Injuries the enemy for reigning champs

Three-in-a-row is not a topic of discussion in Crusheen, despite the fact the club’s senior hurlers are in line for a third Clare Senior Championship success in as many years.
“[It] is the furthest thought on my mind at this stage. We are under pressure for the first game, the result of which will dictate our summer,” said Crusheen manager Michael Browne this week, winding up preparations for the opening round on Friday when the holders will play Broadford.
“If we win, we will be in a good position but, if we lose, the pressure is on and it will give Tulla and Newmarket (the other teams in the group) a great boost.”
“Our Clare Champion Cup campaign hasn’t been good. We started off okay but then we lost Jamie Fitzgibbon to injury and were further disrupted because of the unavailability of a number of players for a variety of reasons. That was all reflected in our league.
“Yes, we beat Clooney well in the last game but, in fairness, Clooney didn’t have a lot of their players,” Browne explained.
Having won the title for the past two years, is motivation an issue.
“It’s not an issue for the younger lads, they just want to play. For the older lads, work and commitments to family is a big issue at the moment. Those who have work must be careful and those who haven’t are under pressure. A lot of those who have work are involved in shift work, which doesn’t help preparations,” he replied.
He did acknowledge, “we are fortunate that we haven’t lost anyone to emigration. The danger is, if you were to lose a first round championship game some of the young lads might head off”.
In the Crusheen manager’s view, the change in the timing of the championship hasn’t helped.
“In the past couple of years we would have played two games by now. Motivation is difficult and commitments are more difficult and awkward.
“We played them (Broadford) in the quarter-inal last year in Clarecastle. We won well in the second half but they are a better team this year. They are very much up for this game and they are using a lot of good young players and hoping to open up our defence. They have found a couple of players as well and it will be a lot closer this time,” the champion’s manager predicted.
Jamie Fitzgibbon, one of the stars of the team’s success last year, is ruled out of this week’s tie. He suffered an ankle injury in training with the Clare U-21s some weeks ago and is due to see a specialist next week.
Team captain for the past two years, Gerry O’Grady recently returned to action but remains a doubt while Pat Vaughan, another of the key figures in the successes of the past two years, is also only recently back in action following a long lay-off due to a groin injury.
“We just want to get our own heads right and we are not thinking of anything else. If the injuries clear up and we can get a decent team out and get a few breaks, which every team needs, then maybe the bit of experience we have gained and the hardness that has come into the team might squeeze us over line.
“We are not looking beyond this game,” Browne concluded.