Clare GAA discussion thread

Good to get the win, at this stage it's all about getting the job done. Overall, I'd be reasonably satisfied. For the 1st half we hurled well to be fair and were well worth a 7 point lead at half time, with all of our forwards contributing well and the backs doing fine. I was hoping for us to push on in the second half and win by more, but Wexford brought more bodies around midfield and nullified our half forwards and midfielders for a good portion of the second half, made in more of a physical battle. That said like the Limerick game, we were able to find that extra gear towards the end which I would give the boys credit for, they passed the test, albeit against a poor enough Wexford side.

I thought Shane O'Donnell answered alot of critics after some unproductive performances up front for us. It's important though to point out that he did get much better ball this afternoon and infairness he made hay. Podge was excellent too, was very influential in winning breaking ball and initiating our attack. It's great to see him back close to his best and also significant, with us returning to Croke Park, that's the type of environment where Podge has and can play some brilliant hurling. Same to can be said of Kelly who was excellent in the first half with 4 very good points, these boys are the type of players that can really shine in Croke Park, like they have done before.

That said, Galway is an enormous task for this group of players. We kind of got a flavour in the second half today, of how Galway will look to take us on. Galway will be ferociously work-man-like and physical in the midfield and get direct ball inside to players like Glynn and Burke to win. The full back line is a massive concern, when Chin and McDonald got direct high ball inside, we didn't deal with them well at all for me. I think the management will need to figure out this because Davy Mc and Patch are always trying to out catch their markers, which would be absolute suicide especially on a player like Glynn. That said, if they try to spoil the ball, Cleary coming back from 6 isn't really good at reading the breaks and covering ground. I'd don't know how the management are going to work this out, maybe play Jamie Shanahan deeper at 6 and have Malone working back from midfield. I don't know. At the other end, I think we have the forwards to trouble any back line with good movement and stickwork. They are coming into a bit of form with Ian Galvin and McGrath to come on too. I'm looking forward to see what they can do.

One thing about today, I'm not sure why McCarthy was not on the bench but we missed him a bit today. Malone went well for his usual 50, but struggled and was wasteful in possession for the last 20. We needed McCarthy on at that time like before. Hopefully he will be back again in a fortnight.

letowski wrote: »

Good to get the win, at this stage it's all about getting the job done. Overall, I'd be reasonably satisfied. For the 1st half we hurled well to be fair and were well worth a 7 point lead at half time, with all of our forwards contributing well and the backs doing fine. I was hoping for us to push on in the second half and win by more, but Wexford brought more bodies around midfield and nullified our half forwards and midfielders for a good portion of the second half, made in more of a physical battle. That said like the Limerick game, we were able to find that extra gear towards the end which I would give the boys credit for, they passed the test, albeit against a poor enough Wexford side.

I thought Shane O'Donnell answered alot of critics after some unproductive performances up front for us. It's important though to point out that he did get much better ball this afternoon and infairness he made hay. Podge was excellent too, was very influential in winning breaking ball and initiating our attack. It's great to see him back close to his best and also significant, with us returning to Croke Park, that's the type of environment where Podge has and can play some brilliant hurling. Same to can be said of Kelly who was excellent in the first half with 4 very good points, these boys are the type of players that can really shine in Croke Park, like they have done before.

That said, Galway is an enormous task for this group of players. We kind of got a flavour in the second half today, of how Galway will look to take us on. Galway will be ferociously work-man-like and physical in the midfield and get direct ball inside to players like Glynn and Burke to win. The full back line is a massive concern, when Chin and McDonald got direct high ball inside, we didn't deal with them well at all for me. I think the management will need to figure out this because Davy Mc and Patch are always trying to out catch their markers, which would be absolute suicide especially on a player like Glynn. That said, if they try to spoil the ball, Cleary coming back from 6 isn't really good at reading the breaks and covering ground. I'd don't know how the management are going to work this out, maybe play Jamie Shanahan deeper at 6 and have Malone working back from midfield. I don't know. At the other end, I think we have the forwards to trouble any back line with good movement and stickwork. They are coming into a bit of form with Ian Galvin and McGrath to come on too. I'm looking forward to see what they can do.

