Clarecastle looking to Daly for guidance in decider

IT’S hardly a substitute for the thrill of battle, but it’s still nice to be involved.

Still, when there is a clash of the ash tomorrow in Ennis, Anthony Daly’s pulse will start to race and he will wish himself out in the white heat of a Clare county final.

His first year as trainer of the Clarecastle team has been quite successful. A county final for the Magpies which has some of their more optimistic supporters thinking back to the glory days of Daly, the Sparrow and Fergie Tuohy in their prime. Clarecastle’s three most famous sons are all watching from the sidelines this year, as is Ken Morrissey, another integral part of that Munster club championship team.

“Of the Clarecastle team that reached the All-Ireland semi-final just four years ago, only three will start on Sunday,” Daly revealed. “It’s an amazing turnover in such a short period of time, but we’ve had a great recent record at underage level and that’s softened the blow of all the retirements.

“It’s a very young team. If you took out the Sheedys, Ger Canny and Fergie O’Loughlin, they’re all under 23, including two 17-year-olds who feature regularly.”

Under age success has certainly been key to Clarecastle’s wonderful season. However, people shouldn’t under estimate the influence of Daly on the sidelines.

Ger Loughnane has never hidden the fact he believes his former lieutenant has all the credentials to be one of the top hurling manager and in his first year as trainer of Clarecastle, Daly has certainly offered a few clues that his mentor might be right.

In the early days of the season, though, the man responsible for Croke Park’s finest piece of oratory, thought he wouldn’t last as a trainer. The pain of not playing every week was tearing at him.

“It was strange not playing at first, a real shock to the system to still be involved, to be there in the dressing room, but not running out on the pitch,” he says.

“Coaching is good, I have trained under age where I live in west Clare, but I am one of a number in the back room staff. I am just involved in the training, I am not the manager or anything.”

How does it compare to the days he was winning county titles with Clare?

“At the end of the day, it’s nothing like playing, but it’s the next best thing. It’s a good bit better than sitting in the stand. I would have suffered awful cold turkey if I’d gone straight to the stand. At least you’re still involved with the lads, you still get to go training and you have the craic and the banter.

“Playing is the thing, because when the team fall behind, you feel like you should be out there, doing something about it, you really yearn to be involved. It has taken some getting used to.” Tomorrow in Cusack Park will hurt Daly. In the days when he was cock of the walk as a Clare wing back, he was a big game player.

With Ken Ralph, the Clarecastle skipper, banned for three months because of a red card shown in the All-Ireland sevens, they would need the guile and experience of Daly to pull them through against Sixmilebridge.

“We are realistic, we are playing a team who have been in the last four finals, and we are still young. I mean, they are young, but they are successful. Clarecastle have won the last four minor titles, so they have no fear like young players have, but they also know how to win.”