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Clare fans at Tim Smythe Park last night. INPHO/James Crombie

Daithi Regan column: System was the key as best team of the summer won out

But the Rebels will be back, writes TheScore.ie hurling columnist.

WHEN CORK CAME back in the second half with a few hammer blows and drew it level, Clare to me at that stage responded like a team of 27- or 28-year-olds with four All-Ireland medals in their back pocket, who knew how not to panic and knew how to close the deal. Yet that came from a bunch of young fellas.

That to me was an extraordinary thing to be able to do.

It’s a confidence level that’s obviously been instilled in them. They have a confidence in their squad, in what they’re doing, in their system. They have a fundamental belief in their system and if they stick to it they’ll win.

There was a point there with 11 minutes to go when Cork equalised again and you thought ‘could this be a hammer blow too much for them, could Cork now kick on?’

But I just thought it showed remarkable maturity from such a novice team to close it out the way they did.

System

I felt before the drawn final that Clare would win it and I felt before the semi-final against Limerick that Clare would win the All-Ireland.

It’s just the system of hurling that they play, when they’re playing very well it’s a brilliant set-up. And I just think that that was the difference between the sides, because when Clare needed to, they could score that bit easier than Cork.

And when the game was open and fast and in a furious state, it looked like Clare used the space better whereas with Cork it tended to be a little bit more direct and a little bit more one-dimensional. When it was more fractured and stop-start at the start of the second half it actually suited the Rebels a bit more. But when there was fluency in the game, Clare were always better.

And to me, that was just down to the style of hurling that they were playing. The skill levels were absolutely huge, the first touch was brilliant, they ran at Cork and they hurt them. They had more options from a scoring point of view than the Leesiders.

Cork just didn’t have the same options that Clare did.

First of many?

The big question now is, how many can Clare win with this crop of young lads.

I was talking to Jamesie O’Connor after the game about what we can expect from this side over the next few years. He made the point that it’s a high-octane, high-energy game that Clare play.

And it takes its toll and makes demands on players. But they’re at such an age profile at the moment that they’ll want more. When the celebrations die down, they’ll go back at it and you know I think because of their age profile they’ll be hungry and burnout won’t be an issue.

When you’re 19, 20, 21, all you want to do is hurl and win. You look at Brian Murphy and Tom Kenny — 32, 31 — which a number of years ago wouldn’t have been considered old for an intecounty hurler but there was some suggestion made today that they might consider retirement — they have a lot of years up.

The way the whole thing has gone now, the demands are incredible but Clare are in a good place from an age profile point of view. Whether they can go on and dominate it is open to debate; the age profile is there, the system is there, the ability is there… so it’s possible they could but others will be waiting for them next year.

I think the key will be is: how do you deal with them tactically. Whereas with other teams it was straight-line hurling and the strongest or best hurlers win… like Kilkenny. But with Clare, they’re now posing different questions. Tactically it will be fascinating to see the likes of the Cats take them on.

Sideline cut

I’ve had a lot of comment from people today suggesting I apologise for what I said about Davy earlier in the year.

The point I made then was that there was no need to be antagonising referees. I never felt this Clare team needed to have a chip on their shoulder — they were too good, they didn’t need that. I give immense credit for the hurling job they did and they got their just rewards because they were the best team in the country.

I have been very consistent in praising Davy Fitzgerald and his management team and his young side for the hurling  and the extraordinary job he’s done with them.

People can cherrypick a comment. I stand absolutely by what I said, which was not bringing into question his managerial ability. Absolutely not.

I consistently said, they’ve done a marvellous job. I think I was one of the first people to tip them for the All-Ireland. So I gave huge credit to Davy Fitzgerald for what he and his management team have done.

But at the end of the day, when you’re asked to make comment about certain issues, as far as I’m concerned I’ll give my honest view. I’m not going to say I was wrong or I shouldn’t have said — others can decide for themselves whether I had a point or not — I said what was in my heart in relation to the refereeing issue but I would in no way take away from the man’s achievements.

image

Clare players lift the trophy as manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy of Cork heads down the tunnel . Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

This is by no means the end of the road for this Cork team.  When they won in ’99, Jimmy Barry-Murphy had taken over in ’96 or ’97. So it was three or four years before he actually won an All-Ireland final. I don’t think that man could or would lose the dynamic he has with his players.

