Clare GAA discussion thread

windy shepard henderson

thinkstoomuch1 wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/davy-fitzgerald-not-about-to-give-up-ghost-with-clare-1.2246405

there is murmurs of confidence even from those from the anti davey camp that we could make an impact this summer yet ,

most of the expectency is coming from good campaigns on the back of poor results in munster over the years 02, 04 and 05 spring to mind , qualifiers will be tougher this year with a round less and probabley tougher competition in early july ,but if i was to throw in my two cents i would have to say i agree with him , the but will be very tough , we could be faced with wexford or dublin in the first round and then maybe tipperary or cork in the next any team who could get through a tough series of games like that before a all ireland 1/4 would have to be seen as a major threat

Figerty

We have a team of quality hurlers, all Ireland champions two less than two years ago. If we don't do damage in the qualifiers then we have something to think about.
I read the whole version of that in the clare champion. Davy had to come out of after the post match interview farce. I hope he might have taken a good look at himself and seen how embarrassing he was and change his way.

windy shepard henderson

Clonlara 2-18 Clarecastle 2-10 in the replayed first round of the hurling championship .

clonlara will now face the mills in the winners group

clarecastle will play inagh/kilnamona in the losers group

Clareman

windy shepard henderson wrote: »

there is murmurs of confidence even from those from the anti davey camp that we could make an impact this summer yet ,

I'd love to know where you're hearing those rumours, most of the people I've been talking to can't understand why he waited for the week of the football to come out with his interview.

Personally, I can't believe the whole dad this and dad that that he goes on with when asked directly about the relationship with his father, if he thinks he has it harder than other managers he really should get his head out of his @rse. For the end of the interview he was back to calling dad Pat.

Finally, WTF do we have to keep going on about the 90s, it was 20 f**king years ago, whatever Loughnane did then worked, some of the players on the squad now weren't born when Clare won the All Ireland in 95.

Clareman

Clonlara have beaten Clarecastle 2-19 to 2-10

windy shepard henderson

Figerty wrote: »

We have a team of quality hurlers, all Ireland champions two less than two years ago. If we don't do damage in the qualifiers then we have something to think about.
I read the whole version of that in the clare champion. Davy had to come out of after the post match interview farce. I hope he might have taken a good look at himself and seen how embarrassing he was and change his way.

i cant see much of a personal change on the way any time soon sadly , but yeah you would have to be some bit confidant still with the squad we have

Clareman

windy shepard henderson wrote: »

i cant see much of a personal change on the way any time soon sadly , but yeah you would have to be some bit confidant still with the squad we have

With the quality of the players we have at our disposal I would expect targets for the year should be to qualify for the league playoffs and an All Ireland Semi final, relegation and the hope of a bit of a run in the qualifiers isn't what we should be aiming for.

windy shepard henderson

Clareman wrote: »

I'd love to know where you're hearing those rumours, most of the people I've been talking to can't understand why he waited for the week of the football to come out with his interview.

Personally, I can't believe the whole dad this and dad that that he goes on with when asked directly about the relationship with his father, if he thinks he has it harder than other managers he really should get his head out of his @rse. For the end of the interview he was back to calling dad Pat.

Finally, WTF do we have to keep going on about the 90s, it was 20 f**king years ago, whatever Loughnane did then worked, some of the players on the squad now weren't born when Clare won the All Ireland in 95.

i am on about most people in general , yes fitz is not geting the most out of a very talented group of players , but alot of people do still belive we can make a serious impact reguardless of who is in charge


as for the past , i dont like when people bring up 2013 let alone the 90's thats the type of talk that can stall things yes the past was great but its gone!! not going to mention anything about pat fitz , i think we all have the same opinion of the man :mad:

Clareman

windy shepard henderson wrote: »

i am on about most people in general , yes fitz is not geting the most out of a very talented group of players , but alot of people do still belive we can make a serious impact reguardless of who is in charge

ass for the past , i dont like when people bring up 2013 let alone the 90's thats the type of talk that can stall things yes the past was great but its gone!!

