Clare GAA Discussion - 2024 All Ireland Hurling Champions

Positiveways wrote: »

John Fogarty from the Irish examiner reporting that Colm Collins, is set to remain on as Clare senior football manager for another year in 2021.

County board officials are confident that the Cratloe man, who has served 7 years in the role, will continue with managing the Clare senior footballers for an eighth year, with only Mickey Harte ahead, as the longest serving senior Inter county football manager in the country.

That story was out a week ago in 'Da paper'. But yeah he shouldn't be getting another year. Colm Collins is a good guy but really shouldn't be allowed another stint. He'd be a great director of Football or something but I presume there isn't the money for it.
The Fitzgeralds are a symptom of the problem in Clare and not the problem itself. We don't have great administration in the clubs and we don't send good candidates to the County board. Pat Fitz should have been replaced years ago. Theres an incestuous element to Clare GAA. Not bad people but everyone knows
Everyone. The likes of Limerick with a bigger population is run better because the likes of Na Piarsaigh don't know the ins and outs of Kilmallock and don't care. Theres a level of professionalism thats also in Tipp, Kerry and starting in Cork. The likes of Waterford and Clare ...well look at the county board meetings...guys wearing jumpers and not suits.. amature hour stuff. Theres no man in Ireland that shouldn't have a good suit and tie.

BloodyBill wrote: »

That story was out a week ago in 'Da paper'. But yeah he shouldn't be getting another year. Colm Collins is a good guy but really shouldn't be allowed another stint. He'd be a great director of Football or something but I presume there isn't the money for it.
The Fitzgeralds are a symptom of the problem in Clare and not the problem itself. We don't have great administration in the clubs and we don't send good candidates to the County board. Pat Fitz should have been replaced years ago. Theres an incestuous element to Clare GAA. Not bad people but everyone knows
Everyone. The likes of Limerick with a bigger population is run better because the likes of Na Piarsaigh don't know the ins and outs of Kilmallock and don't care. Theres a level of professionalism thats also in Tipp, Kerry and starting in Cork. The likes of Waterford and Clare ...well look at the county board meetings...guys wearing jumpers and not suits.. amature hour stuff. Theres no man in Ireland that shouldn't have a good suit and tie.

A bizarre post to say the least, doesn't make any sense.

Grats wrote: »

Why in God's name would you be asking questions in the middle of an important match? I don't get it.

To distract him I assume.

Just thought I’d pop this out mainly just because there is no action at the moment, but what have been the best club hurlers and footballers in the county but having played senior championship for Clare in the last 20 years. Mainly it’s just like Tg4’s underdog style 15 for Clare.

I wouldn’t be familiar with the hurling scene but some of the hurling names that come into my head are Derek Fahey from the Bridge, Ciaran O’Doherty who I was very impressed with when he was captain of the Clare Under 21’s in 2009 and won 2 championship with Crusheen after, Eamon Glynn was also very good in that team and kept Cian Dillon out of the team until the final and Glynn moved to Corner Back.

Daire Keane from Kilmaley I have been very impressed with as well when I have seen him, another player would be Aidan Lynch from Ruan, who I have never seen play but some of the scores he has put up big scores in club championships. So if any has anyone was to get involved and name more players, or name a 15, I’m not too familiar with the club hurling scene in the county so I couldn’t think of many more from hurling.

From a football point of view i’ll try and name 15 players.
1 Killian Normoyle (Lissycasey)
2 Mark Killeen (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
3 Darren Hickey (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
4 Ryan Griffin (Lissycasey)
5 Padraig Aherne (Doonbeg)
6 Michael Hawes (Cratloe)
7 Sean Haugh (O’Currys)
8 Darragh McDonagh (Miltown)
9 John Looney (Cooraclare)
10 Michael Hogan (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
11 David Ryan (Kilmihil)
12 Aidan Davidson (St Breckans)
13 Brian Curtin (Miltown)
14 Ger Bobby Kelly (Kildysart)
15 Noel Downes (Kilmurry Ibrickane)

I’m fairly certain that most of them didn’t play senior championship football for Clare. So if anyone else wants to post their teams fire away, just a bit bored so decided to do that and see what teams other people would come up with.

