‘We’re in a different place this year’

Clare Senior Hurling Manager Brian Lohan is relishing a return to Croke Park for only the second time since 2013. He spoke with Ivan Smyth about lessons learned from last year’s trip to GAA HQ.

The similarities are obvious. Akin to 2022, Clare face in to an All Ireland semi final against Kilkenny after bouncing back from a Munster final defeat to Limerick.
Facing off against the third placed team in Leinster in an All-Ireland quarter-final adds to the sense of déjà vu so far in this year’s journey to GAA HQ.
The semi final showdown last year was only Clare’s second appearance in Croke Park since the 2013 All-Ireland final. There is a greater sense of cautious optimism among the Clare hurling fraternity with manager Brian Lohan expressing his view that the squad have gained valuable insights from last year’s journey.
“I think we are in a different place to last year. We invested a lot of energy in to the Munster campaign last year and the Munster final. Then as a result we were probably a bit more fatigued. That was reflected in the performances against Wexford and Kilkenny. We learned a bit from that but with these games you don’t know until you set foot on the field.”
The old saying ‘Once Bitten Twice Shy’ feels apt in the case of Clare’s flagship side. A flat, rudderless display in Croke Park left a bitter aftertaste despite a positive 2022 campaign overall.
There is a sense that this year’s journey to Croke Park has seen them expend less emotional energy, something the Clare supremo alludes to.
“We have been a bit more balanced than last year. We are not as emotional. We couldn’t allow it to be as emotional. We have got to Croke Park which is where we want to be but we hope there’s better performances in the team. We are a little further down the line than this time last year but we have areas to improve on.”
After the Banner took down Dublin last time out, The Sunday Game panel voiced concerns over the space created by Micheál Donoghue’s side against Clare. Lohan admits his side need to tighten up while he also voiced his displeasure towards the RTÉ highlights show.
“With a lot of the Sunday Game coverage, some of it is bad and some is over the top. I’ve no time for it anyway. They are all there to do a job. For all those guys on The Sunday Game it’s alright. It’s easy for them. It’s a little different for those who are working to prepare teams. You have to focus on yourself and prep yourselves as best you can.”
“With the Dublin display, we were happy with the performance and happy with the win. We produced a display that was enough but we know we have areas to improve on. With some of what we did, others will say we were wide open.”
Beating a Kilkenny side in Croke Park has historically proven the biggest challenge in hurling. The Cats’ frequent ventures to National Headquarters and their refusal to surrender in even the bleakest moments makes them a formidable foe.
Lohan has experienced the joy of beating them in a semi final at GAA HQ as a player in 1997 but lost out to them at this same juncture in 1999 and 2006. The latter defeat proved to be his last time to don the saffron and blue with the Clare boss keen to move past regaling his old playing days.
“Croke Park is a great place to be when you win. It’s not so good when you are losing. Most have experienced both except for the odd exception. It’s where we want to be playing so hopefully we can bring a big performance.”
The question on everybody’s lips within the county and even further afield is will John Conlon and Conor Cleary be able to line out on Sunday afternoon. Ripping the centre and full back out of any side provides an almost Herculean challenge to overcome especially in a Championship which to date has seen the finest of margins define teams’ seasons.
The Wolfe Tones man has a next man up mantra with Lohan holding a firm belief that the squad can and will need to be able to deal with setbacks.
“The way that the Championship is structured you are going to have injuries. Every team will have setbacks. It’s a very robust and physical Championship. To keep a full panel fit throughout the Championship is a tough task given the quality of the opposition. Our medical team, phyios and S+Cs have been working hard behind the scenes.”
“The guys themselves have worked hard to get right and keep right. There’s a huge amount of work that goes in throughout the year. In fairness we have done the work but how well is something we won’t know until we pitch ourselves against the best.”
Although this may not be the dominant Kilkenny side of the late 2000s and early 2010s, the Cats still have the nous and big game experience to trouble any opponent.
Derek Lyng’s side showed that famed Kilkenny grit in the Leinster final as Cillian Buckley’s 75th minute goal helped them down Henry Shefflin’s Galway. The former full back feels that Kilkenny’s ability to produce hurlers with the necessary steely determination, iron will and quality makes them a formidable foe.
“I suppose the biggest problem from our perspective is the quality of players they have. Whether it be Cusack, Nowlan or Croke Park they will produce a performance. They are consistently able to bring through top quality players who have all the attributes. It’s only a short time ago they were winning All Irelands. They set the standard and we saw that in the Leinster final.”
So, where does Lohan feel Clare will need to get on top if they are to end a 10 year hiatus from All Ireland final day?
“There are so many facets to the game. They are brilliant at making space, defending, winning possession in the air and on the ground. There are so many facets they have been exceptional at for years and years. We are pretty good at some things so we have to be conscious of what we can improve on. We have to get our match ups right, play the game that’s in front of us and hope we are good enough on the day.”