In sports, the ending can dictate the rest of the narrative. Clare’s glowing tenacity became the rationale for all outcomes, despite resilience primarily being unaffected by results. Their resilience was most apparent during their challenging times when it seemed invisible.
You should also remember that resilience can’t always provide a desirable conclusion. It’s not a bargaining chip. You cannot urge it for advantages. Clare engineered their resilience over a duration of years, gradually becoming their survival mechanism. Without it, the team would have been defeated.
Frequently, Clare’s triple losses to Limerick in the Munster finals and their double semi-final losses to Kilkenny in the All-Ireland competition are emphasised. Nevertheless, Tony Kelly, in his post-match interview, was prompt to point out the Munster final losses of 2017 and 2018, both against Cork too.
The hurling season gave us absorbing performances, particularly from O’Donnell, who shone for Clare. A dozen players who represented Clare in the Croke Park fixture on Sunday also participated in those prior Munster finals. Shane O’Donnell, who failed to score in both and was substituted 20 minutes prior to the 2018 game’s end, featured. On that same day, Kelly managed to score a single point.
The championship is filled with hardships that often result in further agony. Clare was not exempt from this. Since 2017, losing five Munster finals and three All-Ireland semi-finals did not mean they would be compensated upon winning the All-Ireland championship. They had paid a heavy price.
Champions often speak about what they learned from losses, yet there’s a shade of fabrication in this narrative. Clare must have employed this approach. In this year’s All-Ireland semi-final, they appeared to have absorbed nothing from their previous two losses in the same stage. However, they discovered a path to success, which revolved around defeating their own demons.
In that match, they were six points down and trailed by seven points against Cork in the April fixture and Sunday’s final. You can’t search for resilience in such instances, you need to be certain of its existence.
Kelly recognised that adversity has only heightened his appreciation of the sport as he grows older. Reflecting on the persistence of his 2013 teammates, who remained committed despite facing repeated defeats, including five Munster finals, he felt particularly thrilled for those like John Conlon and Davy McInerney. Indeed, the past failures add an extra sweetness to their triumphs.
Kelly spoke of how their earlier success in the sport, which came easily when they were younger, gave them a certain audacity. They believed victory was commonplace, and finals was something they would naturally progress to each year. The realisation of the difficulty and unpredictability of the sport came later.
This game held significant gravity for Kelly as well. Post the 2013 All-Ireland win, when he earned the title of the Hurler of the Year, he was on the field for four crucial championship matches in Croke Park, yet didn’t fully leverage his skills. In three of these games, despite being in the middle of the action, he struggled to leave a mark. Notably, during this year’s All-Ireland semi-final, he had to wait for 47 minutes before he secured a possession, eventually influencing the game’s result.
Being Tony Kelly, he was invariably the subject of infinite anticipations – some he unintentionally crafted himself. His remarkable skills had left a deep imprint on everyone, stoking lofty expectations. In an astonishing turn of events, he was awarded his second All-Star only in 2020, seven years after he won his first, and in four of those intervening seasons, he failed to enter the long list of nominees.
His association with Brian Lohan, which initiated with Fitzgibbon Cup teams in UL, has grown stronger in Clare’s dressing room. The performances he has given under Lohan’s guidance are considered the best of his career, surpassing even his 2013 triumph. The bond between Kelly and Lohan, although cited frequently, remains unspoken.
“Since Lohan’s association with our team, he has brought about significant improvements inside and outside of the Clare team,” commented Kelly. “From improving backstage operations to the public image that had previously been tarnished due to internal strife, Lohan has done a commendable job. Prior to the pandemic, our reputation was marred by disorganisation and conflict rather than accomplishments on the field. Lohan quickly changed that.
“His influence was palpable from the moment he entered the dressing room. His legendary reputation on the field instantly won us over. Despite appearing tough in the media, he’s protective of us and surprisingly kind-hearted underneath it all. He is a legend in every sense of the word.”
Cork, on the other hand, is on the brink of experiencing the kind of hardships Clare has been enduring for years. A famous quote from Michael Heseltine comes to mind, ‘he who overthrows the leader does not easily take the throne,’ which he stated after orchestrating the downfall of Margaret Thatcher but failing to succeed her himself.
It’s a hard fact to accept that Cork, despite their vigilance against Limerick in two fiercely fought battles, did not emerge victorious. Undeniably, Cork has put up a commendable effort this season, altering their strategy in response to their match with Clare in April. This tactic did yield substantial results initially, but gradually the returns diminished, making it evident that they needed to reassess.
However, under Pat Ryan’s leadership, a cultural change was brought about, reshaping Cork’s inconsistent performance and turning them into a team that didn’t shy away from a challenge. Regardless of their defeat, their tenacity in the second half and during the extended time was commendable.”
“However, it is the victors who have the privilege of narrating the tale.”