Clare GAA discussion thread

Clareman · 05-08-2018 10:37PM

deaddonkey15 wrote: »

I agree with you but I think it's a bit harsh to single out just Kelly and Duggan. Podge and Reidy were very ineffective today I thought. Fitzgerald disappointing and Malone anonymous when he came on. The backs weren't great either, though I have a degree of sympathy there because if they guy their marking is simply bigger and stronger and his team are giving him the right ball - as Galway often were - then it's always going to be an uphill battle to keep them quiet.

I think Fitzzgerald proved himself to be a sub, Malone did his usual grafting self, Podge I don't know what role he was supposed to be playing, Reidy wasn't at the races. But none of them are a former hurler of the year who is supposed to be a leader of the team, he can take his new flashy Skoda but disappears when is count, the opposition centre forward scored 8 points, 3 from play, ours scored 1

Reputable Rog · 05-08-2018 10:38PM

I think each player tried their hearts out. Yes there should have been changes, yes we could have won.
We're in a good place,Cork and Tipp at home next season, all to play for.

Clareman · 05-08-2018 10:43PM

Reputable Rog wrote: »

I think each player tried their hearts out. Yes there should have been changes, yes we could have won.
We're in a good place,Cork and Tipp at home next season, all to play for.

I don't think they did and that's the problem, I really don't think Kelly tried his heart out, he hid when the tough got going and it wasn't the first time. This season we played 70 minutes twice (against Limerick and Waterford), the rest of the year we only played part of the game.

small town girl · 05-08-2018 10:47PM

I've said it before, and will say it again, you all see far more in the game than I do and understand the mistakes and poor performances much more than I do.

I am a simple fan, I love the pace and skill of the game and am always so proud to support our team.

There were plenty of mistakes today, I won't deny that. I will say though that we have had a fantastic year with the team.

The hurling we've seen from them this year has been exciting and passionate, I'm disappointed tonight; but ultimately am delighted with how the team performed in 2018. There is plenty of room for improvement but plenty more reasons to be excited about 2019.

chinguetti · 05-08-2018 10:48PM

As a Waterford person and experienced in seeing matches go away/thrown away from us, that's an All Ireland that ye threw away. Some awful wides and awful decisions taken on the ball such as driving high balls into small forwards with acres of spaces esp in the first half. Galway are a bit flaking since the Leinster final for some reason and yer neighbours have a right chance.

deaddonkey15 · 05-08-2018 10:50PM

Clareman wrote: »

Galvin had 3 bad wides, Hoey had a poor wide as well, Duggan a couple more, we just shat ourselves when we were close to drawing level

It's almost a psychological thing with this team at this stage. It's as if they just don't believe that they can take charge in big games. Do they feel as though there's less pressure and 'nothing to lose' when they are chasing teams and therefore play a better quality of hurling? They showed great character to rescue the game last week, but never pulled away from Galway in normal time. Went two points up in extra time,started hitting more wides and ultimately needed a last gasp equaliser.

Today they gave Galway another head start, then played great hurling to get themselves back level but not once could they edge in front by even a point.

They actually started well in the Munster final and were playing Cork off the park. Then with only 1 or 2 minutes to go to half time it's as though they collectively realised that they were in somewhat uncharted territory - Clare beating a powerhouse like Cork by 8 points in a Munster final - and proceeded to bottle it and return to the status quo. Bit of fight shown at the end to get a goal and put a gloss on the defeat. Had that goal been scored before half time instead of Cork's one things may have panned out differently.

Even in the Tipp game they only took the lead late on - probably a good thing as they didn't have enough time to throw it away. They gave Wexford more than enough opportunities to get back into the game down in Cork but their shooting let them down.

It just seems that, mentally with this Clare team, they're well capable of showing some character and fight to get themselves back into a game but they hardly ever show a real ruthlessness to put a game to bed. It's incredibly frustrating.

keeponhurling · 05-08-2018 10:57PM

For any other player, if they are playing badly or off the pace, they will be subbed.

I guess with Kelly there is always the hope he can do something, so he's left on and it annoys supporters.

It's a tricky one. He could hit 3 wides, yet nail the next 3. Similarly he can be anonymous and then pop up with a brilliant score.

