Clare Senior Hurling 2010

Sparrow faces a classic coaching dillema here, ie how to inject some much needed fire into the jaded looking senior troupe with the undoubted raw talent and confidence brimming from the U-21 All-Ireland champs. This time last year I had Clare down as a dark horse for the Liam McArthy but their season went from bad to worse to even worse again but the bones of a serious side remains. Gilly and Griffen retiring won't have helped but this is a golden opportunity for the young lads, the likes of John Conlon,Darach Honan and Collie Ryan to step up. Hopefully their success last year won't have gone to their heads as it's done to many lads from neighbouring Limerick and Galway. If not, and Sparrow gets the mix right, Can the Banner be raised again in 2010?
Discuss.

I wouldn't say Clare's one piece of silverware will make much of a difference as more than likely only 2-3 will be good enough to make it to senior. KK won 4 u21's during the last decade, I think that fact is more significant than Clare's lone piece of silverware.

clash-of-da-ash wrote:I wouldn't say Clare's one piece of silverware will make much of a difference as more than likely only 2-3 will be good enough to make it to senior. KK won 4 u21's during the last decade, I think that fact is more significant than Clare's lone piece of silverware.

Clash - while there is certainly no guarantee of underage success translating to senior - in either code - I think a Clare/Waterford underage win is different than a Kilkenny underage win. In KK there are legends at all levels all the time and its sometimes hard to break into senior no matter how good you are at underage. That is less of a problem in the likes of Clare / Waterford. Doesn't mean the lad will make it though!

To say only 2 or 3 will make it is laughable given the fact that our options in the forwards are so paper thin that at least three of last years 21's will start......Between the last 2 21s teams at least 7 or 8 of them will be mainstay for Clare in two or three years times......We will do well to get withing 7 or 8 points of Waterford as the gap between division one and 2 is just too big.....This year is all about rebuilding and giving young/new lads their chances.....

We will end up in another munster 21's final again this year, whether we win it or not is hard to tell at this stage

Well what I mean by 2-3 is that only 2-3 would be good enough to be top class intercounty hurlers capable of making most teams.

The point is Clare winning an underage All-Ireland means something completely different to Kilkenny winning one. The main reason is as follows; Kilkenny have a vastly bigger playong pool, meaning they will more consistently have a pool of high quality players who playing together are capable of beating most opposition. Clare on the other hand don't, and need a team with outstanding individuals to make the breakthrough. Last years u21 team had that.

This is true right across the board. Newmarket have won a sweep of u21 champs. in Clare but still haven't turned it into a Senior title - lots of good hurlers, very few great ones. Clonlara on the other hand, with a smaller pool of players win an u21 champ. and win a Senior almost immediately. Playing pools is such a massive issue in hurling but it's hard to believe how widely it's ignored.

I think that is the point my post above is trying to make ...

Corner Forward wrote: Clonlara on the other hand, with a smaller pool of players win an u21 champ. and win a Senior almost immediately.

I heard the Clon had the best bunch of bench warmers in the bizness that time

Did a clare minor all ireland team of 89/90 not make the back bone of the clare team of the 90s arguable the greatest of the decade althought i would go with offaly for that, have they not done this?

Maybe im wrong maybe they won u21 as well? Dont know.

But who knows if it wasnt for an umpire on a power trip clare may have had 2 all ireland u21s in a row well at least another munster championship!

North Side Gael wrote:Did a clare minor all ireland team of 89/90 not make the back bone of the clare team of the 90s arguable the greatest of the decade althought i would go with offaly for that, have they not done this?

Maybe im wrong maybe they won u21 as well? Dont know.

But who knows if it wasnt for an umpire on a power trip clare may have had 2 all ireland u21s in a row well at least another munster championship!

89 minor team lost the A/I final to Offaly and then lost the 1992 munster 21's final to Waterford

The Puke wrote:

North Side Gael wrote:Did a clare minor all ireland team of 89/90 not make the back bone of the clare team of the 90s arguable the greatest of the decade althought i would go with offaly for that, have they not done this?

Maybe im wrong maybe they won u21 as well? Dont know.

But who knows if it wasnt for an umpire on a power trip clare may have had 2 all ireland u21s in a row well at least another munster championship!

89 minor team lost the A/I final to Offaly and then lost the 1992 munster 21's final to Waterford

Chara

Maybe even more so then that this crop of players coming through in clare at the present can do extremely well if nurtured and trained in the same way (modernised obviously) then no reason why they cant copy the feats of the great clare 90s team. I for one would like to see it.

Out of all the Clare u21 hurlers last year who are the most likely to suceed at senior level. In my opinion I would say O'Connell, Conlon and Ryan, can't think of anymore but those 3 for me really stood out and look like real good tidy hurlers.

clash-of-da-ash wrote:Out of all the Clare u21 hurlers last year who are the most likely to suceed at senior level. In my opinion I would say O'Connell, Conlon and Ryan, can't think of anymore but those 3 for me really stood out and look like real good tidy hurlers.

hard to know who will "suceed" but the likes of Touhy, Eamonn Glynn, The O'Donovans x 2, Collins, Conlon, Nickey O'Connell, Ryan and Honan will all be nailed on starters for Clare in 2/3/4 years time....While the likes of Cian Dillon, Enda Barrett, Conor McGrath, Liam Markham and Pat O'Connor will be there abouts if they keep developing


The likes of the O'Donovans, Collins and Conlon could well be the biggest successes as they are good hurlers but more importantly they are lads who are physically strong and robust and time after time for club and county they have stood up to be counted and deliver.....

draw for the senior championship

Senior Hurling
Group 1
Kilmaley
Clooney/Quin
Clarecastle
Broadford
Scariff

Group 2
Cratloe
Wolf Tones
Tubber
Sixmilebridge
Inagh/Kilnamona

Group 3
Newmarket
Smith O'Briens
O'Callaghans Mills
Tulla
Whitegate

Group 4
Clonlara
Corofin
Ballyea
Crusheen
St. Josephs, D/B

What way does it work TP? Round robin of 5 games then top two into QFs?

Which club covers New Quay?

RMDrive wrote:Which club covers New Quay?

most swingers clubs would cover nookie!!!!

Jayo Cluxton wrote:What way does it work TP? Round robin of 5 games then top two into QFs?

yip top two in each group to the quarters, 3rd and 4th go into senior B, while bottom goes in the relegation playoffs

They are well below Laois if today is anything to go by.

I went along expecting Clare to win by about 20 points, and Antrim should have won the game, with a team who do not propel the ball with the stick.

I was very disappointed in Clare.I went looking for a glimpse of good hurling.

patrique wrote:They are well below Laois if today is anything to go by.

I went along expecting Clare to win by about 20 points, and Antrim should have won the game, with a team who do not propel the ball with the stick.

I was very disappointed in Clare.I went looking for a glimpse of good hurling.

patrique i believe the real clare will show up when the temp rises..

patrique wrote:I went looking for a glimpse of good hurling.

You'd see better hurlers on the Shankhill than Antrim v Clare

mossbags wrote:

patrique wrote:I went looking for a glimpse of good hurling.

You'd see better hurlers on the Shankhill than Antrim v Clare

Musicians maybe, footballers yes, Irish Presidents certainly, but hurlers?

No, I think even Portumna would beat a team from the Shankhill.