The future of Clare hurling

The future of Clare hurling is with young players, U-21 manager John Minogue told the attendance at last Friday’s Munster and All-Ireland medal presentation function at the West County Hotel.

Addressing the county board, Minogue said, “Maybe it’s time to move on. We have young players here who have a future. It’s time to get things sorted out and it’s time to move on and maybe it’s time that a lot of these players were given training schedules for playing senior inter-county hurling next year and the sooner this happens the better.”
Addressing the players, he said, “You have long careers ahead of you. Do you have the commitment to go forward? Your county needs you and the Clare public needs you. The county board needs you. The future of Clare hurling is in this room.”
Earlier, the manager of the victorious Munster and All-Ireland winning side said the players put in a magnificent effort and did everything asked of them.
“They had to contend with loyalty to their clubs, some were on the county senior panel, some were studying, some were trying to find summer work, which wasn’t easy, but they still managed to put in a huge effort,” he said.
He also thanked his fellow mentors, Cyril Lyons, Alan Dunne and Seán O’Halloran, the medical team and the county board.
“The seeds for this success were sown in our first year when we played Cork in Thurles and ran them close. Our second year was a nightmare. We beat Cork in Cork and then it was onto Cusack Park for the final. It was heartbreaking to walk out that evening given the way we were beaten. Great credit is due to the players and the supporters that turned out again this year. Maybe that result was what we needed to get that bit of bitterness into us to win an All-Ireland,” he said.
The manager went on to remember the late Fr Michael McNamara and the late Ger Hoey, who would “both love to be here tonight and to have witnessed the successes of this team”.
County board chairman Michael O’Neill said it was a privilege to be honouring the management team and panel. “They are tremendous ambassadors for the game and for Clare,” he said.
Special guest Bishop Willie Walsh, who presented the medals, added, “Everybody was magnificent and my special memory is the game in Thurles, when you gave an extraordinary exhibition when any other team would have lost heart.”
Well-known Gaelic games commentator Micheal O’Muircheartaigh stated, “We all need each other; the players need the manager, the mentors, the county board, the supporters. We achieve the utmost when everybody is pulling together.”
Team captain Ciaran O’Doherty also addressed the crowd. County board PRO, Syl O’Connor was the master of ceremonies.
The members of the victorious panel are Enda Barrett, Eoin Hayes, Colin Ryan (Newmarket); Noel Casey, Conor Neylon (Kilmaley); Cathal Chaplin, James Gunning (Broadford); Seán Collins, Liam Markham, Conor McGrath (Cratloe); Cian Dillon, Joe Meaney, Donal Tuohy, Ciaran O’Doherty (Crusheen); Cillian Duggan (Clooney-Quin); John Conlon, Domhnall and Cormac O’Donovan, John Moloney, Darach Honan, Nicky O’Connell (Clonlara); Blaine Earley, Patrick O’Connor (Tubber); Derek Fahy, Caimin Morey (Sixmilebridge); Eamonn Glynn, Conor Tierney (Inagh-Kilnamona); Diarmuid Hehir (O’Callaghan’s Mills); Niall Keane (Ballyea); Patrick Kelly (Clarecastle); Colm Madden (Bodyke); Kevin Moynihan (Éire Óg); Joe O’Connor, Colm Quinn (Parteen); Jamie Roughan (Wolfe Tones); Martin Tierney (Corofin) and George Waterstone (Whitegate). Presentations were also made to John Minogue, Cyril Lyons, Alan Dunne and Seán O’Halloran and to Dr Padraic Quinn and Rosaleen Monaghan.