Super talented group of players, but the only thing that is being said about them is that other teams have won under 21s in the past that haven't accounted for anything, if I hear Limerick being mentioned again I'll nearly start supporting them (only messing of course)

Gael85

windy shepard henderson wrote: »

rory donnelly is probably the only scoring forward realy jamie malone and chipy duning are effectively wing backs malone has played a number of games at 11 though , so clare's intention is as you said to bring plenty of defenders back

most of what's on the bench is mostly under 21 or there abouts and fairly inexperienced ,i expect to see davy o'halloran and keelan sexton to be introduced at some stage , alan o'neill won a couple of under 21's with the hurlers in the last few years but has'nt featured with the footballers to date


could be proven wrong tommorow evening but its a defencive looking side with very little going for them up front and it's hard to see us runing ye as close as we did to kerry or kildare last year or armagh this year

Does O'Neill play midfield? I remember he destroyed Doonbeg a few years ago scoring 2-1 for Barefield.Think was county semi final.

windy shepard henderson

Gael85 wrote: »

Does O'Neill play midfield? I remember he destroyed Doonbeg a few years ago scoring 2-1 for Barefield.Think was county semi final.

think so there dose'nt seem to be any replacement midfielder on the bench keelan can play there but he is a bit small for the kick outs

alan is a decent footballer but as said above he has'nt got any game time since making the switch from hurling

windy shepard henderson

cork 1-20 clare 1-08

injuries defenatly affected things but we missed a huge number of score able chances , while there was a gulf in class we did squander possession too easy and personal performances were down maybe moral was down with all the injuries too , who knows

were in side A of the draw where we could meet one or two teams in our own sphere where hoprfully another win will redeem things

Clareman

So the development of Cusack Park has been put back until after the intercounty teams are finished, now I think this is a good decision but how anyone would have thought to do it up mid-season is beyond me, if I was paranoid I would say something about having to have a plan in place before the start of June to get the funding through and once they have the funding they can postpone it, but I wouldn't think our whiter than white county officals would do anything like that.......

http://clare.fm/sport/clare-gaa-confirm-delay-cusack-park-upgrade-works

windy shepard henderson

Clareman wrote: »

So the development of Cusack Park has been put back until after the intercounty teams are finished, now I think this is a good decision but how anyone would have thought to do it up mid-season is beyond me, if I was paranoid I would say something about having to have a plan in place before the start of June to get the funding through and once they have the funding they can postpone it, but I wouldn't think our whiter than white county officals would do anything like that.......

http://clare.fm/sport/clare-gaa-confirm-delay-cusack-park-upgrade-works

in my opinion it most likley was a case of not having enough funds and the massive headaches of losing out in money spinning football/hurling qualifiers along with the u21 game should waterford win , all that coincided with the club championship games and a suitable venue for the county finals

i am sure the press release is not far away where we hear of Japanese knotwood growing on the side of the stand and the project put back to 2025!!!

keeponhurling

windy shepard henderson wrote: »

cork 1-20 clare 1-08

injuries defenatly affected things but we missed a huge number of score able chances , while there was a gulf in class we did squander possession too easy and personal performances were down maybe moral was down with all the injuries too , who knows

were in side A of the draw where we could meet one or two teams in our own sphere where hoprfully another win will redeem things

On the football front, it really would be nice to get some of the injured players back, and have a proper crack at one of the bigger guns.
Maybe a home tie v a Div 2 team or something.

On the hurling front, I just want the easiest possible draw. We just need a win to get back into the habit and get some belief back

Clareman

I'd like the footballers to get an easy draw to get on a bit of a roll.

