Croker chiefs plan time delay to avoid ‘Semplegate’ repeat
Nothing like what happened when the counties met in a Munster quarter-final in 2007 will be repeated.
Semplegate seems a lifetime ago, a perception supported somewhat by the possibility of as little as three survivors starting at the weekend — Tom Kenny, Pa Cronin and Brendan Bugler.
Each county were fined €5,000 (Cork an extra €2,500 for not complying with Munster Council instructions) following the pre-match tunnel fracas while Clare had four players suspended and Cork three.
It took two to tango but the fault for the teams meeting one another in the tunnel was Cork’s. “The timing was unfortunate in both teams coming out together,” recalls then Cork manager Gerald McCarthy. “There was nothing premeditated. It was a fluke. Niall McCarthy was injured but just before the team were set to leave the dressing room he stopped them and gave a pow-wow speech so we were delayed.”
Clare captain at the time Frank Lohan remembers it as the major flashpoint in a forgettable season for the county. “I’d look back on the year with regret more than that game. It was a difficult year for us. We’d a new manager in Tony (Considine) and very quickly a dispute arose that painted the year for everyone (the manager’s differences with Davy Fitzgerald and the county board). Preparations were only okay going into the game. There was more disruption than we would have liked. We were up for it, though, no question about that, and I led the team out from the right hand side as you look out the field. It’s rarely you see another team approaching from the far side at the same time but Cork had been delayed in coming out. They ran out at a time different to the time they were supposed to.”
Referee Pat O’Connor saw none of it as he was still in his dressing room. “I was just about to go out when I heard one of the teams running past. I thought ‘well if the teams are out now I better head out myself’.
“All hell had broken loose but the first notification I got was when one of the stewards said I’d have my hands full. I asked why and he said there was mayhem but I didn’t see any of it until the replays were shown on TV.
“I had a word with the two captains and told them I expected them to be on their best behaviour. There was no repeat of it and not a dirty stroke in the game.
“When I heard the two teams had come out together I was surprised because usually there’s a time rota in Thurles and they usually stick to it. Something just went wrong.”
Lohan may have been a two-time All-Ireland winning veteran at that stage but there was little doubt in his mind who were better equipped to deal with the drama prior to throw-in.
“Cork were much more experienced. I was experienced but the team was changing at that stage. Cork were able to get into a rhythm very quickly and then went out of sight.”
He can’t stress just how different the Clare set-up was then to the way it is now. “You can’t relate it to the current set-up. If you’re to be successful you need everyone pulling in the same direction. Sunday’s the culmination of a team, a management, a county board, a group of supporters working together although it’s only over the last few matches that the supporters have really got behind the team. Everyone working in the same direction. There have been one or two hiccups but overall they have been working well.”
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