AWW poor Clare:-)

kilkennycat2004

CLARE GAA officials are privately seething over the appointment of Pat Horan to referee Saturday's All-Ireland quarter-final replay against Kilkenny.

And there is also some objection to the choice of Thurles as venue for the 4.15 throw-in.

Clare had originally requested the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick as the venue for the replay but were told it was out of consideration because an All-Ireland minor quarter-final has already been fixed for there.

Banner officials feel a toss of a coin between Thurles and the Gaelic Grounds would have been fairer.

Thurles is 30 miles from Kilkenny city, the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick is 22 miles from Ennis but by choosing Thurles, Clare feel it puts an additional burden on their supporters and are questioning why the game could not be played on Sunday evening instead.

There is also the stigma attached to going back to Thurles for Clare after the heavy beating inflicted on them by Waterford in the first round of the Munster championship.

They have recovered well since then with wins over Laois and Offaly, both at the Gaelic Grounds, and last Sunday's draw with Kilkenny.

The Cats had arguably their most impressive win for years - they had 19 points to spare - over Galway in their previous qualifier game in Thurles and Clare might feel the venue is a distinct advantage to the reigning All-Ireland champions.

To most observers Thurles is the most logical venue for a meeting between these counties who squared up to each other there in the 1995 league final.

But what has left Clare even more irate is the choice of Horan as referee for the replay.

They weren't happy with his handling of their league match against Galway in Pearse Stadium earlier this year when Brian O'Connell was sent off.

For David Fitzgerald the choice of Horan may also be uncomfortable, coming so soon after his two-month suspension for strong criticism of the official in the wake of a Fitzgibbon Cup match in early March.

Fitzgerald sharply criticised Horan's performance after the team he was coaching at the tournament, LIT, were beaten.

The two-month suspension he served forced him out of several league games though he was back in time to play Waterford. Clare officials have not yet decided if they are to raise the choice of venue and referee with the GAC.
from Irish Indo 28-07-04

Waylander

Its not often you here someone accusing the opposition of sour grapes before the match has even started!

Darren

I don't think Clare need worry about where the semi final will be played.

country_gurl

if clare are good enough then they shouldnt need to worry about location and how itl affect the outcome... its a flippin field for god sake.

Devilman

You'd think Clare Co board would just concentrate on the game instead of whining about where its going to be played. Thurles is the ideal venue for this game.

As for objecting to the referee.. tough, the GAA decided he was the man for the job.

I wish co. boards would just shut up and let the teams do the talking on the field of play.

Kelter

It is an amazing mystery to me why Clare are so often refered to as sour or whiney. In the last ten years we have made little or no official complaint to the GAC, despite fact that

1. The Colin Lynch incident is unprecedented before or since
2. The Offaly replay incident (other senior inter-county matches have been blown up before time, none replayed)
3. Eoin McGrath broke Gerry Quinns had in Croke Park in full view of the Cusack stand. Not one single GAA official (the organisation with the most officials in the world) saw the incident. We did not complain.
4. Clare vs Offaly was on the 17th of July
Clare vs Kilkenny 25th of July
Clare vs Kilkenny 31st of July
Clare vs Waterford 8th of August
Go ahead and say we won’t be playing against Waterford, but if we’re being “sensible” about Thurles then where is the “sensible” here? 4 weeks, 4 games! (to tell you the truth Kilkenny should be pissed too)
5. Clare suggested Limerick, Kilkenny Thurles, We have not made a complaint about being ignored.
6. Horan would be a machine to be impartial next Saturday, we have not complained.

As for this appearing in the indo, well tipical. It gets its lowest per capita sales figures in Clare, ever sinse they had Colin Lynch banned

country_gurl

calm down my little friend u took the bait neway

Devilman

Kelter , I'm not saying Clare are always whiney , just on this occasion 3 days before a huge game the Co.board are ...let the players prepare without this kind of thing . As for your point about 4 games in 4 weeks.. a couple of answers for that. The first one is harsh - if Clare/ Kilkenny had won their respective titles they wouldnt be here in this situation.

The GAA have a schedule to keep so 4 games in 4 weeks it has to be. If the draw had worked out diffferently it might have been 3 games in 5 weeks but it wasnt (thats the pitfall of the back door) . Nothing can be done about it.

And they have complained about the ref.

That said, best of luck Saturday , I don't think Clare have enough to win it but they'll make it an interesting tight game.

kilkennycat2004

Kelter said

It is an amazing mystery to me why Clare are so often refered to as sour or whiney. In the last ten years we have made little or no official complaint to the GAC, despite fact that

Dont see the 1998 Munster Final replay on the list Clare v waterford. Was at this game & some of the Clare stick-work would not be out of place in the film "Gladiator".

Also with some of the steps they took last Sunday a few of the forwards may have a future in "Riverdance"

KevIRL

To be honest Thurles shoudl suit Clare better than the cats. KK play every second game in Croker at least and still couldnt beat them up there last sunday. Clare play far more often on the Thurles sod, also if erasing the memories of the last time they played there (the beating by the deise) isnt enough to spur them on then I dont know what is!.

KevIRL

Originally posted by Kelter

4. Clare vs Offaly was on the 17th of July
Clare vs Kilkenny 25th of July
Clare vs Kilkenny 31st of July
Clare vs Waterford 8th of August

No sympathy. Sorry but if u have to go in thru the back door you take whatever comes your way and just be happy your still in the championship. Its whats keeping the provinical finals special!

