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*Clooney/Quin goalkeeper, Keith Hogan. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
Although they suffered their first and only defeat of the Clare SHC relegation series, it didn’t prove to be fatal for Clooney/Quin in their endeavours to stay senior.
Conceding the final four points to O’Callaghans Mills saw Clooney/Quin lose out by a margin of two points last weekend. Fortunately for the 2017 county finalists, it didn’t come with a heavy price as scoring difference proved to be their saviour with Crusheen relegated despite having the same amount of points as both Clooney/Quin and the Mills.
Clooney/Quin joint manager, Noel Harrison reflected in the moments after the Mills match, “The bottom line is that we’re delighted to stay up but I’ve mixed emotions really after losing a game by a narrow margin but still being told at the final whistle that objective number one has been achieved and we’re safe. So overall it’s good news really and we’re relieved that’s its over”.
He added, “I mean the end of that match, with the way the weather conditions were gone, it was just absolute torture to be playing against the storm. We could barely break our own 45 metre line with a puck-out so it was just about trying to hold out for the final whistle that sadly came when we were two down.
‘I didn’t think that six points was enough to be ahead at half-time considering the conditions as they were but then Murphy’s Law, the wind got twice as bad halfway through the second half so we just had to grin and bear it. We had 14 players behind the ball for the last ten minutes and it was just a matter of trying to see it out. We didn’t unfortunately but at least we’re safe, that’s the most important thing”.
