Conlon: Clonlara have found maturity in clutch moments

John Conlon sensed something new in the Clonlara dressing room this year

John Conlon Clonlara in action against David Sweeney Kiladangan during the AIB Munster GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship Semi-Final at FBD Semple Stadium. Pic: Stephen Marken/Sportsfile

John Conlon is sitting in the Old Stand dugout. His bloodied hands and broad grin tell of a battle just survived. The view in front of him is a Thurles field packed full of delighted Clonlara folk.

His gearbag is heavier for the All-Star gong picked up on Friday night. His gearbag is not yet done with 2023.

Thurles delivered passage to a first ever Munster club final. Conlon’s contribution was colossal.

From centre-forward, and later full-forward, the 34-year-old struck four points from play and assisted for four more. And there he was back on the edge of his own square in the seventh minute of second-half injury-time to fetch and usher away to safety Billy Seymour’s equalising attempt.

Hearing the final whistle seconds later, we counted 14 leaps of pure delirium from Conlon in front of the Clonlara support in the Ryan Stand.

He was quite entitled to lose the run of himself. As weeks go, Conlon had just signed off on a damn good one.

All-Star centre-back, and only the fourth hurler - after Brian Corcoran, Brian Whelahan, and Ken McGrath - to win awards at either end of the field. Munster club semi-final man of the match. Munster club finalist.

Given they’d not reached the knockout stages of the Clare championship in the three seasons prior to the current campaign, it seems silly to ask if he ever envisaged Clonlara reaching a Munster decider. And yet we ask anyway.

“Not at the start of the year, no. Our goal at the start of the year was to avoid relegation, first, and get to a quarter-final,” Conlon began.

“We knew we had the talent from the minor team that won the county in 2018. They just needed to mature. This was the year they matured.

“As a group, we have bonded so well. Now, if you say we are going to the hurling field, or to the gym, or going for breakfast after training, there are 15 or 20 lads there.

“Whereas if I put that message in the group last year, you'd only get one, and if you got two you were lucky.

“When there are those clutch moments and clutch tackles that have to be won, they are being won this year, where maybe the will to win that ball wasn't there in years previous.” 

There were several clutch moments coming down the straight at Thurles. None greater than Michael Clancy intercepting Alan Flynn’s pass at the end of the five allotted injury-time minutes. He offloaded to 18-year-old Diarmuid Stritch who nervelessly stitched the winner.

“He is such an addition to our group this year,” Conlon said of the 2022 Clare minor.

“I remember going down to a few Clonlara trainings while the inter-county season was still ongoing and just seeing him make absolute fools of lads with his step.

“He’s only doing his Leaving Cert. To be able to shoot that score, it is a great testament to what character he has. He is only going to be a superstar.” 

They were all superstars at the finish on Sunday. But how very nearly they didn’t capitalise on Kiladangan’s two red cards and their own two-man numerical advantage for the closing 18 minutes.

“I thought we had blown it. We had played really well against the wind in the second half. Really managing it well. Then they got the first sending off and we lost all shape when the second sending off happened.” 

Clonlara’s six backs stayed in their respective watchtower. But all they were doing was marking space. Kiladangan's 13 men had withdrawn and were launching their running game from deep.

“Near the end, we told everyone to push on. We went for the game going into injury time. The big thing we have worked on all year is being composed in those moments. And no better man than Diarmuid at 18 years of age. He is the coolest lad we have.

“Isn't it sweeter to win like that with your club in Thurles? What else would you want?” 

Before they could celebrate and plot for Ballygunner, there was the small matter of having to see out the aforementioned Seymour free that sailed dangerously down on their doorstep.

“I heard the brother-in-law, Ger O'Connell (selector), roaring at me to get back into the square. It was coming down and I was like, ‘Oh Jesus, John, you have to catch this’.

“Driving it into the stand and hearing the ref blow the final whistle, sure it is magical. You see all the Clonlara people just so elated. We are going on another two weeks. It will be a short winter in Clonlara with all the success of the last few weeks.”