*Photograph: Chris Copley
HEAD OF NEWS & SPORT with The Clare Echo, Páraic McMahon takes a look at the learnings from Clare’s National Hurling League campaign.
FOR the record, Clare’s senior hurlers played five games in the 2022 Allianz National Hurling League, winning one, drawing one and losing three. They finished in fifth position of Division 1A, above Offaly but beneath Wexford, Cork, Galway and Limerick.
Trust in Youth:
Refreshingly, Brian Lohan threw young players in at the deep end for the National Hurling League (NHL). He had little choice due to injuries but we’ll use it as an opportunity to praise the former full-back. Starting jerseys were handed out to Shane Meehan, Robin Mounsey, Patrick Crotty, Mike Gough and Darren O’Brien for the first time in this campaign and it is to be welcomed. Future planning has been neglected by previous managements but being on last year’s panel has certainly stood to players like Paddy Donnellan, Cian Galvin and Meehan.
No Plan B?
Key to progression from Munster this year given the return of the round robin format will be a strong panel. Clare used 28 players throughout the course of the League but whether this sounds like a paradox or not, they did not experiment enough with some of the 28 getting insufficient time in the spotlight. Players will make mistakes and when it is the fringe guys, they merit a second chance. Cian Nolan has been one of the top performers in the club scene but frustratingly saw no game-time. The Killaloe man deserves a shot to see if he can cut it at senior inter-county level, the same can be said for Darragh Lohan who was also confined to the sideline. What happens if the tried and trusted do not perform, get injured or suspended?
Defensive frailties:
On paper, Clare possess a deadly attack. This is also true in reality at the other side of the field where fatal errors are a regular occurrence. Knowing what is and isn’t a good free to concede appears out of their vocabulary. As referenced by this writer on Scariff Bay’s Sportsline, a stint in East Clare learning the ‘dark arts’ would do no harm for the Banner backline. Cracks in defence are most notable when the pressure is on, quelle surprise and it is this sector of the field that Clare have lost games through cheap frees, loose marking and poor tackling. This is why the likes of Nolan, Gough, Aaron Fitzgerald and Lohan needed to show what they could offer.
The TK effect:
Clare’s team contains one of the greatest hurlers of his generation in Tony Kelly, his performances are the primary reason why a quarter-final was reached in Lohan’s debut year. Keeping him in top form and nick is simply essential as both the team and supporters feed off his presence with the opposition caught in a stir. It’s no coincidence that Clare were unable to win while he was out of action with injury. The task for his teammates is to do their share and carry more of the burden.
Tactical adaptations:
A new feature of Clare’s displays is the diagonal movement of ball from defence, regularly play will move from left wing back to full back to right wing back with netminder Eibhear Quilligan now having a greater role in distribution while the game is in-play. Improving puckout retention remains a challenge with their return of 58% in their last outing against Galway falling short of the 78% achieved against Wexford and Limerick. The tactical nous of the management has yet to be scrutinised, it will be over the course of the Munster round-robin.
Treatment table:
Busier than it should be, unfortunately. Lohan and his management never had a full deck to choose from with over a dozen players out of action at different stages in the league. One of the county’s unsung heroes, Colm Galvin also announced his inter-county retirement prior to the commencement of the NHL in another blow to their plans.
Old School is sometimes better than new school:
Lohan was and remains one of Ger Loughnane’s most trusted lieutenants. He may have taken a leaf out of his former manager’s book with one approach to date this year which yielded an initial reward. Aron Shanagher started Clare’s first competitive game of 2022, an easy win over Waterford. His display was poor for his standards and so the Shannon man was shown to the sideline, while there he could see that Mark Rodgers was more than able of wearing number fourteen and it kicked him into gear. When he returned to action he was a different man, including a 0-02 haul from the bench versus Offaly. Unfortunately a quad injury has disrupted Shan’s efforts of proving a point.
Find of the league:
In Scariff, they know Patrick Crotty for his dedication, his early morning free-taking sessions and his bundles of potential, they have been aware of this for some time. His scoring prowess in last year’s Clare SHC caught the attention of Lohan while his showings and raised socks in this year’s NHL put him on a much wider radar. Strong in the air and capable of putting the ball between the posts, it sounds simple but it marks the traits of a decent forward and that Crotty certainly is.
Player of the league:
Up until a knee injury ended his involvement, it appeared that Mark Rodgers was on course to be rightly viewed as Clare’s top man of the league. With him out of the equation, there is no clear candidate, given his rise from last year’s NHL when his main contribution was being one of two close contacts following a brief cameo against Wexford, Shane Meehan has stood up to the mark and his haul of 2-04 all from play in five games sees him get the nod.
Spots to fill:
John Conlon appears to be the solution in the eyes of management to filling the centre back berth. Diarmuid Ryan is arguably the long-term option for the role and the deployment of Conlon also withdraws Clare’s most physical attacking threat. The return of Shane O’Donnell is a god-send, so too the addition of Peter Duggan and Ian Galvin. There are plenty of options up front but nailing down the back six and midfield pairing is not so clear.
Parting shot:
Dr Padraic Quinn, one of the greatest GAA men in County Clare, was dispensed by management as abruptly as a medical bag is pulled from the sideline when a player goes down injured. The Sixmilebridge GP has been involved with Clare teams since 1979, not taking a penny in the process and deserved better treatment. Fair enough if a new approach was decided but a man who has given so much for so little warranted a more amicable bedside manner from the persons behind his departure.
Can we get out of Munster?
Is féidir linn.
