Daly looks for youth to lead Banner back to glory

ANTHONY DALY is relishing his appointment as manager of the Clare senior hurlers. However, Daly, who celebrated his 34th birthday last week, is under no illusions about the mammoth task he has undertaken along with Fr. Harry Bohan, and Alan Cunningham.

“I was never one to walk away from a challenge, and there is none greater than trying to get Clare back to the top of the pile after the glory years of the ‘90s,” said Daly, who will line out at corner back in Sunday’s Munster Club quarter final against Patrickswell in Cusack Park.

“This is a decision I didn’t make lightly. Because there were a number of players still involved with whom I played, I agonised over it for quite a while before agreeing to take on the job.”

Daly now finds himself in charge of players who were his team-mates not too long ago. “How I was going to handle that situation was the primary reason why I took something like 11 days to make up my mind,” he said.

“Once I was satisfied I could deal with that, there was never any doubt about taking on the job. It’s the pinnacle of my career. I’ve got so much enjoyment and have so many great memories, I felt I had to give something back to Clare.

“I know the likes of Davy Fitzgerald, Colin Lynch, Jamesie O’Connor, Seanie McMahon, Brian and Frank Lohan will give me, and Clare, 100%.

“It’s getting the best out of the younger members of the squad that’s going to test all of us who have taken over.

“Following in the footsteps of Ger Loughnane and Cyril Lyons isn’t going to be easy. Unlike other counties we don’t have a conveyer belt of talent coming through the underage ranks. Clare has never won the Munster U21 title, and it’s been years since we won a minor.

“I’m under no illusions about the job. There weren’t too many people looking for it. I do feel however there are a few players in the county quite capable of making the grade, and if we can get a bit more out of the existing squad, who knows what the future might bring”.

Daly who coined the immortal phrase, “Clare are no longer the whipping boys of Munster hurling,” when he accepted the Munster title in 1997 after his team had defeated Tipperary, faces an enormous task if the Banner County is to reach those heights again.

However, if he applies the same passion to the job as he did when a player, his two year term as coach could be a fruitful one.