Kelter

Four Games in Four weeks. There is also a semi on on the 15th. Did Cork win their provential title? Would it have been sensible to give Clare/Kilkenny a week off?

Come on now, some tell me it would not have been sensible to put that Semi on on the 15th.

Oh look of the draw was it? like the Limerick or Thurles draw?

I think there might be a slight hole in that arguement.

As for the remarks by kilkennycat2004, well Which are we? Whiners or bullies? I don't think we can be both, well maybe an exception (wouldn't be the first time) can be made for us. But its slightly off the point anyway. Why not start a new thread on the characteristics of Clare teams.

kilkennycat2004

Kelter quote

---

Come on now, some tell me it would not have been sensible to put that Semi on on the 15th.

---

Agree with you fully here Kelter.

Switch would have been welcomed by both our sides & seems fair request.

Different rules for Clare & kilkenny than some of the backdoor football teams. Most will know who those teams are

Waylander

The hurling schedule is far less congested tehn the football one. To be honest I do not think there is any excuse for having to play 3-4 consecutive weeks in Hurling. 4 consecutive weeks is unheard of in football, so how can it be neccessary in a sport with fewer teams competing.

cooneyb

the draw, i.e. what provincial winners will play on what date, for the semi finals had been announced at the start of the year. No one knew who the provincial winners were going to be and who would come through the qualifiers. It is just the luck of the draw that Cork were beaten by Waterford at a later stage than Clare - that is the reason Cork had fewer games in the qualifiers and also why they play Wexford instead of Waterford in the semi's. It could so easily have been different for Clare had they progressed past the first round in Munster.

KevIRL

Kelter wrote:

Four Games in Four weeks. There is also a semi on on the 15th. Did Cork win their provential title? Would it have been sensible to give Clare/Kilkenny a week off?

Come on now, some tell me it would not have been sensible to put that Semi on on the 15th.

Oh look of the draw was it? like the Limerick or Thurles draw?

I think there might be a slight hole in that arguement.

.

Sorry I disagree Kelter. To put the semi final on the 15th would mean Waterford would be waiting 7 weeks to play their next game after the munster final and that is just crazy. Reward the provincial champions, dont punish them.

cruiserweight

kilkennycat2004 wrote:

Also with some of the steps they took last Sunday a few of the forwards may have a future in "Riverdance"

Need I say DJ

Waylander

I agree with the sentiment Kev, but not at the severe detriment of the opposition. If it comes to it, the provincial winners should have a slight advantage, but making an amatuer team play such a physical sport so many times in a few weeks is too much. Also I do not think there is a huge difference in a break of six weeks or a break of seven weeks, either one is too long in my opinion. Motivating your team after 6 weeks would be no easier then motivating them after 7 weeks off.

Kelter

I know that I’m just letting myself in for a bunch of being told that I’m a bad loser and such abuse, so let me first congratulate Kilkenny on their victory witch was deserved as the better team.


Thurles the “Sensible” choice.

Thurles is a town of 20,000 people. Last weekend the town had a large Macra event being held in the town, along with the Horse show being held in the racecourse. These events alone were enough to keep most of the towns services busy, but simply on the case of the Horse show, it was criminal that the GAA were let put on a match that Day, and I seriously question what the Guards were doing allowing them to hold it there. While I was not at the show I would imagine the attendance was hugely down due to the traffic and mayhem caused by the match. While I am a GAA fan I do think other leisure pursuits should be allowed, particularly when it would have taken no significant effort on the part of the GAA.

Personally I believe that the choice of Thurles was because it was the place most likely to draw a large crowd, as the DJ faithful would travel, and the Clare suckers would too.

kilkennycat2004

Cruiserweight said........Need I say DJ

Use an extra letter just say GOD

Big Ears

kilkennycat2004 wrote:

Cruiserweight said........Need I say DJ

Use an extra letter just say GOD

Shefflin= God , DJ=overated

Mighty_Mouse

While Henry Shefflin may in time prove to be one of the greats. ie lasting at his best for considerable length of time, its absolutely unbelieveable to say DJ is overrated!!!

I mean FFS! Its up their with leaving him out of the millenium team!

Waylander

Big Ears wrote:

Shefflin= God , DJ=overated

Do you know anything about hurling big ears, cause you are displaying a certain amount of ignorance with statements like that!

kilkennycat2004

[COLOR=Yellow]Originally Posted by Big Ears
Shefflin= God , DJ=overated[/COLOR]

DJ & HENRY SHEFF GIFTED HURLERS BOTH
play anywhere tommy walsh getting there also
we're lucky to have all 3 of them

Darren

KilkennyCat2004

Don't forget - McGarry, Kavanagh, Hickey and Brennan. All classy, classy players.

The Rooster

JJ Delaney is better than them all (well maybe not Shef)

country_gurl

eddie brennan - the goal king :cool:
gorta - 4 just bein gorta
mcgarry - good and sporting goalie.
shefflin - the magnificant
jj delaney - ooh yeh
i could go on! but i wont

KevIRL

country_gurl wrote:

eddie brennan - the goal king :cool:

There's only one goal king. Dan the man!

kilkennycat2004

KevIRL wrote:

There's only one goal king. Dan the man!

nice guy is big dan & excellent this year so far bot look out Kev.

Eddie, Gorta, DJ, Sheff, Hoyne all heading your way