Anyone hearing about a prominent hurling club that was raided yesterday by the gardai? Lads training away in the club gym and indoor facilities?

finbarrk wrote: »

A Clare Club?

Yep.

opinionated3 wrote: »

Anyone hearing about a prominent hurling club that was raided yesterday by the gardai? Lads training away in the club gym and indoor facilities?

Couldn't be Cratloe surely after last year's episode.

opinionated3 wrote: »

No. But what happened there last year??

The local championships were delayed because they had a cluster of Covid in their panel.

I think he'll big a big benefit, Rob Mulcahy who has done work all around Clare could also be a big asset if you ask me. The Clonlara trio back in the panel now, things looking up. My dad has said to me that he thinks Clare will be much better this year in summer hurling (if we get that) and I'm inclined to agree.

before I begin to I'd like to say happy retirement to Gary Brennan. A truly great footballer, maybe Clare's greatest. A hardy footballer and a great athlete.
with that aside I'd like to put forward a point by point plan that I think would increase Clare's chances hurling wise that I think would make us contenders again.
1. Find a center back
This is a huge one. For any modern inter county team the center back is the glue, the rock of the team. If you look at the most successful teams recently, their leaders and arguable best players are center backs, I'm referencing tipp and Limerick with the Mahers and Hannon, but aswell with some of the other good teams. Kilkenny have Walsh, Cork's Tim O'Mahony has given some good displays and Wexford's Mat O'Hanlon is also a very good center back.
So for all of the big teams who we've called contenders over the past years, Clare are the only one without a good or outstanding center back. Conor Cleary would seem like a shoe-in but is a much more comfortable full back, and was badly exposed and very uncomfortable at Center Back. He's played well this season at full back.
Out of the many candidates I'd be unsure if David Mcinerney is big enough but could be a good one, with hurling ability, strength and speed. Diarmuid Ryan is a towering figure and has played some outstanding games for Cratloe there, however I'm not sure if he'd be good enough as a playmaker, and if it's safe to throw him at the most important position when he's never played there at this level before. He's your first choice but he could struggle there in his first few games.
The other candidate is Pat O'Connor who has played there before, he could definitely fill in the shoes but I don't know if he could complete the position, I'd prefer him at corner back.
2. Strength and Conditioning
It's a point often made here that Clare don't look like a very fit side. Okay to a certain level they are, their all inter county players, but their legs seem to go out in the last stretches of matches and it seems to be the winning or losing most of the time. Had Clare kept pushing it could have been much tighter with Limerick and Waterford, and much, much looser with Laois. Brian seems to have recognized this as we have a good strength and conditioning now and I think it could be a huge asset. Of course there's a place for small men, but we can't be sending out a team of small men to play a team like Limerick, Galway or Tipp. Look at the likes of Diarmuid Ryan, a huge lad at 6'4 but carries little to no muscle. I realize all of this is a ground roots problem at underage and at club level for up and coming players but we need to focus on what we have at senior at the moment.
3.Psychology
This is a big one for any team, Clare do show alot of character. It's to be expected from a disciple of Loughnan like Lohan, but psychologically they still seem to lack confidence. Shane O'Donnell is the prime example of it, he's a great hurler, all across the country people rave about him. If you ask lads from other counties they'll hit out that he's the model corner forward, but he seems to lack so much belief. I realize he's not selfish and it's a big part of his game, but he nullifies himself as a scoring threat sometimes because when he gets the ball he seem to just want to get rid of it, just pop it as soon as you get it. I disagree with it. He should in alot of cases, take on his man, take on the shot, and score. It seems to echo throughout the team. I think David Fitzgerald is similar, he's a great hurler but he seems to fumble so often because he lacks confidence, its a common thing with young players. I think everyone was there at one stage when they played underage in particular, Just look at Jackie Tyrell.

I'm sorry if that's all a ramble that made no sense, I just have little to do at the moment, so why not?