I'd like the hurlers to get either Dublin or Offaly in the next rounds, we should be looking to beat any team left in the championship so we need as stern a test as possible, if the worst case scenario happens then it might be enough for us to actually do something about it.

windy shepard henderson

the two draws take place in the morning for the qualifiers at 08-30 on radio 1

the hurlers will meet either 1 of

dublin
wexford
laois/westmeath
offaly

whoever gets drawn first has home advantage, if we do get wexford again it will be played in two weeks time all other games next week , i would be quietly confidant of geting over this hurdle , how ever we are winless in the championship since the all ireland 2 years ago which none of us need reminding

the footballers will play one of either

offaly
cavan
longford
antrim

all winable games hopfully this year the footballers can shake of the tag of being "only clare" and be a threat to the bigger teams

in the past it didnt seem to interest some players to play after the munster championship with most players perfering to go back training with there club and concentrate on the local championship , two wins would have us within one game of the 1/4 finals and givin the side of the draw we are in it would be very possible but we would need a few of our injured players back quickly and we would need to be full strength

Clareman

I wouldn't be fearing any of the teams for either the hurlers or the footballers. It'd be nice to have a double header so Offaly in both would be good, maybe even Wexford to see how we've moved on from last year.

donnem33

windy shepard henderson wrote: »

the two draws take place in the morning for the qualifiers at 08-30 on radio 1

the hurlers will meet either 1 of

dublin
wexford
laois/westmeath
offaly

whoever gets drawn first has home advantage, if we do get wexford again it will be played in two weeks time all other games next week , i would be quietly confidant of geting over this hurdle , how ever we are winless in the championship since the all ireland 2 years ago which none of us need reminding

the footballers will play one of either

offaly
cavan
longford
antrim

all winable games hopfully this year the footballers can shake of the tag of being "only clare" and be a threat to the bigger teams

in the past it didnt seem to interest some players to play after the munster championship with most players perfering to go back training with there club and concentrate on the local championship , two wins would have us within one game of the 1/4 finals and givin the side of the draw we are in it would be very possible but we would need a few of our injured players back quickly and we would need to be full strength

surely they would have to make the draw first. Once that is done they put both teams into the bowl again to decide who gets home advantage? if they dont then it would be obvious who gets home adv as they would be pulling either the munster team or the leinster team out first and then automatic home draw. If thats the way its done it would be very unfair!!

windy shepard henderson

donnem33 wrote: »

surely they would have to make the draw first. Once that is done they put both teams into the bowl again to decide who gets home advantage? if they dont then it would be obvious who gets home adv as they would be pulling either the munster team or the leinster team out first and then automatic home draw. If thats the way its done it would be very unfair!!

yeah sorry in an open draw in the qualifiers the first team out gets home advantage , you are right there would be a separate draw or a third bowl if you like for the home draw

windy shepard henderson

Clareman wrote: »

I wouldn't be fearing any of the teams for either the hurlers or the footballers. It'd be nice to have a double header so Offaly in both would be good, maybe even Wexford to see how we've moved on from last year.

would be happy with wexford again it would be a good yard stick to where we are and have we improved from last year , although in saying that i have been far from impressed with wexford this year , i expected alot more from them after there brake through last year , they had a fairly poor league campaign and have been very uninspiring in there two championship games so far

they pushed us all the way in the 21s final last year , i think only 2 maybe 3 of that team last year fetured today against kilkenny , in my opinion they have gone backwards, in fairness if that was offaly today that lost to klilkenny everyone would be talking about a crisis

LuckyGent88

Offaly in the hurling at home. Should win that match comfortably anyway

And a home draw for the footballers as well against longford

thinkstoomuch1

LuckyGent88 wrote: »

Offaly in the hurling at home. Should win that match comfortably anyway

And a home draw for the footballers as well against longford

Great draw in ye need win any kind and fact ye have so many injuries ye just need time this game gives ye that time
Longer yere in it championship harder it's beat ye
Ye should win with high score
Any news lads coming back

keeponhurling

happy with that draw !

letowski

Im kinda happy with the draw too. I know a game v Dublin or Wexford would have been harder, but if we are to get to a QF (massive if, I know), it would be 3 rounds in 4 weeks which is tough. We have so much to work on though.