Kristopherus · 05-08-2018 11:06PM

Clareman wrote: »

Home after stopping for a few pints, I'll put a proper summery together when I've time to reflect, all I'll say now is Tony Kelly can go off on his J1 now if he wants, he cost us the game today

Home without any drink, bar water:D:D:D. Had a hell of a time with traffic backups starting at Birr, then a 5km backup into roscrea. All parking out the Templemore Rd in Thurles was occupied out to 3kms. It was bloody half time when I got into the the Killanin end:mad:.

windy shepard henderson · 06-08-2018 02:37AM

keeponhurling wrote: »

For any other player, if they are playing badly or off the pace, they will be subbed.

I guess with Kelly there is always the hope he can do something, so he's left on and it annoys supporters.

It's a tricky one. He could hit 3 wides, yet nail the next 3. Similarly he can be anonymous and then pop up with a brilliant score.

true but the same could be said for david reidy who was excellent all year but subbed after 30 minutes , not his fault padraic mannion was excellent on him , but kelly struggled all day and struggled for most of the year , i am not forgetting how he can be i just dont think he deserves to stay on the field if he is playing bad

windy shepard henderson · 06-08-2018 02:55AM

Kristopherus wrote: »

Home without any drink, bar water:D:D:D. Had a hell of a time with traffic backups starting at Birr, then a 5km backup into roscrea. All parking out the Templemore Rd in Thurles was occupied out to 3kms. It was bloody half time when I got into the the Killanin end:mad:.

i think some of the supporters from galway were very naive in there planning for traveling south today , i met several that came in at half time or before it , you need a plan B when traveling to big games

if you are stuck heading into templemore you will see 2 or 3 signs for clonmore take one of them and they will bing you into templemore , when you get to templemore take a left for loughmore (noel and john mcgrath country) and when you arrive in loughmore village go left and take the next right and it will lead you into thurles at the munster hotel side , go right and it will bring you back on the main road just outside thurles about 4 or 5 miles away ,

thurles is full of small roads leading into the town have a look on google maps before you plan your next journey but beware they are a minefield if you dont know the areas

windy shepard henderson · 06-08-2018 04:51AM

Clareman wrote: »

Galvin had 3 bad wides, Hoey had a poor wide as well, Duggan a couple more, we just shat ourselves when we were close to drawing level

remember yesterday i said if we would lose it would be by the minimum

galway are excellent at the moment but they are 5 years ahead of us in terms of average age plus if we continue on the current path we will join them on number 5 ,

i am not going to be too heavy on any player given how much we put in this year , we need heavy rotation next year and kelly included in that yes but no player this year in a clare jersey let us down ,

there is an old Mexican saying form emiliano zapata from the mexican revolution of "¡Prefiero morir de pie que vivir siempre arrodillado!"

it means "I'd prefer to die standing, than to live always on my knees"

i honastly swear by this saying , it sums up our year bar one or two bad calls today we died on our feet ,give credit where its due , we would have taken this at the start of the year , we will get stronger from this trust me

caddy16 · 06-08-2018 06:39AM

Clareman wrote: »

Home after stopping for a few pints, I'll put a proper summery together when I've time to reflect, all I'll say now is Tony Kelly can go off on his J1 now if he wants, he cost us the game today

Pathetic comment

BloodyBill · 06-08-2018 07:29AM

awec wrote: »

Clareman wrote: »

Right, today's performance sums up EVERYTHING that's wrong with this set of Clare hurlers, this isn't a set of players with potential, this is a set of players who won an All Ireland 5 years ago. Not only could they have won today, they SHOULD have won, they held the All Ireland champions to 10 scores in the first half and still went in the break down by double scores, our half forwards were non existent. For the whole first half stupid ball was being sent into a 2 man forward line who just broke the ball down to Galway defenders, they couldn't do anything else, they were out manned, our half forwards were completely missing.

David McInerney's distribution was terrible, he seemed more intent to pick out a Galway player than do anything else with the ball, his striking was extremely poor. I thought Cleary was excellent, he played very well.

