Lohan gave ‘a lot of thought’ to retiring

BRIAN LOHAN has enough faith in the Clare team and management to commit himself for a further year, even though he seriously considered retiring last year.

Speaking after a light training session ahead of the clash between the 2004 and 2005 Vodafone GAA All Stars teams in the grounds of the Singapore Polo Club, he said he gave “a lot of thought” to giving up after last season’s defeat to Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final: “I had originally thought that last year would be my last. But, the way things turned out and losing the game that we did, we’ll have another cut at it this year and see how we get on.’’

Heartbreaking as the defeat was, Lohan says Clare could have no real regrets. Cork and Galway contested the final “on merit” and in his view Clare played as well as they were able on the day: “We prepared as well as we could, but we just came up that bit short.’’

Clare disappointed in the League final against Kilkenny and went out to Tipperary in the Munster championship before reinvigorating their challenge in the qualifier series.

“You could say we were inconsistent, but I think we [only] lost four games in the whole year [including the opening League tie with Galway]. Other than that, you could say we were pretty consistent - if you take the bad games out of it.”

Lohan agreed that Anthony Daly’s decision to continue as manager influenced his decision to stay on; without elaborating, he points out that Daly “got a lot of grief out of it as well.”

The full-back feels that Tipperary will have “a big say” in the destination of the championship along with Limerick, who he expects to benefit from having all their dual players available

“It’s an open championship in the sense that you have seven or eight teams who are ‘there’ and will feel that they can beat any of the others. I suppose Cork and Kilkenny are that little bit removed from everyone still. But any of the other teams would fancy their chances of beating one another.”

Lohan also considered the controversy over the current Allstar selection. With four such awards in his pocket - 1995, 1996, 1997 and 2002 - he knows whereof he speaks.

“Whenever you pick it’s always going to be controversial. Realistically, you had probably 20 players vying for 15 positions.

“I suppose the one that was most controversial was that Donal Óg Cusack didn’t get the goal. In fairness Fitzy [Davy Fitzgerald] had a great year as well and I’d say it was very close between them. I’d say that if there’s one player that could feel aggrieved, it would be Tom Kenny. I thought he had a fabulous year this year and last year and I don’t think he has ever won an Allstar.”

* All-Ireland final referee Seamus Roche from Tipperary will referee the game.