Clare ready to step back up, says Hehir
Clare Hehir: Panel effort that has gone in this year has been second to none.
If their opening round draw in February is a preview of what is to come, the Centra National League Division 1B camogie final between Clare and Dublin will be widely-anticipated.
To gain promotion to the top tier, victory in UPMC Nowlan Park on Sunday (12.15pm, on RTÉ) is necessary.
The sole unbeaten team in 1B, Clare appear to be regaining their form.
Eugene Foudy has taken over the helm, he led Inagh/Kilnamona to senior county success last year.
Senior county stalwart Clare Hehir, who was fittingly nominated for an All-Star in 2025, played a starring role in that win.
“I know Eugene inside out at this stage,” she jokes. “We’ve had a nice bit of success with the club, so we are looking forward to that reflecting in the Clare jersey.
“We used the league to get game time into girls and trying out new things.
“It was about regaining focus this year, and the results came. That was the goal, to get to that league final. A draw the first day against Dublin, and then wins after that.
“The draw against Dublin was a tough test at the beginning of the league. A lot of training has been done since, a big block.
“I’m sure Dublin are the same and they’ll obviously want to get back to 1A as well as us.
“With a blend of some coaches from last year and some new additions, Eugene has brought us to that next level. I think we are ready to take that step back up.” The Banner county was down this road 12 months ago, but the end result didn’t go their way.
Returning to the final is a testament to their resilience, it forms part of a double-header with the 1A showdown Waterford and Galway( 2.15pm, on RTÉ).
It’s not that long ago, Clare were in that top grade.
“Waterford were similar to us five or six years ago and have really pushed on. You can only look on at their success. I suppose we do envy them.
“In Clare, you need buy-in from all the players. We are not a massive county, but we do have that success at club level in Scarriff and Clonlara.
“That buy-in is improving. The panel effort that has gone in this year has been second to none.” The upcoming Munster senior championship provides a level playing field. The Saffron and Blue will be keen observers at the Kilkenny venue, they play the Déise in a quarter-final.
“Waterford are coming to town in the championship and it is one we need to win. If we could get to the final, it is a double-header with the Munster hurling championship. It’s nice to be playing in the stadiums, we think we deserve to be there.”
More of those big occasions await in a newly structured All-Ireland senior championship divided into two groups, where Galway, Cork, Tipperary and Waterford make up Group 1.
My view is mixed to be honest,” Hehir says.
“Great to see the Organisation is open to change, but you are going to see five very competitive games in Group 2 (Dublin, Clare, Limerick, Offaly, Kilkenny and Wexford).
“There is no jeopardy in Group 1, you are automatically guaranteed a quarter-final. Hard to understand them all coming through. And we have six teams in our group that will be fighting very hard for two quarter-final spots.
“We gave our feelings on that at the beginning of the year, so we will park it for now.
“We’ll play what’s in front of us and put the head down and fight for those two spots.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