Now, for the 2 reasons we lost the match, Tony Kelly and Peter Duggan. Kelly just went missing anytime he was needed, he seemed more intent to live on the fringes than getting stuck in, at the end of the match where was our start forward/midfielder? He was BEHIND his full backline hiding from play, he seemed shocked when he got the ball, but when he did get it you'd think he'd do something with it, but no, he did the most idiotic thing possible and hit a high ball into the forwards, it was clear that any low driven ball into the forwards would have resulted in at worst a free. Peter Duggan, first terrible thing was the sideline at the end of the first half, he might as well as driven the ball out himself for Galway, he free taking was of poor standard today and his sidelines were worse, he missed 2 frees that should have been scored and put 3 sidelines wide.

Duggan contributed a lot, including a goal.

Kelly did absolutely nothing.

Not fair to lump the two together.

Yes Duggan showed for the ball time and time again. But he isn't clever on the ball. That sideline from the impossible angle that he blazed wide was a sad effort. At least hit it across the 21. He's a one man band for Clooney and passing is an after thought for him. I like his honesty but he has the potential to go through his whole career as a 'raw recruit'.
At this level Clare's joint managers don't seem to realise that cutting down on mistakes is the key to victory. For two clever men that's shocking. Decision making has left Clare down time and time again. I'd say the video makes horrible viewing. I'm not going to take from a fine Galway side and they missed a truckload aswell. But we had the ref on our side and still couldn't get over the line. Will next year be any different?? Unless the decision making problem is tackled I don't think so.

Clareman · 06-08-2018 10:27AM

The Galway half forward line scored 0-13 yesterday, 0-8 from play, ours scored 1-7, 1-1 from play, to me that's where the game was lost by Clare. I haven't re-watched the game and I don't think I will, but can someone explain to me what was the thinking of leaving the opposition centre back unmarked for the first half when he was replacing another player? Surely the tactic to start with yesterday was man on man

deaddonkey15 · 06-08-2018 10:46AM

Clareman wrote: »

The Galway half forward line scored 0-13 yesterday, 0-8 from play, ours scored 1-7, 1-1 from play, to me that's where the game was lost by Clare. I haven't re-watched the game and I don't think I will, but can someone explain to me what was the thinking of leaving the opposition centre back unmarked for the first half when he was replacing another player? Surely the tactic to start with yesterday was man on man

Very easy to say that in hindsight though. Playing a sweeper last week was key to us remaining in the game and not getting annihilated. If we went man on man from the off yesterday and got hammered we'd be wondering why we didn't drop a man back again.

Clareman · 06-08-2018 10:48AM

deaddonkey15 wrote: »

Very easy to say that in hindsight though. Playing a sweeper last week was key to us remaining in the game and not getting annihilated. If we went man on man from the off yesterday and got hammered we'd be wondering why we didn't drop a man back again.

Going man on man held Galway to 1-9 in the first half so from that point of view it worked, but we only scored 6 times ourselves, nearly all from frees. We adjusted last week and brought Galvin back which worked, surely with a new centre back it was an opportunity to attack them and if it didn't work after 15 minutes make the change?

awec · 06-08-2018 10:51AM

I think the Clare wides in the first half are making it look worse than it was. You really should have been going in at half time much closer, only for some very poor attempts.

Keano · 06-08-2018 11:13AM

Don't want to read any reports just yet as it still hurts. Saw the player's leave yesterday after the game and they looked dejected. All I keep thinking is that a post kept us in the championship and it knocked us out too

Clareman · 06-08-2018 11:15AM

Whatever about the wides from attempts, some of the wides and turnovers because of bad decisions was terrible, this was summed up by Duggan's sideline at the end of the first half. Players didn't seem to be awake at the start either, couple of times players ran out of space on the sideline by mis-reading the flight of the ball.

deaddonkey15 · 06-08-2018 12:01PM

I think we definitely need to focus on sideline strategies now as they are becoming an important part of the game. Unless you have Joe Canning in your team, taking on the shot from a sideline is going to result in wides most of the time. I was watching a Clare sideline yesterday on the opposite side of the field to me (Duggan's wing in the first half) and Reidy dropped back almost into midfield leaving oceans of space out on his wing. One of the supporters nearby even wondered out loud where Reidy was going. It seems to me, if you have the capability of putting serious height and distance onto a sideline then it would have been better to play that crossfield ball into the space voided by Reidy for runners to get on the end of. Going for the score seems like such a low percentage option.

