Battle weary Cleary shoulders the defensive drive

This week’s Clare Champion includes a very special, 16-page souvenir supplement to mark Clare’s success in the All-Ireland Hurling Final. In this supplement we talk to Tony Kelly, Brian Lohan, Shane O’Donnell, John Conlon, Conor Cleary, Cathal Malone, Eibhear Quilligan, Brendan Bugler, Pat O’Donnell, Tommy Corbett, Deirdre Murphy, Davy Fitzgerald and many more. We also have all the colour from before, during and after the game, the excitement from the homecoming events on Monday night and a souvenir team poster. This collector’s item is in the shops now.
Below, Eoin Brennan chats to Conor Cleary.

A recurrence of last year’s dislocated shoulder injury ensured that Conor Cleary would have to chew his nails on the sidelines for extra-time just like the thousands of Banner supporters in Croke Park.
It was exceeding tense by that stage but despite a very auspicious treatment table of National League winning captain Cleary, Shane O’Donnell, Diarmuid Ryan and Mark Rodgers, a resilient and reshuffled pack managed to prevail.
“It wasn’t easy.” Admitted the Miltown Malbay native. “I had gotten a few injections and had a few pulls of the green whistle by then so I don’t know if I saw much of extra time but it was very hard. “When you’re with the group for about ten years, you’re just really trying to will lads to win the game.
“So it was very tough but no better men to see it through and they did it in fairness.”
A battling finish was a prerequisite, having gotten off to such a slow start when finding themselves trailing by seven before even the end of the opening quarter.
“We knew coming into it the form the Cork forwards were in and we were under pressure in the first half, but we showed good character to stay in the game and worked our way into it.
“But it was very physical. I think Cork bring a different dynamic to it with the movement of their forwards and they all get good, quality ball in as well, so the pace that they play at and the physicality they bring is a big thing.”
Cork’s treble inside threat allied to an early yellow card ensured that full-back Cleary, who was shadowing Brian Hayes throughout until succumbing to injury in additional time of normal time, had to walk a tightrope for almost the last hour of the contest.
How did he manage that?
“It’s something probably Brian always says about next ball. I know it’s very cliched but that’s all you can really do, you reset and go for the next ball and kind of work your way into the game.
“I kind of did that from then on, but sure listen, as a back and as an inside back, it’s never good to be on a card that early but you just have to reset.
“I think you have to take yourself out of the moment as well, it’s not about you in that moment, you’re trying to contribute to the team.
“That was my mindset anyway, you’re trying to reset quickly and seeing what you can bring to the team for the next 50 or 60 minutes.”
Clare’s miserly last line with Cleary at its apex flanked by tigerish newcomers Adam Hogan and Conor Leen managed to tame Cork’s chief marksmen as Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly and Brian Hayes had raided for 9-31 from play in the lead up to the final but could only manage five points between them on Sunday.
“Conor and Adam are great lads in fairness to them. I mean Conor Leen only came into the team for the Tipp game. It was very late in the Munster Championship but he has been outstanding since and shur everyone knows how good Adam [Hogan] is.
“The three Cork inside forwards are probably the best full-forward line in the country and so we knew that we were going to get loads of it today and we did. They had all good games too in fairness to them.”
But to score only five points?
“Ah they had other chances too though in fairness.
“That can be false at times when you see what they scored in the end but they were dangerous outside of that.
“But listen, you are marked as a back on how your man does and yeah, we’d be happy enough with it.”
Modest to a fault but something he can shout about is deservedly being an All-Ireland Senior winner at last. The first of many we hope.