An individual like that only comes along once in a while and you hang on to him because there’s a serious dynamic there with his players.

So firstly, I do think he’s the right man. Secondly, do I think they’ve lost their chance? No. I think they’ll go away and look at Clare. I would argue that  with the age profile and speed that Cork have, they should consider playing the same system as Clare. I think he has the players to do it.

Murph’s Sideline Cut: As their self belief grew, so Clare’s success became inevitable

What’s it like to face an Anthony Nash 21-yard free?

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34 Comments
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    Mute James Hickey
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    Sep 30th 2013, 8:28 PM

    Think you went a bit deeper then one comment on Davy. This is the problem with life in general people wont hold there hand up and say they got it wrong. In my eyes and i aint a clare man what Davy has done has been amazing. When kilkenny were in serious trouble through the years Henry got them through. To have a team of kids to go out on all ireland final day in front of 83000 and hurl like that hats off to him all i can say is wow. People say they have won under 21 yeah they have in place half full put 30000 on croke park and you wouldnt know they were there. To be albe to perform like they did on the biggest stage of all unbelievable. Well done Clare and massive massive respect to Davy and his management team.

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    Mute David
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    Sep 30th 2013, 6:32 PM

    Fair play Daithi, you had a great championship yourself. Best commentator around on the game. Hope thejournal.ie have you back on board next year.

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    Mute John Hayes
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    Sep 30th 2013, 8:23 PM

    Quick one Daithi I like your punditry , but how good are Limerick if Clare won the All Ireland ? Every man and his dog knew they never showed up for the semi-final against Clare and had they taken half their stupid wides we could’ve been looking at a different result. Now before people start the ah here’s , I know its over done and dusted but I think its food for thought. Not to mention neither Limerick or Dublin managed their 5 week break to the semis properly as both Cork and Clare were playing competitive hurling. What’s your view ?

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    Mute macca
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    Sep 30th 2013, 8:57 PM

    Limerick are poor when they come out of the Gaelic grounds

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    Mute Sean Collins
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:34 AM

    Limerick are still munster champions and no one can take that away from them
    , one person I can’t stand is a begrudger Clare are all ireland champions but they aren’t munster champions which is better to some hurlers in munster. I don’t begrudge Clare the all ireland I was actually hoping they would win Saturday.

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    Mute Sean Collins
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:35 AM

    The break was too long

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    Mute sydney shaw
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    Sep 30th 2013, 5:54 PM

    I wouldn’t read to much into the system,they just went out and hurled like minors ,no shackles .

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    Mute Pat Sheehan
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    Sep 30th 2013, 11:21 PM

    Steve, Your comments are laughable,Clare were team to watch from the start of year,
    Cork have played in 3 of the best matches of the year , and were seconds away from winning drawn final,
    Average team?
    Well done Clare

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    Mute Steve
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    Sep 30th 2013, 11:46 PM

    Yes Cork would have been the worst team to win an All Ireland since Offaly in 1998. They are as average as they come and were in the final because of poor refereeing decisions in two matches. I don’t expect to see Cork in an All Ireland final again for at least 5 years.

    I think even Clare people and the team would disagree with your comment about them being talked about to win the All Ireland at the start of the year. They didn’t show much form in the league or their first two championship matches against Waterford or Cork. The fixtures worked out nicely for them then. A very poor Wexford team an even worse Galway team and a very raw Limerick team who probably shouldn’t have won through to that semi.

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    Mute Joe Mahon
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    Oct 1st 2013, 5:14 AM

    Let me guess Steve, your from either Kilkenny or Tipp. Get over it, neither if ye were good enough this year. Corks win over Kilkenny was as comprehensive as they get, even without the sending off that day cork would have won comfortably. As for Tipp, well they are just not good enough. Corbett (at a push) is the only Tipp forward who would have a chance of getting on the Clare team. They are a long way off the pace at the moment.

