*Sam Sheedy tackles Pearse Lillis. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
BALLYEA’S workrate is central to them making back to back Clare SHC finals.
Robbie Hogan will hope to lead the men in Black and Amber to senior championship glory for the fourth time in their history and what would be his third time as manager.
Speaking to The Clare Echo following their impressive semi-final win over Cratloe, he outlined, “We’re delighted to be back in a final again, it’s great for the community and great for the parish. You’ve got to relish these days because they don’t come around too often. There were 18 teams that started out and now there are only two left so we’re delighted to be one of those and that’s down to the lads’ heart and effort”.
Hogan continued, “We were put to the pin of our collar today as we were down a man for the bulk of the game but once there’s fight in the lads, they just keep going and going and the hooks, blocks and tackles, that’s ultimately what it’s all about and they did it in spades today.
Leadership came to the fore when Ballyea were reduced to fourteen men in the semi-final on seventeen minutes following a second bookable offence for All-Ireland U21 winner, Gearoid O’Connell. “When these things happen, you’ve just got to keep your head because if you lose the head, you lose the game. That’s down to the boys on the field taking ownership of things.
“We learned a bit from the last Cratloe game at the group stages and once we kept up the work-rate and intensity, we managed to stay on top and thankfully get back into the final,” he concluded.
For Cratloe boss, Conor Earley there was obvious disappointment for their season to come to a close. “We’re gutted, we’d be working really hard all year but today we were a small bit off the pitch of it and Ballyea were a bit ahead of us so when there’s such small margins there, that’s what happens. Fair play to Ballyea, they’re a great side and will take beating in the final but we’re really disappointed”.
They failed to capitalise on the numerical advantage, Earley felt. “We had plenty of possession and chances but just didn’t take them but to be honest, Ballyea used the ball extremely well and we were probably lucky to be still in the game by the time they went down to 14”.
Unbeaten in the Clare SHC up until the semi-final, Cratloe must now reflect, Conor said. “In saying that, with five or ten minutes to go, I still felt that we were in with a great chance to win and we had one of two great goal chances at the end but look, that’s the way it goes sometimes. We just have to take it on the chin now and the club will have to go back to the drawing board and go again”.
