*Podge Collins claims the sliotar before Mark Moloney. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CRATLOE’s senior hurlers are bracing themselves for an “acid test” against county champions Ballyea this Saturday.
Cusack Park is the venue this Saturday with Cratloe and Ballyea facing off with the winner set to take top spot in Group B of the Clare SHC.
Conor Earley has been pleased with the leadership shown by his troops in their facile wins over Clarecastle and Broadford. Reflecting on their 2-23 0-16 victory against Broadford, Earley reflected, “We came to win and thankfully we did that, not without a degree of difficulty in the second half but we achieved that objective and can now drive on and look forward to the next day.
“I thought in the first half, we were really good and the same at the start of the second half but after that we kind of eased up a little. Maybe it was the evening that was in it being so hot or being eight or nine points but for whatever reason we started to sit back so it gives us something to work on”.
For the Tubber native, their meeting with Ballyea would give a real indication as to their championship aspirations. “Ballyea is the acid test in this group and championship so it’s a great game to get and it’s driving us all on so we’re really looking forward to that. They’re obviously the county champions and have won three titles in the last six years whereas we have won nothing in the last six years. So that’s who we need to be comparing ourselves to. There are plenty of leaders out there, it’s their team and they drive it and we’re very happy with them”.
Without a point to date, Broadford currently sit at the bottom of the Group following twelve and thirteen point losses to Ballyea and Cratloe respectively.
Broadford boss, Jimmy Browne rued the concession of an injury time Rian Considine goal which he predicted could prove costly as the season continues. “It was disappointing. We were probably under a little bit of pressure coming into the game with the three lads we were missing [Cathal Chaplin, Shane Taylor, Paul Moloney] through injury. I suppose we had a strong panel and we felt that we’d decent substitutions. We had a few patches where we hit a few wides, particularly in space and the difference was that when Cratloe got even a half sniff of a chance, they created really good opportunities and invaria-bly scored them. So there are certainly frustrating elements to reflect on, no more so than that last goal in how it was conceded from out the field is certainly disappointing and not kind of typical of the tigerish back-play that we normally have. Who knows that goal could be costly before the sea-son is over”.
Browne a former Clare senior, U21 and minor selector observed that both Ballyea and Cratloe have been much more clinical than his charges. “The difference between where we are at in comparison to the Ballyea’s and Cratloe’s is their clinical ability to hurt you whereas our score rate in proportion to the amount of chances created is certainly a worry. It’s very hard to win games when you don’t convert a decent level of chances but huge credit must be given to the team to keep going at it and creating those chances in the first place”.
His focus now is on “an interesting East Clare derby” with O’Callaghans Mills where two points will be vital for the victorious side in their bid to avoid a relegation dogfight.