One thing about today, I'm not sure why McCarthy was not on the bench but we missed him a bit today. Malone went well for his usual 50, but struggled and was wasteful in possession for the last 20. We needed McCarthy on at that time like before. Hopefully he will be back again in a fortnight.

delighted to get the win like everyone else on here , few questions were asked the last day , the team was too nice , certain players not working hard enough some players not good enough , today i taught we put in a professional shift , probably a game we would have lost in the post 2013 davy fitz era ,

excellent performances form colm galvin who covered every blade of grass on the field , podge was awarded man of the match i believe and scored some super scores tony kelly showed what he can do when on form if he cam develop a consistent level of form he will become a really super player but a bit to go for that yet

malone did will with probably limited skills for this level but work rate absolute top notch , still would like to see davey mc and cleary swap positions cleary like malone is needed in his role but i feel his distribution is poor , davey mc to me was probably our best defender though

shane o donnell has been heavily criticized by me on several occasions to day i take it all back , he in my opinion was our best forward , he was excellent , scored some excellent points from range , if only he backed himself that little more out the field , he did some serious grafting in side the wexford 45 in both half's and offered an alternative to just hitting long balls in on john conlon

big test the next day against galway , but its great to be back in croke park in the business end of things probably going to be massive underdogs but i wouldt write us off just yet

10500 was roughly the attendance today , around 8000 of that was clare support which was commendable for a Saturday afternoon game , but playing it in cork which suited neither county really backfired on the gaa maybe a double header next year would be a better idea at the very least least


27 points scored today 22 from play , good day at the office !

Peter Duggan 0-7 (0-5f),
Tony Kelly 0-5,
Shane O’Donnell 0-4,
John Conlon 0-3,
Pádraic Collins, 0-2
David Reidy 0-2
Séadna Morey,0-1
Cathal Malone,0-1
Conor McGrath,0-1
Ian Galvin 0-1

windy shepard henderson wrote: »

27 points scored today 22 from play , good day at the office !

Peter Duggan 0-7 (0-5f),
Tony Kelly 0-5,
Shane O’Donnell 0-4,
John Conlon 0-3,
Pádraic Collins, 0-2
David Reidy 0-2
Séadna Morey,0-1
Cathal Malone,0-1
Conor McGrath,0-1
Ian Galvin 0-1

It's a nice spread of scores, especially against a 7 man back line. And contributions from the bench as well. I'm with you too, I wouldn't right off this team against Galway. For sure they have the better team, but this is sport and a once of game. I like the form our forwards are in now.

I'm very much looking forward to Saturday week, evening game, seeing how we fair up against the best team in Ireland, in a semi final. It's where we want to be from the start of the year. And I'm sure the boys will really embrace this challenge, some of these lads I'm sure have been desperate to run out again on that wide open turf where they have had such fond memories.

Can't wait!

Also, the follow up score was a joy to watch too. Some lovely stickwork and movement here. Duggan's takedown..

Looking forward to a great Saturday against the neighbours, will be fair craic along the border for the build up! Ye were very comfortable today, we’ll need to be at full tilt for ye. Was expecting Wexford in the semi to be honest, but ye were a level above them today. Might have to tip down to Crusheen for a pint before then !

Clareman wrote: »

I can't wait either, to be in the last 4 is MASSIVE for us, 2 games and we're champions.

Get a grip and take one game at a time. You are sounding like the English soccer fans now. You may get a reality check soon enough. Wexford are not in the top 4 best teams in the country so come back down to reality. You are playing the best team in the country next and if Clare don't perform and Galway do, Clare will be up against it and could be in for a long day at headquarters.

Tellyium wrote: »

Looking forward to a great Saturday against the neighbours, will be fair craic along the border for the build up! Ye were very comfortable today, we’ll need to be at full tilt for ye. Was expecting Wexford in the semi to be honest, but ye were a level above them today. Might have to tip down to Crusheen for a pint before then !

very strange rivalry , often i have been to league games between galway and clare and expected the gards to step in and call the game off , it can get pretty brutal at times both in the stand and on the field ,..........crazy part is both counties then proceed to support each other for the rest or the year ....until they face each other again :pac:

galway are defiantly the stronger side at the moment but the hope is emotions will be running high that evening and game plans (and rule books get thrown out the window and all hell breaks loose , we have to find some way of breaking you're momentum

Speakerboxx wrote: »

He said "2 games and we are champions"

and do you not think that is fairly far fetched , id say that's fairly wishful thinking , win two games and you are all ireland champions sounds great but in fairness a near impossible task after last week id say the post is more tongue in cheek

Speakerboxx wrote: »

Clare have a great chance of doing so but it isn't a foregone conclusion. Clare Galway Kilkenny Cork and Limerick all have a mighty chance. All good teams. Hard one to call. An underperforming Galway might do it for Clare but a Galway team on form will be really difficult to beat.

100% agree with you. if we can find some way to disrupt galways momentum then we might have a chance of making the final , the best team in the country after galway is cork , n excellent side who we can not beat since 2013 so its a fairly impossible job at the moment but we are trying to sweep that under the carpet for another few weeks :pac: