Tag Archives: Cork

Don’t forget to buy your Clare Champion tomorrow to read our special supplement in advance of Saturday’s replay. ‘Burning Desire’ will give you everything you need to know about the upcoming clash between Clare and Cork.

SO did Clare leave it behind them? Emphatically, no. The sight of Domhnall O’Donovan on his back, while all around him Clare men, women and children were leaping into the Dublin skyline illustrates the depth of courage and mettle that has been drilled into this panel of Clare men. Had there been a chink of self-doubt or self-pity, Cork would have Liam McCarthy with them this week in the southern capital. In a game largely ruled by Clare, Cork led just the once. That they did so, a minute and a half into a mere two minutes of injury time, underlines the perilous precipice on which Clare stood. Eighteen months of work was imploding before their disbelieving eyes, while decades of regret loomed. Had Cork clung on to their one-point lead, they would have snaffled a 31st All-Ireland title that they did not earn. If they win the replay, at least they will probably have to hurl for longer and …

MOST people watching the All-Ireland felt Clare were clearly the better team, but Cork’s top scorer got a little tetchy with journalists on the subject following the game. “We got three goals; ye’re criticising us all year for not getting goals, we get three and ye’re saying they’re better than us. What are ye on about like?” Pa Horgan asked with a laugh. An unfortunate reporter asked the Glen Rovers forward if the occasion had got to Cork and was met with a fairly blunt dismissal. “Why’s that? We were up by a point boy, how did it get to us? We were two seconds away from winning an All-Ireland; I don’t know what ye’re blowing on about really.” Horgan did acknowledge that things were not looking good during the second half, with Clare streaking away from the Rebels. “With about 15 or 20 minutes to go I thought it was going to be tough enough for us. They were …

      A RISING Tide, our 68-page special supplement for last Sunday’s All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final between Clare and Cork, received a very positive response, with messages of congratulations flooding in to all who were involved in the production. If you missed your copy don’t worry, as it is available to purchase for only €1 at The Clare Champion offices, Barrack Street, Ennis. In this week’s issue, we have extensive coverage of the thrilling drawn final in addition to a preview of Saturday’s All-Ireland U-21 hurling decider between Clare and Antrim at Semple Stadium, Thurles. The throw-in is at 5pm. The curtain raiser, with a 3pm thrown-in, is the U-21 B final in which Kerry meet Kildare. Meanwhile, The Clare Champion will publish another supplement for the senior final replay. It will be included with the edition of Friday, September 27. Businesses or individuals interested in advertising in the supplement can contact sales@clarechampion.ie or phone 065-6864150.    

By Owen Ryan Speaking after the game John Conlon said the draw wasa bit of a downer, although it was almost a lot worse. “Yeah, it was a big anticlimax coming into the dressing room, one side was saying that we got out of jail and the other that we could have easily won the game,” the big Clonlara man opined, underneath the Hogan stand. He wasn’t too disappointed not to have been on for the full game. “It’s a whole panel, everyone is flying in training. When you’re in the half forward line or at midfield you’re working the whole time and you mightn’t last the 70 minutes.” One of his clubmen got the final score, forcing the draw. Conlon said he wasn’t that surprised that it was the corner back who popped up at the crucial moment. ” He’s a gas man, he’s as confident as hell. He was only saying during the week who hadn’t scored all …

In a nail-biting finish, Clare came within a whisker of losing the All-Ireland final when Cork went into a one point lead in injury time. However, Donal O’Donovan ave the day with a brilliant score to draw the game. The replay is on September 28.  It was nerve tingling for Davy. It would have been disastrous for Clare to lose.

Croke Park is beginning to fill up with speckles of Clare and Cork supporters dotted around the stadium. As we write Galway and Waterford are warming up ahead of the All-Ireland minor final. Weather wise there are a few clouds hovering but they are broken by some blue speckles. Around the stadium Clare and Cork supporters are inching their way to Croke Park, occasionally delayed by the odd detour into the multitude of nearby establishments. The Clare team travelled from Limerick railway stations this morning for what is the counties first All-Ireland senior final appearance since 2002, when Cyril Lyons was manager.

OPINIONS may be divided as to who will claim the All-Ireland senior title but all are agreed that there will be little between the sides. Tactics are a dominant topic. Will Clare continue with the sweeper system that was so effective in the wins over Galway and Limerick? In the event of this happening, what will Cork do to counteract the ploy? Will Brian Murphy return to the Cork starting line-up having missed their semi-final win over Dublin due to injury? If so, will he again be assigned the role of marking Tony Kelly, which he did so effectively in the Munster semi-final? What is certain is both management teams have put hours and hours of thought and planning into what tactics they will put into practice on Sunday. Two months ago, few would have predicted a meeting of the Rebels and the Banner in the final. Clare were comprehensively beaten by Cork in the Munster semi-final. The Leesiders then …