Hype affected Déise, says Davy
The Clare boss, who last night named an unchanged team from the side that beat Limerick in the All-Ireland SHC semi-final, said the build-up in the Banner County has been nothing short of incredible this part fortnight, but admitted he has exhausted every avenue to ensure his squad were well shielded.
“I suppose the thing I learned with Waterford the last time was maybe the lads got caught up in the hype,” the Sixmilebridge man told Clare FM. “It was very hard because Waterford hadn’t been in a final for 45 years. Trust me, if you get caught up in the hype you are in trouble. I am trying to make sure that doesn’t happen here. People are excited and that is great, but we need to detach ourselves from that and not get caught up in it.”
Fitzgerald has kept a tight lock on the gates of Cusack Park during training hours this summer and also requested the Clare public refrain from approaching any of his panel members in the run-in to tomorrow’s rematch with Cork.
“Normally we keep the sessions closed, the reason for that is there is a lot of stuff we want to work on. We just want the lads to be in a relaxed environment and not where there are loads of people around.
“It’s just best if people see the lads to just wish them the best of luck and not go into the match, let the players keep their minds as clear as they possibly can because they are probably feeling it a bit and the last thing you want to be doing, trust me, is talking about it.
“I hope we will make it into a battle on Sunday. The occasion could get to you. A semi-final, grand, but a final is completely different, especially in a county like Clare.
“The hype is unreal. Before the Munster semi-final people thought we had nothing to do but go out and beat Cork and they gave us a lesson.
“This game is massive. 82,000 people, the atmosphere will be incredible and we have nine lads who are 22 or younger. We are there, we have a 50-50 chance and by god we want to make the best of it.”
Meanwhile Limerick senior hurling manager John Allen has promised county board officials a decision on his future “early next week.”
Allen, who guided Cork to their last All-Ireland senior title in 2005, confirmed that he met with Limerick county board officers this week and he would do the same next week.
