Cooney says Banner spirits lifted on long ride home

IT was after 10pm on Sunday night when the Clare hurling team bus made it back to their Banner base from Belfast.

But despite the marathon journey the mood was upbeat. Seven days earlier Clare’s optimism at the onset of another league campaign had evaporated with a nine-point defeat on home soil against Limerick.

On Sunday, manager Ger O’Loughlin sought a positive response against Antrim and his players delivered.

“There was a lot of soul-searching done by players over the last week,” said full-back Conor Cooney. “We were hugely disappointed by what happened against Limerick. People were questioning how good we are, they were questioning our spirit and our fight. They were dead right to because we did not play well. We went up to Antrim with our backs against the wall. But everyone in our dressing room, the management and the players, were very happy with the heart that was shown up there. There was a lot of travelling by bus and train but it was a lot easier coming home when we had got a win.”

Clare had to survive some testing times before they emerged with the spoils. Wing-back James McInerney was dismissed during the second half and they had to withstand a fierce rally by Antrim before Nicky O’Connell’s late free clinched the victory.

“When setbacks like that happen in games, you have to react and we did react positively”, says Cooney. “We had a player sent off, we were hurling against the wind and things were going against us. We could have easily lay down but we fought on. We got the win and now we have something to build on for the rest of the season.”

The bulk of Clare’s team on Sunday was composed of products of their recent U21 teams. Cooney and his ilk face a major challenge in adjusting to the senior grade but the O’Callaghan Mills player is refusing to use that as a reason to explain poor performances.

“Some of our players like Conor McGrath and Cathal McInerney are very young, but they’re now expected to come to the fore up front,” he said. “It is a huge step up for us from the underage grades,” he said. “You won’t be able to push around any of your opponents too handy. But then again you look at Tipperary last year winning the senior All-Ireland with so many U21s on their team. They were a very youthful team and it didn’t stop them. We have to step up to it.”

Clare’s cause has not been aided by the loss of Brian O’Connell, who emigrated to Australia last month in search of employment.

The absence of their former captain is keenly felt in the Clare dressing room but Cooney is adamant that new leaders must now step forward.

He said: “It was a massive blow for us. He was a great leader for Clare and gave great time to the county.

“He was a big man for the younger players coming into that dressing room, as he’d help them before games. But these things happen and we have to react to that.

“You have to find new leaders and new men have to come to the fore for us now.”