Cunningham was 6-8 weeks at the start of this month, ttm. Could do with him back alright. McGrath is ok now.

thinkstoomuch1

letowski wrote: »

Im kinda happy with the draw too. I know a game v Dublin or Wexford would have been harder, but if we are to get to a QF (massive if, I know), it would be 3 rounds in 4 weeks which is tough. We have so much to work on though.

Cunningham was 6-8 weeks at the start of this month, ttm. Could do with him back alright. McGrath is ok now.

Great thing for clare is offaly won't take much out ye
Davy needs be smart go for goals kill game off make changes
Then you have two games peak for
Cork or Dublin
Then likely Galway or even waterford
None those teams clare will fear and I'd love ye got waterford
Ye show them full team how possession sweeper works
Davy needs be smart can not do hard training now as tough games enough do that
Clare are young fresh and best team no baggage in qualifier in hardly disgraced v limerick but beaten with depleted team by point and once discipline sorted get few big lads back there a serious serious threat and once Davy mellows bit clare have huge say championship but need full panel
One team haven't been hammered in qualifiers
Clare huge potential imo
Galvin scored two goals tippeary Boston sheehsn cup week ago usa one penalty and I hear training hard over

Davy should try get him back quater final yere there

keeponhurling

Double header in Cusack Park - nice !

windy shepard henderson

a slightly tricky one for the footballers , longford have been performing well at under age in leinster over the last few years giving dublin in perticular plenty to think about at both minor and 21 level , would expect us to get over this hurdle though and according to colm collins the likes of shane mcgrath , and david tubridy will be back,

in hurling , nothing but a facile victory is in store for the hurlers , possibly the worst type of draw for the faithful county , offaly hurling is in ruins at the moment both our senior and u21/intermediate setups have recorded fairly comfortable victory's against there seniors in challenge matches in the past few months

cork or dublin will most likely be our opposition and will be davy fitz most defining match as clare manager , a defeat will ask serious questions about his tenure , a win will set up a 1/4 final place and restore our summer and a chance of seting up a run at the all ireland

to sum up where offaly hurling is , below is an interview with padraig boland the offaly county board chairman , it was recorded in late summer last year where he atempts to outline the future of offaly hurling . . . and for a county that has falling so far behind , there recovery dose not look swift

from about 10mins onwards in the interview it is clear that michael duignan's criticism of the board in the past about hidden agendas appears apparent , there seems to be one or two major issuies to be sorted out in the near future for offaly to become a threat again, football seems to be the only game in town up there at the moment and if the truth was known they are a long way off that too

windy shepard henderson

thinkstoomuch1 wrote: »

Great thing for clare is offaly won't take much out ye
Davy needs be smart go for goals kill game off make changes
Then you have two games peak for
Cork or Dublin
Then likely Galway or even waterford
None those teams clare will fear and I'd love ye got waterford
Ye show them full team how possession sweeper works
Davy needs be smart can not do hard training now as tough games enough do that
Clare are young fresh and best team no baggage in qualifier in hardly disgraced v limerick but beaten with depleted team by point and once discipline sorted get few big lads back there a serious serious threat and once Davy mellows bit clare have huge say championship but need full panel
One team haven't been hammered in qualifiers
Clare huge potential imo
Galvin scored two goals tippeary Boston sheehsn cup week ago usa one penalty and I hear training hard over

Davy should try get him back quater final yere there

yeah as i said above , lets face it the defining game of the championship will be clare v cork/dublin in the 2nd round , if its clare v cork you would imagine it could be the loseing managers last game in charge , if clare do jump that hurdle you would imagine davy will still be clare manager next year regardless of what progress is made there afterwards

999/112

Colm Galvin is returning from the USA. Brilliant news for all Clare hurling followers.
He is easily one of Clare's classiest hurlers and a joy to watch.

