Brian Lohan: Hard to recover from that, mentally and physically

5 June 2022; Clare manager Brian Lohan during the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Final match between Limerick and Clare at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

On an afternoon where their huffing and puffing almost brought the green house down, what was sorely absent from the Clare challenge was an inside goal threat.

Across 90-plus minutes, Brian Lohan’s charges created all of two green flag opportunities - an unpleasant stat from a Clare perspective, but one that perfectly captures their failure to trouble Limerick’s last line.

The first of those goal chances was arguably the greater of the pair, Shane O’Donnell’s burst through the centre on 47 minutes ending with a low shot that was blocked by the body of the diving Mike Casey.

The second arrived right at the game’s end, substitute Mark Rodgers’ rasper deflected over Nickie Quaid’s crossbar.

Banner limitations in front of the Limerick goal was an area the Clare camp failed to improve upon after a similarly dry afternoon against the Treaty three weeks ago in Cusack Park, a goalless Clare outing that ended with both members of their two-man full-forward line - Peter Duggan and Robin Mounsey - sitting in the main stand.

Whatever else, Clare had been forewarned of the need to bring something different to the table to trouble Sean Finn, Mike Casey, and Nickie Quaid's goal. They were unable to do so, however.

“They’re an exceptionally good team, an exceptionally good bunch of defenders. We knew that, and they got one goal chance and they took it. We probably got one, didn’t take it. At this pitch of sport and this pitch of hurling and up against that kind of team, its tough lessons,” said Clare manager Brian Lohan.

Having had the momentum of denying Limerick victory at the end of regulation time, Clare failed to carry this into extra-time. Limerick, unperturbed at not getting the job done first time around, swiftly opened up a three-point lead to leave tiring Clare chasing once again.

“They got the first three points which was a tonic for them and it’s tough to come back from that, but our lads are made of good stuff and it’s just unfortunate.

“We’ve a good group there that work exceptionally hard and they give their all every time they go out. We couldn’t ask for anymore. Unfortunately for us, it wasn’t good enough today.” 

And turning the head to a quarter-final in a fortnight’s time, Lohan didn’t hesitate to remark how difficult a job he expects it to be for all involved to rouse themselves from this defeat for a return to the well.

“It just puts us under pressure for the next two weeks. It’s going to be hard to recover from that, mentally and physically, so we’ll see how we go.”