Will Crusheen be able to bounce back from disappointment?

From 1995 and 2000 inclusive, Clare’s senior hurling champions went on to win the provincial title, making it six Munster senior club hurling titles in succession.
Since current Sixmilebridge senior manager Christy ‘Rusty’ Chaplin brought the trophy back to the Banner County in 2000, the prestigious title hasn’t come to Clare.
After a lapse of 11 years, hopes were high that the wait would end this year. Crusheen were a year older and more experienced and had, going on their form in the Clare championship, learned from last season’s historic first title win in Clare.
Travelling to Cork and beating the Leeside champions in the provincial semi-final strengthened hopes of Munster honours. Yes, Carrigtwohill were first-time winners in Cork but beating the Cork champions on home soil is a big achievement at any time so Clare hurling followers were entitled to be in a confident mood ahead of the provincial decider.
There was a feeling Crusheen had missed the boat after the first drawn game. They had created the better scoring opportunities, particularly in the opening half but had failed to convert these.
On top of that, most of their players have been playing senior hurling longer than their Limerick counterparts and the fear was that they might not be able to match the freshness of their opponents in the replay.
Those fears were proved right as the younger Na Piarsaigh players took control in the final quarter. Once again, they made changes in personnel during the course of the game that played a big part in their success. Crusheen’s changes didn’t make the same impact.
Understandably, Crusheen players and mentors were devastated at the final whistle but they acknowledged the better team had won on the day. The Clare side’s season is over and, for the majority of their players, the next hurling action won’t be until next March when the race for the Clare Champion Cup (senior hurling league) will begin. For those who are in college and part of college teams and for those who will be called into the county senior panel, there will be less time for rest as they will be back in action at the beginning of the new year.
When Crusheen do re-group, thoughts will turn to defending the Clare title and the challenge of making it three Clare senior titles in succession. Their win in 2011 ended a 12-year wait as the last time the Hamilton Trophy was retained was in 1999 when St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield were victorious. One has to go all the way back to 1974 for the last time a three-in-a-row was achieved. If Crusheen can hold on to the title in 2012, it will end a 38-year wait. Newmarket-on-Fergus completed a four-in-a-row back in 1974 when, interestingly, they defeated Crusheen in the final.  Could that be the driving force to propel the current Clare titleholders to bounce back from last week’s disappointment?