nono2012

would i have to buy seperate tickets for both games, or is there a combo ticket? :P

donnem33

999/112 wrote: »

Colm Galvin is returning from the USA. Brilliant news for all Clare hurling followers.
He is easily one of Clare's classiest hurlers and a joy to watch.

just from an outsiders perspective...would that be good for team morale that hes coming back straight onto the panel? I know he is a quality hurler but he did leave the panel mid season. He has played hurling in boston but thats at a different level entirely to what hes coming back into. I know if I was a clare panel member and had burst my balls training all year, then Galvin comes back and takes my place having left back in April, I would be very pissed off!!

keeponhurling

^maybe nobody needs to lose their place, Pat Donnellan is suspended for the next game (I assume).
If Galvin comes back in and plays well....

Either way Golden will probably start v Offaly at least, and it's up to him to make the place his own.

Healthy competition really.

eoins23456

How much would a ticket to the double header be ? Or just the hurling even ?

thinkstoomuch1

keeponhurling wrote: »

^maybe nobody needs to lose their place, Pat Donnellan is suspended for the next game (I assume).
If Galvin comes back in and plays well....

Either way Golden will probably start v Offaly at least, and it's up to him to make the place his own.

Healthy competition really.

Huge huge absolutely huge addition to clare and him and McGrath and bulger back yere serious serious team

I had predicted he'd be back and heard weekend may be back quater final That's why mentioned he's form usa hurling game
I hear he's been flying training and he's had break now but shows huge huge huge admiration for Davy and again another example of many I gave before that players hugely buy in Davy and no problem

Dunne was right do what he did with guiney
So proved Davy isn't only strictly manager around
Galvin said he would come back and he did and as much some tried say problems in camp with him no there never was

Clare get huge win v offaly and once don't expend much energy they will be serious test for Dublin or Cork in round two and should they win fully fit team nothing fear against much much over hyped waterford and Galway
If tipp Kilkenny loose there serous dangers yes but once tipp kk don't take eye of the ball they will win
Clare lads unlucky loose with so many out to limerick down a man and rather affect confidence it booster it as with fit team they know they will be better
Ye have a real chance now
And if football go out and ye get Collins on the panel yere getting stronger
It won't affect moral as all these players played won together at senior and under age

thinkstoomuch1

keeponhurling wrote: »

^maybe nobody needs to lose their place, Pat Donnellan is suspended for the next game (I assume).
If Galvin comes back in and plays well....

Either way Golden will probably start v Offaly at least, and it's up to him to make the place his own.

Healthy competition really.

Galvin is coming back to start have no doubt about it
Maybe not for offaly but he's back for round two that reason came back early not warm he's arse on the bench

keeponhurling

thinkstoomuch1 wrote: »

And if football go out and ye get Collins on the panel yere getting stronger

Sean Collins?

thinkstoomuch1

keeponhurling wrote: »

Sean Collins?

Yeah he'd strengthened the panel
Podge huge loss alright

letowski

Clares minor match v Tipp in Thurles is on Thursday now due to Jimmy Doyles funeral.
The team is: Loughnane, Monahan Phelan Power, Chaplin Fox Noonan, Fitzgearld Cunningham, Shanagher O'Shea McCarthy, O'Halloran Daly O'Loughlin.

Hard to know how we will get on, you would have to think Tipp will win. Our half forward is interesting as those 3 are practically 3 of our best player. I think we will find it tough a the back, while I dont think Fitz and Cunningham are proper mid field players. Hopefully they will get on well.

Great news about Galvin back too, it was never really on for us to do anything this year, with the lack of quality we had at mf without him.

danganabu

letowski wrote: »

Clares minor match v Tipp in Thurles is on Thursday now due to Jimmy Doyles funeral.
The team is: Loughnane, Monahan Phelan Power, Chaplin Fox Noonan, Fitzgearld Cunningham, Shanagher O'Shea McCarthy, O'Halloran Daly O'Loughlin.

