The day Banner boys became men
The moment of transformation came midway through the second-half when Cork cancelled out an eight points deficit to draw level. From the 26th to the 53rd minute Clare had managed one point against a fired-up Cork defence while the Rebels had scored nine.
Clare were under severe pressure and, in another era, this was where the game would have slipped away. This was where they would have folded up the tent.
This team though is different, this team has belief and confidence in abundance. They’re young, but in their careers they’ve had Munster success at minor, then repeated success at All-Ireland level in the U21 grade. For that we can thank the likes of Donal Moloney, Gerry O’Connor and Paul Kinnerk who had them in those years.
Now we can thank Davy Fitzgerald, Louis Mulqueen and Mike Deegan, who have brought them to this glorious stage.
Above all though, we have to credit the players. Yes, they’ve had expert coaching and management, but so much of this comes from themselves. To be brought out of you, you must have it in you in the first place.
So, boys became men, none more so that late call-up Shane O’Donnell. What a return on your starting debut in Croke Park and what a day to do it! We saw something similar last year, a raw recruit sprung from the bench for an All-Ireland final replay and stealing the show with Walter Walsh the man-of-the-match in Kilkenny’s victory over Galway.
This was different though. The way Davy Fitz handled this was brilliant. Knowing Shane was a nervous type, inclined to get over-hyped when he knew well in advance he’d be starting, he delayed informing the youngster until he was literally on the bus. It meant there was little time for nerves. A psychological masterstroke.
For all his brilliance however, Shane O’Donnell isn’t my man-of-the-match. That goes to the number 15, Conor McGrath. What a game, what a work-rate, what intelligence in his play.
He’s been doing that all year but one area in which I’ve critical of him — his scoring return. But on Saturday, he answered those criticism with a stunning and crucial, goal.
A lesser player would have taken the easy option, the soft option, and gone for the point, especially when faced with Shane O’Neill and then Anthony Nash behind him. But Conor went for the jugular, and got his reward.
It wasn’t just up front though that Clare had their heroes. At the back, David McInerney was very solid all through, while captain Patrick Donnellan was outstanding in midfield, then did the job of sweeper in the last ten minutes.
A man I single out for special mention, not for the first time, is Brendan Bugler. Again, and when most required, he showed tremendous leadership. For me, he’s the forgotten man when everyone talks about player-of-the-year. But for me also, he’s very close to getting this award.
In these two All-Ireland finals we’ve seen 11-73 scored; everyone is raving about that, about the great spectacle but to me it speaks of poor defending.
I take Cork especially to task about this. They were caught the first day, 25 points conceded; they knew Clare’s play, had three weeks to study it, should have known where Clare were strongest in terms of their attacking threats. Yet they were caught again except this time with more serious consequences.
Everyone was talking about the possibility of Clare playing a sweeper, but why didn’t Cork do so? They were the ones who needed to shore up their defence, why didn’t they do so?
The most basic tactic always in hurling has been to stop the man coming down the middle with the ball — who stopped Patrick Donnellan? Had it not been for Stephen McDonnell Cork were in even more trouble on Saturday.
What I have to admire about Cork, however, was their courage, their determination, their never-say-die attitude. It brought them back to level terms, which is where we come back to the opening paragraphs above.
Where the Clare boys then became men, this was where Cork fell down. First it was Patrick Horgan with a bad wide before Conor Lehane opted for the point and missed the target. Cork could never get their noses in front but how many chances had they? How many times did they take the wrong option? How many times they failed when the biggest questions were asked?
They come out with honour, no question about that, but they don’t come out with any silverware. Cork can come back from this, but not with this starting 15.
Clare are worthy champions, the better team by far over the two days. They are All-Ireland champions this year at U21 and senior and have done us all proud. A word of warning though; in 1997 Clare were All-Ireland minor and senior champions, looked set up to go onwards and upwards.
I don’t need to tell this team, or their manager, what happened afterwards.