Clareman wrote: »

For the hurlers, this is the second year, no time for chopping and changing, a year into anyone's managerial career they should know their key players and the style of play. I'd say we have a great full back in Conor Cleary but if we take him out of full back then we've no full back, we could put McInerney back there again but then we're short in midfield. I would say that Cleary is a lot better suited for 6 than for 3 but the way we seem to be lining up we're protecting the full back line a lot so whoever is at 3 doesn't matter than much as they'll have a lot of protection.

Our problems are from 5 to 12, half backs/forwards and midfield, we've a lot of players coming back who should help, Duggan and Lynch should help the half forward line and Galvin should free up McInerney but 1 or 2 other injuries and we're caught again. We're now 8 years out from winning the All Ireland, 7 from winning the under 21 All Ireland, most of our best players are coming into their late 20s, if they don't perform this year I fear we'll be waiting a while.

You have a solid point but whose Lynch exactly?
I don't know how you could claim Cleary is a better 6 than 3. I don't think he ever gave a great game at 6, but he's been such a steadying influence at 3.
If Galvin frees up mcinerney where does he go then?

Clareman wrote: »

Sorry, I meant Conlon, don't know why I said Lynch.

I think Cleary is a great athlete but is prone to over playing a ball, often he might go for it and not get it, when he's at 6 he has cover but at 3 he could leave a goal chance.

1 of the big problems Clare has is we don't know the best positions for a lot of our players, you'd struggle to name the best position for either Cleary, McInerney, Kelly or O'Donnell.

That's a negative but can also be a positive. Mcinerney can play well at 6,3, or 9. Kelly, 9, 11, 13. O'Donnell is pretty clearly defined, where other than Corner forward? center forward seemed to nullify him as a scoring threat

Clareman wrote: »

It's a positive for the likes of TK when he can float from position to position, but when you don't have a defined 3 or 6 it's a negative.

As for SoD, I don't think he's a scoring threat, my views have been well aired at this stage but I don't think he scored in the Championship last year and the year before he just scored twice. I think we got a glimpse of his best role against Wexford when he was swopping back and forth with TK

As I said before his scoring fell hugely because his confidence began to get in the way. He scored 2 points against Waterford and was a scoring threat early on. He lost alot of that threat this year because he was moved far away from goal, again with his confidence he's not gonna take on that shot from the half forward line or the 65.
if your talking about the year before, 2019, please don't.

Clareman wrote: »

That's a long time with a confidence issues and I don't get the away from goal argument about the scoring, a lot of goals are scored breaking through from the half forwards and often points are easier to come by when out the field as well.

When he plays away from Goal he doesn't have the striking to put it over, his whole goal thing is because his goals are usually so creative and memorable, I view him as more of a threat if he takes his points but of course his goals can come

Clareman wrote: »

I think he gets a lot of leeway because of the replay in 2013 and rightly so, but since then the replay goal against Galway in 2018 is the only goal that sticks out. Looking at his goals, 2019 was straight from the throw in from a wing forward position (his best position not imo), in 2017 he got 2 against Limerick, in 16 it was against Laois, 15 against Offaly, 14 none scored, none of them majorily memorable.

I see him as a threat is he becomes a threat but for the past few years he hasn't been a threat, I just don't see it but I do see potential, he's a game changer/winner that has the ability to win a game on his own but he just hasn't produced the goods for us on any kind of a regular basis but has shown his potential on a few occasions.

it usually takes a big occasion to get something out of him. I.e All Ireland final, he was immense in both games against Galway.
also people were raving about his 2 goals against Limerick at the time and people were impressed by the goal he got against Cork, however it was low profile so got swept up in the rest of the 2019 campaign. But you saw his scoring threat increase in last years championship when Brian played him closer to goal, the proof was there

You don't need to be big to play centre back if your sitting in front of the fullback line . Youre two wing backs can cover you as everyone tends to congregate in the middle. Its obviously an imperative that the other two halfbacks have size.The best centre back in Clare is Colm Galvin. Hes got great vision and range of passing like Hannon. What he lacks is physique. But he's managed fine for Clonlara. He's what we need centre back. Both Cleary and McInerney dont have the overall vision or stability to sit and play centre back.