Cork full forward line for once was getting loads of ball.

Clare half forwards were working so deep it allowed Egan move forward and get a crucial score.Unlike the league games Clare could not crowd Corks full forward line as if any great numbers were brought back ,with the wind we were able to get some great long distance points from kearney,
Harnedy and Coughlan.Our run of 8 unanswered points at the start of the second half was crucial.Cork had done to Clare what Clare done to us in the playoff.

No Cork man saw this coming and most of all not a win by that margin.

It was a bad blow for Clare considering all our injuries but I dont doubt Clare will bounce back.They will still be dangerous before the year is out.I think Davy has done well with Clare and he has a good record but questions im sure will be asked now of him.

I remember Eoin Larkin saying a while back Clare wouldnt win an all ireland with Davy.I woudnt be too harsh on him just yet.Its a young clare team still.

It was a bad loss for yere intermediates too.It could be a blessing in disguise going forward though as most of them are involved in the U21 team.

A lot of Corks team bar a few will never make senior and have been around our panel before.So while were in with a chance of winning an all ireland ,its not much good if its all older tried and trusted players.

Hopefully some of the newer younger guys on the bench will get more game time.

Ye will have a tough game with Laois but should win that.

pakalasa

Thinkstoomuch wrote: »

...

You're being very kind. I was at the game and like a lot of other Clare supporters are wondering will Davy go now. That hand passing game is an embarassment. Looks great when it works but when the pressure is on, it turns into a farce. Awfull to watch a team of great hurlers like that reduced to silly handpassing.