Hard to know how we will get on, you would have to think Tipp will win. Our half forward is interesting as those 3 are practically 3 of our best player. I think we will find it tough a the back, while I dont think Fitz and Cunningham are proper mid field players. Hopefully they will get on well.

It will be interesting and Tipp's strongest line is undoubtedly their half back line so will be a good battle there, Tipp's forwards aren't as good as previous years IMO and will struggle to put up a decent score.

thinkstoomuch1

danganabu wrote: »

It will be interesting and Tipp's strongest line is undoubtedly their half back line so will be a good battle there, Tipp's forwards aren't as good as previous years IMO and will struggle to put up a decent score.

I'd agree half back line awesome McGrath and Peters exceptional
Shanagher needs big game but huge ask as well marked in harty cup


Fair brother terrific player and eligible next year and quirke also
Tippeary I think are very strong

windy shepard henderson

eoins23456 wrote: »

How much would a ticket to the double header be ? Or just the hurling even ?

i would imagine it would be no more then 15 euro entry and that would cover both games

Clareman

windy shepard henderson wrote: »

i would imagine it would be no more then 15 euro entry and that would cover both games

Yeah, that should be the price with juveniles for €5, should be a great day around town.

Clareman

First of all I think it's great that Galvin is back, but for a managment team to make such a big deal of saying that it's 1 rule for all I think it's a bit of a mockery that someone can go off for a few months, play for Tipperary and the come back straight on the panel when other fellas weren't allowed represent their own county in another code.

pappyodaniel

letowski wrote: »

Clares minor match v Tipp in Thurles is on Thursday now due to Jimmy Doyles funeral.
The team is: Loughnane, Monahan Phelan Power, Chaplin Fox Noonan, Fitzgearld Cunningham, Shanagher O'Shea McCarthy, O'Halloran Daly O'Loughlin.

Hard to know how we will get on, you would have to think Tipp will win. Our half forward is interesting as those 3 are practically 3 of our best player. I think we will find it tough a the back, while I dont think Fitz and Cunningham are proper mid field players. Hopefully they will get on well.

Great news about Galvin back too, it was never really on for us to do anything this year, with the lack of quality we had at mf without him.

Is young Fitzgerald any good?

windy shepard henderson

Clareman wrote: »

First of all I think it's great that Galvin is back, but for a managment team to make such a big deal of saying that it's 1 rule for all I think it's a bit of a mockery that someone can go off for a few months, play for Tipperary and the come back straight on the panel when other fellas weren't allowed represent their own county in another code.

i think he wanted a break more then anything else to be fair , he has a lot of miles on the clock for a 22 year old , and if anything it gave the likes of shane golden and gudgie the chance to make a step up , too much was asked of o'connell to fill galvins boots , while golden had a good game against limerick dispite a very hit and miss league campaign

letowski

pappyodaniel wrote:

Is young Fitzgerald any good?

He is ok, he is not a senior prospect in my view. I think he would be a better half forward as he wouldnt be a hard worker, but to be fair, we have not got may options in mf. He is a strong lad, good striker of the ball.

niallo27

donnem33 wrote: »

just from an outsiders perspective...would that be good for team morale that hes coming back straight onto the panel? I know he is a quality hurler but he did leave the panel mid season. He has played hurling in boston but thats at a different level entirely to what hes coming back into. I know if I was a clare panel member and had burst my balls training all year, then Galvin comes back and takes my place having left back in April, I would be very pissed off!!

Would they not want the best for the team and their best shot of an All-Ireland. I don't see a problem myself.

Warper

windy shepard henderson wrote: »

i would imagine it would be no more then 15 euro entry and that would cover both games

Id say 20 quid considering its 2 games

Clareman

Nope, €15 it is, €10 for students & OAP, juveniles free, great value.

I'm thinking stroll up today around 2ish, get a bite to eat somewhere, pint in Ciaran's and stroll in around 4.30 to get a decent spot, few pints up town then afterwards, sounds like a good evening to me.