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    Mute Deco
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    Sep 30th 2013, 10:08 PM

    Standard of refereeing has been very poor all year. Blowing for unnecessary frees & booking players for Mickey Mouse challenges & sending off in some cases. It’s a professional sport now without the money, players deserve better. Something that can be improved to make things even better.

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    Mute macca
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    Sep 30th 2013, 8:58 PM

    If I had my way I’d change the hurling season! Start the league in January! Play the all Ireland final in August! Shorten the season! 5 week breaks from Munster and Leinster to all Ireland semis is ridiculous! 2 long without a game

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    Mute Seán O'Sullivan
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    Oct 1st 2013, 12:40 AM

    you know what else is ridiculous, ending every sentence with an exclamation!

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    Mute Dermot English
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    Sep 30th 2013, 11:38 PM

    Daithi back tracking again . He jumps on every bandwagon that passes by

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    Mute Martin O Brien
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    Sep 30th 2013, 10:41 PM

    Clare won the all ireland full stop.it doesnt matter how they got there or how they won as all that matters is they won.it is impossible to say whether this team will win more all irelands or not all we can do is wait & see.Ger Loughnane once said “any team can win an all Ireland but it takes a great team to win the second one”.one thing is for sure Tipperary more than anyone else will be waiting for Clare next year.

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    Mute chalk8down
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    Sep 30th 2013, 10:25 PM

    Have to agree with you there Deco. 2013 has been an unexpected vintage year for hurling. But certain referees have seemingly done their best to take the emphasis away from the game back to themselves. Even as a neutral, I was astonished at the performance of McGrath on Saturday. I would conservatively estimate that he was responsible for 1-06 of Cork’s total. I take nothing away from the rebels who hurled heroically but if a competent referee had been there, Clare would have won the match more comfortably.

    First thing I’d like to see are Westmeath officials taken off the senior county list. There I said it. Call it xenophobia or whatever you want, but messrs Kelly & McGrath have been responsible for some of the most controversial decisions in living memory. On a human level of course, I’d sympathise with Barry Kelly’s current personal situation, as being seperate from his worth as a hurling referee.

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    Mute Steve
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    Sep 30th 2013, 11:05 PM

    Barry Kelly has had a problem with Kilkenny for many years and especially with Shefflin since the Leinster club game last year, of which not enough was made of!!

    I just hope that he has got it out of his system now so he can be impartial like a referee is supposed to be, if he’s retained!!

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    Mute Steve
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    Sep 30th 2013, 10:15 PM

    Were Clare really the best team? Yes they won the All Ireland and that’s all that matters but I think they had a handy run. They beat a very poor Waterford team, lost to an average Cork team, were taken to extra time against a poor Wexford team, beat a very poor Galway team that were absolutely hammered by Dublin, beat an average Limerick team who should never have been in the semi in the first place and then eventually beat a very average Cork team in the final. They didn’t play Tipp,Kilkenny or Dublin whom I think they would have lost to any of them. The draw really fell their way. Firstly Kilkenny eliminating Tipp then Kilkenny having a man sent off and then Dublin meant an average Cork team made the final whom Clare took all their time to beat.

    As for dominating for years to come, firstly they will have to contend with rejuvenated Tipp, Kilkenny and Galway teams next year and Dublin with another years experience.

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    Mute Ger Donohue
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    Sep 30th 2013, 10:33 PM

    Cork beat Tipp, Kilkenny and Dublin. Yet they only managed to lead against Clare once over the two games. Roll on next year when we will prove our worth against them.