Noveight · 06-08-2018 12:46PM

^ another point on the sidelines, it was frustrating to see players standing up waiting for Duggan to have a go at slotting it over, nobody looking for space or a quick 1-2 for a much easier score.

Mac_Lad71 · 06-08-2018 12:47PM

As a neutral watching the game I feel that the reason ye lost this game was a lack of leaders on the field, SOD excepted. Management are also too slow to react, don’t think ye would have lost this game had Davy Fitz been on the line.

Clareman · 06-08-2018 12:55PM

Mac_Lad71 wrote: »

As a neutral watching the game I feel that the reason ye lost this game was a lack of leaders on the field, SOD excepted. Management are also too slow to react, don’t think ye would have lost this game had Davy Fitz been on the line.

We wouldn't have gotten to a All Ireland semi final with Davys tactics

deaddonkey15 · 06-08-2018 01:02PM

Noveight wrote: »

^ another point on the sidelines, it was frustrating to see players standing up waiting for Duggan to have a go at slotting it over, nobody looking for space or a quick 1-2 for a much easier score.

Indeed. That's how Galway got their first point I think. Clare lads standing around waiting for Canning to have a go this time.

Figerty · 06-08-2018 01:06PM

Mac_Lad71 wrote: »

As a neutral watching the game I feel that the reason ye lost this game was a lack of leaders on the field, SOD excepted. Management are also too slow to react, don’t think ye would have lost this game had Davy Fitz been on the line.

If Davy Fitz was on the line we would have been out of the Championship in May. He is toxic in Clare at this stage.

Davys Fits · 06-08-2018 01:14PM

Mac_Lad71 wrote: »

As a neutral watching the game I feel that the reason ye lost this game was a lack of leaders on the field, SOD excepted. Management are also too slow to react, don’t think ye would have lost this game had Davy Fitz been on the line.

Watcching ther first half yesterday with a sweeper was a throw back to the horror days of davys era. Awfull hurling to watch. The clare fans prefer the hurling under new management, direct and physical.

letowski · 06-08-2018 03:09PM

Usually before I make my comments on here, I watch the recording back. I think this was the first time I switched it off before half time. Honestly, I remember leaving Croke Park after the AI semi final in 2005 against Cork thinking I never experience such a heart breaking defeat. Daly said after the match that day the game will set back Clare hurling for years. At least with the loss yesterday, John Conlon is the only outfield player over 26 years old. I think we will be back next year. But for sure, we are going to have alot of regrets about yesterday, like we did in 2005. Yesterday was heart breaking.

Look, I'm reading back through the pages and I'm seeing alot of people pointing fingers at players, bemoaning missed chances, etc. Like people need to understand, hurling is an incredible emotional, fast-paced intense sport. We have to remember the conditions of the game yesterday, after the extra time played a few days ago and the heat yesterday, it was an incredibly difficult environment, with both teams making alot of mistakes. It was always going to be like this, players don't deliberately hit balls wide. I think they deserve some leeway in this regard.

The main reason we are not going to Dublin in a fortnight though is we don't have a proper balance across the park of players that can physically take on a team like Galway. When you only have one puckout option down the field, when you don't have enough players that can win their own ball, when you don't have enough players that can take and give a physical challenge, you leave yourself open to being starved of possession and quite litterly runover. And that's what Galway did in the opening 20 minutes of both games. Yesterday it was too much. I said it before the game we had to survive the opening half before the game loosened up and we didn't. I think we are probably short a midfielder and a half back to be honest, like if we want to single out players, Mannion and Canning were the only two players out of both team's 5-12 that hurled consistently well throughout the 160 odd minutes we played. Those two players were the difference between the sides imo.

I just want to finish up with two things.

First off, I know it's a tough loss to take, but we cannot forget the massive improvements and positives the team made throughout this season. From Touhy's rock solid year in goals to Conlon's amazing season there are loads of positives. Even just take Hayes coming on there. Lads no joke honestly, that poor kid must have spent well over an hour throughout the year, standing on the line with his helmet on ready to come in for his debut, only not to! And then for his first proper appearance (Wexford aside) he is tasked to man mark one of the best forwards in the game in an tight AI semi final. The kid did brilliantly. At the end of the day, we still have a young squad, but it's hugely important that we build on what has been a great year and learn from our mistakes. That's vitally important. Because this team can achieve something special.

