*Scariff/Ogonnelloe’s Mairead Scanlan in action.
Clare camogie is reaping the rewards from a very competitive senior championship, the manager of one of this year’s finalists has said.
Scariff-Ogonnelloe manager David O’Sullivan believes that “there are a lot of good teams in Clare in the last few years and anyone that qualified out of the county did really really well. Three or four or maybe five teams can hold up their hands each year and say they can win the title. We were in a very tough group with Kilmaley, Newmarket, Kilkishen and Doora-Barefield and we were delighted to qualify from that group”, he told The Clare Echo this week.
Having qualified Scariff-Ogonnelloe’s semi-final opponents were Inagh/Kilnamona who were fancied by many to progress. “All in our own camp knew we had the potential. We are not a bad side and we got an extra bit of motivation from everyone tipping Inagh/Kilnamona. Our performance in that game was brilliant. We did to Inagh/Kilnamona what they had done to everyone else over the last few years. We dogged them and worked hard and we had the class to get the couple of scores and stay ahead. It was a great win, a great game of camogie and a great advertisement for the Clare championship as well”.
O’Sullivan said the East Clare side are determined to win on Saturday to get another crack at the provincial championship. “This year we have seven debutants in the senior side for the championship and that is what it’s all about, bringing on the new players and having a good structure. The senior players can’t stay going forever. We need competition for places. These debutants have a chance to make a name for themselves on Saturday”.
They have a clean bill of health heading into this weekend’s decider but expected a number of girls to be playing in their first senior final. “Truagh-Clonlara are an excellent team. Both of us are unbeaten, Our focus is to win a second senior title”
“Look the real winner in Clare is camogie. The teams will bring a massive crowd to Saturday’s final and it will be the same for the intermediate and senior B finals. Clare camogie is the real winner”.