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    Mute Johnny Reynolds
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    Sep 30th 2013, 10:34 PM

    Limerick beat Tipp in Munster this year, it’s how Tipp ended up playing Kilkenny

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    Mute macca
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    Sep 30th 2013, 10:34 PM

    Good points! I think Clare will stay around but ur gonna ave some Munster championship now with the draw been pivotal! I could picture kk defenders watching that all ireland final and shaking their heads! I tell ya another thing! I’d be very suit used if cork are in the all Ireland final next year

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    Mute macca
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    Sep 30th 2013, 10:34 PM

    Surprised

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    Mute Steve
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    Sep 30th 2013, 10:53 PM

    Ger Cork didn’t beat Tipp and beat a 14 man Kilkenny and Dublin team. Cork were the poorest All Ireland finalists since Limerick in 2007 and Clare just got over the line against them.

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    Mute Steve
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    Sep 30th 2013, 11:00 PM

    I don’t think Kilkenny defenders will be the only ones shaking their heads but Kilkenny and other teams will also sit up and take notice how Clare completely stop hurling during games. A better team than Cork could have put them away during their 40 minute poor spell on Saturday.

    We saw Cork introduce the running game in 2004 and people wondered how it could be beat but Kilkenny came up with an answer in 2006. We saw Tipp introduce the swift passing game in 2010 and it looked unbeatable but Kilkenny broke it down the following year. Clare have now brought something new but I think between Tipp, Kilkenny, Galway and Dublin one or more of them will figure out how to beat them. It’s not like Clare were hammering teams playing this way, they lost to Cork and drew with Wexford and Cork again so I don’t think it will take too much planning from Cody, O’Shea, Daly and Cunningham to come up with a system to beat Clare.

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    Mute Daniel O Connell
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    Sep 30th 2013, 11:04 PM

    Probably the midt ridiculous comment i have ever read on this site…..

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    Mute Steve
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    Sep 30th 2013, 11:10 PM

    Daniel that Waterford team was a very good team that just completely blew up on the big day. Limerick were a very poor team that just happened to beat Waterford in the semi final. The Waterford team of 2008 would have hammered the Limerick team of 2007 and probably would have beaten any other team in the All Ireland of 2008.

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    Mute Steve
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    Sep 30th 2013, 11:14 PM

    Daniel it’s not all about the winning margin. Kilkenny reached their peak in 2008. They lost Shefflin and Hickey to injury in the first half against Limerick but had everyone at full peak fitness and performance in 2008, added to Waterford suffering stage fright and Davy with his crazy kick the legs off Kilkenny tactics.

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    Mute Neil Crowley
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    Sep 30th 2013, 11:30 PM

    What crap. Rejuvenated Galway team, we’ve been waiting for that for how long ? If Clare weren’t the best team, who in God’s name was??? Your look on the season – if this happened, if that happened, if if if….

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    Mute Steve
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    Sep 30th 2013, 11:40 PM

    Dublin were the best team Neil and suffered at the hands of a poor refereeing decision like Kilkenny

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    Sep 30th 2013, 11:41 PM

    Rejuvenated as in as good as they were last year

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    Mute Shane Doyle
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    Oct 1st 2013, 8:51 AM

    What a bunch of crap! Limerick beat 3 out of 4 Munster hurling counties in 07 including your beloved Waterford who, bear in mind lost the 08 final by 26 points or something! How you can say that the 07 final or this year’s involved worse teams than Davy’s Waterford beggars belief.

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    Mute pat mustard
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    Oct 1st 2013, 11:00 AM

    Steve you are a deluded clown saying that Clare beat poor opposition to win this year such as Waterford and Wexford. Is this the same Wexford that it took Dublin a replay to beat, the same Waterford that it took Kilkenny extra time to beat. They also beat last years beaten finalists, the current Munster champions and a Cork team that knocked out both Dublin and Kilkenny. Forgot to take your medications????

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    Mute macca
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    Oct 1st 2013, 8:28 AM

    Let me ask, do you see Clare winning a few all Ireland’s in a row?

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    Mute Sean Collins
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    Oct 1st 2013, 9:51 AM

    Mark my words before this year is over it will be ABC all over again just like 95 when Loughnane turned every other county against Clare I’m glad Clare won don’t get me wrong but wait until they have done as good as Kilkenny, Cork and Tipp.

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