Finally, I'm just very thankful for all the players and management efforts throughout the year. It was an amazing year really, Jamie Wall's tweet summed it up saying we were the width of a post between being knocked out by Tipp but also denied an AI final place. That's just the way this crazy game goes, but one thing I would never question is the team's honesty and heart. They died in their boots there yesterday. I think what makes me proud also, everyone is always talking about Clare's weak support, but yesterday there was a brilliant Clare support. I think this year we all saw and appreciated the work and commitment the players were bringing, I think there is a strong connection back between the players, management and supporters which is really important.

Very proud of everyone's effort. It hurts now but we will be back!

Up The Banner.

Road-Hog · 06-08-2018 03:49PM

letowski wrote: »

Usually before I make my comments on here, I watch the recording back. I think this was the first time I switched it off before half time. Honestly, I remember leaving Croke Park after the AI semi final in 2005 against Cork thinking I never experience such a heart breaking defeat. Daly said after the match that day the game will set back Clare hurling for years. At least with the loss yesterday, John Conlon is the only outfield player over 26 years old. I think we will be back next year. But for sure, we are going to have alot of regrets about yesterday, like we did in 2005. Yesterday was heart breaking.

Look, I'm reading back through the pages and I'm seeing alot of people pointing fingers at players, bemoaning missed chances, etc. Like people need to understand, hurling is an incredible emotional, fast-paced intense sport. We have to remember the conditions of the game yesterday, after the extra time played a few days ago and the heat yesterday, it was an incredibly difficult environment, with both teams making alot of mistakes. It was always going to be like this, players don't deliberately hit balls wide. I think they deserve some leeway in this regard.

The main reason we are not going to Dublin in a fortnight though is we don't have a proper balance across the park of players that can physically take on a team like Galway. When you only have one puckout option down the field, when you don't have enough players that can win their own ball, when you don't have enough players that can take and give a physical challenge, you leave yourself open to being starved of possession and quite litterly runover. And that's what Galway did in the opening 20 minutes of both games. Yesterday it was too much. I said it before the game we had to survive the opening half before the game loosened up and we didn't. I think we are probably short a midfielder and a half back to be honest, like if we want to single out players, Mannion and Canning were the only two players out of both team's 5-12 that hurled consistently well throughout the 160 odd minutes we played. Those two players were the difference between the sides imo.

I just want to finish up with two things.

First off, I know it's a tough loss to take, but we cannot forget the massive improvements and positives the team made throughout this season. From Touhy's rock solid year in goals to Conlon's amazing season there are loads of positives. Even just take Hayes coming on there. Lads no joke honestly, that poor kid must have spent well over an hour throughout the year, standing on the line with his helmet on ready to come in for his debut, only not to! And then for his first proper appearance (Wexford aside) he is tasked to man mark one of the best forwards in the game in an tight AI semi final. The kid did brilliantly. At the end of the day, we still have a young squad, but it's hugely important that we build on what has been a great year and learn from our mistakes. That's vitally important. Because this team can achieve something special.

Finally, I'm just very thankful for all the players and management efforts throughout the year. It was an amazing year really, Jamie Wall's tweet summed it up saying we were the width of a post between being knocked out by Tipp but also denied an AI final place. That's just the way this crazy game goes, but one thing I would never question is the team's honesty and heart. They died in their boots there yesterday. I think what makes me proud also, everyone is always talking about Clare's weak support, but yesterday there was a brilliant Clare support. I think this year we all saw and appreciated the work and commitment the players were bringing, I think there is a strong connection back between the players, management and supporters which is really important.

Very proud of everyone's effort. It hurts now but we will be back!

Up The Banner.

Surely an all-Ireland a mere 5 years ago makes a loss like yesterday somewhat tolerable. Ye have hardly evolved a KK mind set just yet...?

Imagine the pain defeats like yesterday has for the Limericks and Waterford of this world...?

patsy_mccabe · 06-08-2018 03:55PM

Great post Letowski.

tomo75 · 06-08-2018 07:15PM

Imagine the pain defeats like yesterday has for the Limericks and Waterford of this world...?[/quote]

Throw Galway into that prior to last year. Galway had chances to put Kilkenny away in previous years and couldn't/didn't.

I think the future is bright.
Hon da Banner!

Clare GAA discussion thread

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