Clare People - Now or never for dogged Cratloe
In what has become an unprecedented year of highs for Cratloe, with intermediate and Under 21A football titles adding to a first ever county senior hurling final appearance, taking each game as it comes has been their only philosophy, writes Eoin Brennan.
IT is times like Saturday afternoon amidst the celebrations of beating Kilmaley in Clare headquarters that Cratloe could reflect on where the current evolution started, namely 2006 when the club finally began to display their undoubted potential. That was the year that they last tasted glory at senior level with a SeniorB title, but while they perhaps didn’t get the recognition they deserved for that win as the senior championship was reconstructed the following year to include all senior B clubs, with an average age of only 23, Cratloe knew that they were finally heading in the right direction.
Little did they know it at the time, however, but the other championships garnered that year would also play a huge role in the senior side’s progression. Cratloe created history that year by securing Minor B titles in both hurling and football, with Sean Collins, Liam Markham, Conor McGrath and Cathal McInerney all part of those winning sides; a new wave of players that would provide the final piece in the senior jigsaw. While the subsequent two years were to see Cratloe make increasing strides at the top tier, a lack of fortune against their near neighbours Newmarket halted their progression momentarily.
In the group stages of 2007, a Gearoid Ryan equalising point was ruled out by umpire uncertainty, a decision that upset their rhythm and from which they never recovered as Newmarket scored two late points to win the derby and qualify for the knockout stages while Cratloe’s campaign fell on stoney ground.
Last year, victories over Tubber, Sixmilebridge and Corofin (a game that saw Conor McGrath and Cathal McInerney make their championship debuts) ensured they finally reached the quarter-finals but again Newmarket were to be their bogey side as Cratloe surrendered their longstanding lead before finally being outdone by a Colin Ryan injury time point. That inability to close out games was another cruel lesson for the south east Clare side to learn but perhaps a necessary one to finally graduate from their apprenticeship and become a more battle-hardened outfit. It would get worse before it would get infinitely better for Cratloe as they began this year’s championship with another defeat to Newmarket just before the summer recess.
In the interim, Sean Collins, Liam Markham and Conor McGrath were to gain valuable experience through the county Under 21’s Munster and All-Ireland series and with the added confidence, Cratloe demonstrated their newfound steel with dramatic slender victories over Clarecastle, Wolfe Tones and Tubber to get back to the last eight. Although they had to play a further two games to eventually see off newcomers Broadford, it gave them enough momentum to dig deep against favourites Kilmaley at the weekend and secure the club’s first county senior final appearance.
As one of the most experienced players on the Cratloe team on Saturday, captain Barry Duggan remembers 2006 more than most. Having had to sit out most of the season through injury, the former Clare intermediate is enthused by the way Cratloe have bounced back from a number of subsequent set-backs to reach a county final.
“After the disappointment of last year and really the last couple of years to lose to Newmarket late on two years in a row, we were determined this year to make it one way or the other so thankfully we are in the final now. There is great character in this squad and while a fault of ours in the last couple of years was that in the last few minutes we have died away, I think we have changed that around this year and it seems to have paid off.”
What makes Cratloe’s accomplishment all the more impressive has been the fact that through various hurling and football championships, the majority of these players have played 12 games in 13 weeks. However, fatique was certainly not a factor on Saturday against Kilmaley as they finished the stronger to run out emphatic six point victors.
“I suppose fitness-wise having all those matches and training meant that all those guys are very fit. You can look at it the other way too that it would be nice to be fresh too but the way they are, they are young and fit and they just love the competitive edge that these big games bring. After winning the intermediate football, obviously it gives a huge boost to everyone in the club and those who were not involved in that panel will also want to win something this year so it has been an encouraging year so far. There are a lot of young players who have lost Under 21A and Minor A competitions and have come back stonger and more determined while the old dogs like myself are just hanging on. The blend of experience and youth is definitely a key factor in this squad. I have been the oldest player on the team for the last couple of years so it’s great to see these young lads coming through and making such an impact.”
The dream of a first ever county senior title however rests on the rapidly emerging force overcoming county champions Clonlara, a side that Cratloe possibly modelled themselves on somewhat.
“It’s going to be a huge battle. Clonlara are the county champions, they have been there last year, they did it and have proved this year that they are still the team to beat and with the county Under 21 players that have, we know we are in for another serious battle.”
However, Duggan’s Cratloe have never backed down from a battle yet this year.
“We are going to give it our all. It’s our first time there so we are determined not to leave it behind us.”
