Brian Lohan expressed his joy as Tony Kelly, the captain of the Clare hurling team, ascended the steps of Hogan Stand to claim the Liam MacCarthy Cup for their county. Kelly, named Hurler and Young Hurler of the Year in 2013, demonstrated outstanding leadership and incredible skill as he led the Banner to triumph against Cork on Sunday.
A euphoric Lohan shared post-match, “It’s fantastic to achieve this win. I’m overjoyed for the team to receive the highest honour in hurling, and particularly delighted for Tony who was granted the privilege to ascend the Hogan Stand steps and collect the trophy on behalf of our county.”
He praised his entire squad, and particularly those claiming their second All-Ireland title, yet he singled out Kelly for bringing a unique element to their play. Regardless of his placement on the field, Kelly constantly posed a threat to the opposition, a danger that any team would disregard at their peril.
Lohan was emphatically pleased that Kelly held the captaincy and collected the Liam MacCarthy on behalf of the team. As Clare’s senior hurling manager in his fifth year, Lohan’s faith in his team was richly rewarded, guiding them to their county’s fifth Liam MacCarthy Cup victory.
The Clare manager expressed his deep faith in his selected panel of players. Even though the game was unexpectedly stretched into extra time, Lohan praised his group’s belief in themselves, the flexibility shown during normal game time, and the valuable contributions from those who joined the game later. Ultimately, he commended the complete squad for their high standards.
Throughout the season, Clare has demonstrated great tenacity and tenacious spirit, especially in their capacity to handle disappointments, notably after falling short in Munster. As Lohan stated, every season is unique and after the Munster finale, the team took a breather only to return with intensified zeal, preferring to lose a quarter-final rather than an All-Ireland semi-final or final.
Their return was marked with an incredible renewal of energy, showing their willingness to put in the work. There was a real hunger among the group and leadership element within the team which led to their impressive performance. Despite facing a challenging beginning, with a scoreline of 1-8 to 0-4 in the first quarter, they managed to halt Cork’s aggressive approach. The turning point of the match was, unquestionably, Aidan McCarthy’s goal in the 17th minute, which transformed the game’s momentum.
Lohan perceived his team’s comeback from a difficult start as crucial to their eventual win. He stated that they anticipated Cork’s racing start, but their fierce opening took them by surprise. Despite this, they persisted and made a comeback before the half-time whistle. McCarthy’s goal was a breakthrough for them, which helped them relax and play better.
Tony’s outstanding performance in the second half and extra time, along with contributions from Shane O’Donnell, John Conlan, Diarmuid Ryan, and Conor Cleary, played a pivotal role. Among these Clare players, Cleary won his first Celtic Cross. Despite joining the panel in January 2014, mere months after Clare’s previous All-Ireland win, Cleary has put in significant effort. The Clare full back ended the match with an injury, admitting that watching the closing moments from the sideline was tough.
“It was challenging, given the limited injections I’ve received recently, wondering if I really witnessed all of extra-time. However, it’s a difficult task when you’ve been part of a team for a decade, you want to motivate the boys to take home the victory,” Cleary remarked.
“It is indeed intense, but fair to say, there’s no one better suited to handle it.”
While Cleary was put up against Brian Hayes, he received a caution in the starting half of the game. Nevertheless, he persevered towards his duty and made considerable strides throughout the match.
“It’s not ideal to be cautioned that early as an inside back, though one has to regroup,” he announced. “I believe it is necessary to detach yourself from the situation occasionally. It should not be about you at that instant, rather your contribution towards the team.
“That was my point of view. One should look to reset promptly and figure out what can be contributed to the team in the impending 50, 60 minutes, or whatever.
“We came in knowing the exceptional form of the Cork forwards and we were already under strain in the first half. But we demonstrated admirable resilience to remain in the game.”