The process to appoint Clare manager has been a sham and an embarrassment

Before I led the Clarecastle team out at half-time of yesterday’s Clare county final, to collect our 25-year anniversary plaques, somebody handed me the 1994 county final programme. We beat a young St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield team that afternoon and, as I scanned the teams, Ger Hoey’s name jumped out at me.

Ger was the spiritual leader of that young St Joseph’s team. Of all the players who took the field that day, Ger was probably the fittest and healthiest but he sadly passed away at the age of 40 10 years ago. I thought of the Hoey family yesterday but the occasion also reminded me of how lucky we are as a group that every one of us are still together.