In what has become an unprecedented year of highs for Cratloe, with intermediate and Under 21A football titles adding to a first ever county senior hurling final appearance, taking each game as it comes has been their only philosophy, writes Eoin Brennan.
IT is times like Saturday afternoon amidst the celebrations of beating Kilmaley in Clare headquarters that Cratloe could reflect on where the current evolution started, namely 2006 when the club finally began to display their undoubted potential. That was the year that they last tasted glory at senior level with a SeniorB title, but while they perhaps didn’t get the recognition they deserved for that win as the senior championship was reconstructed the following year to include all senior B clubs, with an average age of only 23, Cratloe knew that they were finally heading in the right direction.
Little did they know it at the time, however, but the other championships garnered that year would also play a huge role in the senior side’s progression. Cratloe created history that year by securing Minor B titles in both hurling and football, with Sean Collins, Liam Markham, Conor McGrath and Cathal McInerney all part of those winning sides; a new wave of players that would provide the final piece in the senior jigsaw. While the subsequent two years were to see Cratloe make increasing strides at the top tier, a lack of fortune against their near neighbours Newmarket halted their progression momentarily.
In the group stages of 2007, a Gearoid Ryan equalising point was ruled out by umpire uncertainty, a decision that upset their rhythm and from which they never recovered as Newmarket scored two late points to win the derby and qualify for the knockout stages while Cratloe’s campaign fell on stoney ground.
Last year, victories over Tubber, Sixmilebridge and Corofin (a game that saw Conor McGrath and Cathal McInerney make their championship debuts) ensured they finally reached the quarter-finals but again Newmarket were to be their bogey side as Cratloe surrendered their longstanding lead before finally being outdone by a Colin Ryan injury time point. That inability to close out games was another cruel lesson for the south east Clare side to learn but perhaps a necessary one to finally graduate from their apprenticeship and become a more battle-hardened outfit. It would get worse before it would get infinitely better for Cratloe as they began this year’s championship with another defeat to Newmarket just before the summer recess.
In the interim, Sean Collins, Liam Markham and Conor McGrath were to gain valuable experience through the county Under 21’s Munster and All-Ireland series and with the added confidence, Cratloe demonstrated their newfound steel with dramatic slender victories over Clarecastle, Wolfe Tones and Tubber to get back to the last eight. Although they had to play a further two games to eventually see off newcomers Broadford, it gave them enough momentum to dig deep against favourites Kilmaley at the weekend and secure the club’s first county senior final appearance.
As one of the most experienced players on the Cratloe team on Saturday, captain Barry Duggan remembers 2006 more than most. Having had to sit out most of the season through injury, the former Clare intermediate is enthused by the way Cratloe have bounced back from a number of subsequent set-backs to reach a county final.
“After the disappointment of last year and really the last couple of years to lose to Newmarket late on two years in a row, we were determined this year to make it one way or the other so thankfully we are in the final now. There is great character in this squad and while a fault of ours in the last couple of years was that in the last few minutes we have died away, I think we have changed that around this year and it seems to have paid off.”
What makes Cratloe’s accomplishment all the more impressive has been the fact that through various hurling and football championships, the majority of these players have played 12 games in 13 weeks. However, fatique was certainly not a factor on Saturday against Kilmaley as they finished the stronger to run out emphatic six point victors.
“I suppose fitness-wise having all those matches and training meant that all those guys are very fit. You can look at it the other way too that it would be nice to be fresh too but the way they are, they are young and fit and they just love the competitive edge that these big games bring. After winning the intermediate football, obviously it gives a huge boost to everyone in the club and those who were not involved in that panel will also want to win something this year so it has been an encouraging year so far. There are a lot of young players who have lost Under 21A and Minor A competitions and have come back stonger and more determined while the old dogs like myself are just hanging on. The blend of experience and youth is definitely a key factor in this squad. I have been the oldest player on the team for the last couple of years so it’s great to see these young lads coming through and making such an impact.”
The dream of a first ever county senior title however rests on the rapidly emerging force overcoming county champions Clonlara, a side that Cratloe possibly modelled themselves on somewhat.
“It’s going to be a huge battle. Clonlara are the county champions, they have been there last year, they did it and have proved this year that they are still the team to beat and with the county Under 21 players that have, we know we are in for another serious battle.”
However, Duggan’s Cratloe have never backed down from a battle yet this year.
“We are going to give it our all. It’s our first time there so we are determined not to leave it behind us.”
