Browne: We’ve work to do all over the field ahead of replay

HE may have been playing the poor mouth, but Crusheen manager Michael Browne was adamant his side were lucky to escape with a draw from Semple Stadium and have the most to work on ahead of Sunday’s replay at the same venue (2pm).

While his opposite number Sean Stack of Na Piarsaigh reflected that parity was a fair outcome, Browne was sounding a pessimistic note for Crusheen supporters as his players warmed down.

“At half-time, the odds were on us winning the game but as the second-half progressed, they (Na Piarsaigh) dominated,” he said. “They owned it, really, and we were lucky to come out of it with the draw. Having said that, we had a couple of wides and a number of frees that went wide and two balls off the upright. On another day, one or two of them would have went over and that would have been enough. But on days like this, when things go wrong for you, you normally don’t win.”

Asked what areas of the team he felt would require attention in the coming days, he was succinct: “Every place. All of the whole pitch needs work. We’ll prepare as well as we can and see what happens after that.”

At least with the replay so soon, they’re not faced with the headache of midfielder and free-taker Paddy Vaughan missing out. “He’s getting married in two weeks, but I think Paddy would nearly put that off!”

Meanwhile, Sean Stack said he was happy to return to Thurles for the replay, rather than having either side at home. “It was out of our hands where the match was on, but we don’t mind, we’ll go anywhere.”

Sunday’s rematch will come down to “who comes up with the best mental attitude,” the Na Piarsaigh boss felt. “The prize is huge, there will be great celebrations whether it’s Crusheen or ourselves. Who’ll get their heads around it, that’s who will get it.”

Caught up in the white-heat of the occasion, he only realised afterwards his team had gone 15 minutes without scoring at the end of the first-half and start of the second. “It’s a bit worrying,” he admitted. “We know at least half of our forward line didn’t perform to the best of their ability. But you perform as good as you’re let, Crusheen have a fair defence, maybe we performed as good as we were let.”

Stack maintained they had “pulled a few saves out of [Donal] Tuohy” in the Crusheen goal, “yet our goalie was idle,” before winding up with a declaration that the Limerick side were “happy” with the result.

Young sharpshooter Shane Dowling, who bagged 1-7 — all but 0-1 from placed balls — also felt a draw was the fairest outcome. “That was a fair battle out there now. We knew what we were expecting coming into the game, you don’t win back-to-back Clare titles and be unlucky in last year’s club championship by being a bad team.”

A late chance for Dowling was mis-hit: “If that went over you’re a hero, but hopefully I’ll get a chance next week to redeem myself.”