Sexton Expecting Tough Test In Dr Hyde Park

THE mood in Colm Collins’ camp will be buoyant this week after an excellent, hard-fought victory over Kildare last weekend.

Every bit of positivity will be needed come Sunday as the Banner make the journey to Dr Hyde Park in Roscommon to take on Anthony Cunningham’s charges.

Clare fought back from three-point deficits twice during their clash with the Lilywhites, while the Rossies have twice forfeited six-point leads in their first two games and sit bottom of Division Two with just one point.

Keelan Sexton led Clare’s attack against Kildare, slotting 0-4 and making the GAA.ie team of the week. Sexton knows Clare are going to have to replicate their form from last weekend if they are to have any chance against Roscommon.

“You’d love to be going up there playing them after they had two wins in the bag, as opposed to the position they’re in now. They’re a quality side and were six points up in two games this season and they are probably really annoyed with themselves.

“From our point of view, we just have to take it as another two points. Going up there is going to be a really hard task and I think we have played them a few times over the years, and I can tell you that they are a quality outfit. We’ll be focussed on getting our ship right.

“We will be going up there with a good chance, but we know it will be no easy task. You could kind of compare them to a wounded animal at the moment – it is a dangerous time to be facing them. We need to be aware of that and plan accordingly.

“We played Roscommon in the league in Ennis two years ago and they got the better of us. It was close enough affair, but they just got away from us in the end. We’re on a similar level to them. Both teams have picked up a few new names since and I doubt there will be any feeling out stage on Sunday. We know what’s required; to compete with them you have to be as good as them and to beat them you have to be better,” Sexton said.

Sunday’s trip to Roscommon will mark Clare’s third national league game in 14 days and while Sexton says it is great to be getting so many games this early in the season, he says the bodies will take a bit of minding after a tough outing with Kildare.

“It is great to be getting so many games in at this stage of the season – this is why we play the game. We have a great backroom team and they’re really good at managing those loads and they make sure our bodies are well looked after.

“As the old mantra goes: ‘You have to be prepared to be hit when you get in there’ and I think we do that well. We take our punishment and get on with things.

“It’s up to the individual too to get the right things into the body and obviously you’d be a bit sore after a tough game like the Kildare one. It was one of the hardest games I’ve played in with the weather and everything. It was almost as if we were trying to play piggy in the middle with them and they were just banging into us every time.

“We were just looking at it as a chance to get two points and any time you play at home; you want to play well for the fans. They came out in the bad weather and supported us so we knew we needed to put in a performance that they could be proud of. Everyone had their shoulder to the wheel, and you couldn’t single anyone out for effort,” Sexton conveyed.

Sexton believes a win as big as big as the Kildare scalp after narrowly losing out to Westmeath could really benefit the younger members of the squad and to fill them with the belief required to don the Clare jersey. Sexton knows how important belief can be in a division as wide open as Division Two.

“You’re not going to get anything easy from Division Two and that’s the good thing about it. The day you think you’re going to go out and win handy is going to be the day you will be turned over easily. It’s pure fantastic. No team has had it easy as long as we’ve been in Division Two – it’s just that kind of division.

“The week before last we went up to Mullingar and we were really disappointed not to come away from the game with something. Wednesday night after it in training, everyone knew that we needed massive energy for last Sunday and Colm reiterated that we needed to put in a performance.

“It was a real character building performance and there has been a lot of talk about who we have lost at the start of the year but not much about who we gained. I think the group that is there now are using that energy to drive it on. You’re not alone trying to prove a point but to show that we’re still a good bunch of players. Colm has it driven into us that it is all about the team. New lads have come in and then the last day the lads that came off the bench really finished the job for us. A win like that really breeds confidence,” Sexton finished.