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WHAT is it about Cork that causes Clare to implode at the vital time? The 2005 All-Ireland semi-final. The 2008 All-Ireland quarter-final. Prime examples of Clare’s failure to see out the game when coasting to vic- tory against Cork but Sunday’s lat- est clash has to go down as the most dramatic turnaround. Six points and a player up with only eight minutes remaining, Clare inconceivably shot themselves in the foot, allowed Cork to gain momentum and facilitate a perfect return for their 2008 squad.

Of all the four league games to date, this was undoubtedly the most gut-wrenching pill for Clare to swal- low and as manager Mike McNamara came to speak to the unusually large media contingent outside the dress- ing room, his face understandably cut a picture of sheer frustration and disappointment as he contemplated what went wrong.

“We gave them the initiative. We gave them the scores exactly when they wanted them and we conceded scores again, and goals again at in- opportune times for us. We conceded goals at vital times in a game that we were coasting towards victory. Sport has that knack of kicking you in the face just when you think you have turned a corner but sport has also a knack of lifting you up when you are down so we have Kilkenny next week and I think if we play as well as that against Kilkenny, we would probably beat them.”

And McNamara was the first to concede that it is difficult to turn their luck around when confidence and the winning habit deserts a team.

“Probably had we won a game early on in the league, then things fall into place but when you are struggling for points, when you want points badly, sometimes it doesn’t go your way. UNC MOM me UIMOloMny Sue) Imm sLUeMmB ele team, it’s just a little correction here and there. There is very little wrong with the manner of their perform- ance as you have seen, they played

extremely well for most of the game. It was a good game of hurling and we probably dominated most of the exchanges in most quarters of the field. That we finished on a losing note would just be put down to the vagaries of sport more than anything else. Look what one kick yesterday could have done in a rugby match to Ireland’s hopes and dreams. So we feel we are in the same situation, we need to get a few more scores on the board and we need to play with a bit more confidence. But again there is a bigger picture down the road so we would like to pick up a few more points in the league and hopefully we will.”

If things weren’t problematic enough for Clare at the moment, news that Gerry Quinn had left the panel after a training dispute on Friday spread like wildfire over the week- end but when asked whether or not Quinn would return to the panel, Mc- Namara’s response was open-ended. “T would imagine that’s up to Gerry Quinn. The story of Gerry Quinn is very simple. He is gone off the panel at this point and time. That’s as much

as I’m prepared to say”’

Rooted to the foot of the Division 1 table after four games, Clare now must win all their remaining fixtures to stand any chance of avoiding the drop and to do that, McNamara sug- gests that he needs his strongest side available.

“We have to start pushing now. We pushed Brian O’Connell out there today and as you saw, he was a lit- tle ring rusty. Tony Carmody was pushed out there today and we have to start getting our better players back in the form that can win match- es. Hopefully when that happens we will turn the corner, get out of the hole we are in, win a few matches and get a bit of pride and spirit going in the crowd again.”

The reality for Clare is that they have now been beaten by all four Munster sides so far in the league. If the bigger picture is securing a Munster Championship, that is not the type of statistic that breeds con- fidence.

Crisis forum points the way ahead

IT’S doubtful if Cusack Park in its storied 73-year history has witnessed anything quite like this. There was a lone piper and two drummers behind the wire on the near the Clare dugout — Mayfield and Blackpool boys they proudly proclaimed.

The drums were beating while the piper played, and talked as they tried to get on the other side of the wire. “Is Frank Murphy your boss,” the piper roared when Clare County Board officials moved quickly to close the gates from the VIP section onto the field.

The pipes stayed playing, and the drums stayed beating, as the May- field and Blackpool boys planned their next move.

Meanwhile, out on the field Con- sidine clasped Donal Og Cusack by one hand, and threw the other hand around him in congratulations. This

was Tony Considine, not stand-in Cork manager John Considine.

SURI ENC BNIBeIr DIEM che BWM lool! away explaining away a remarkable recovery. “A great win. Six points down, it was as if the lads made up their own minds that they were going to win. I had an armchair ride when they kicked into gear in the last ten minutes.

“TY couldn’t do much, I didn’t have to do much, the lads did the business. We had only two nights with them and in that limited time we couldn’t get them any fitter, any faster, we couldn’t do any hurling, couldn’t change any game plan — we just pulled them together.

“In fairness today the lads did what was required. They started badly in the second half, only one score in the first 15 minutes, but we found our rhythm near the end and maybe Clare took their foot off the pedal.”

Donal Og meanwhile was giv-

ing another interview, as was Ben O’Connor, while the drums and pipes could still be heard in the back- ground. “This is what we wanted,” said O’Connor. “We wanted to be hurling and playing the top teams in the country. This is the first step back, and, hopefully, we will be able to drive on from here. We don’t want to talk about it anymore. We are back doing what we want to do now, which is playing hurling.”

Then they moved off, but as they drew closer to the dressing room the noise grew louder. You guessed it — the drummers and pipers had breached the county board defences and were outside the Cork dressing Kelson

Others supporters were there too — forming a human tunnel to let Ben, Donal Og and Considine through. Roaring and backslapping as they travelled.

You could call it a tunnel of love.

THE mid-west branch of the Con- struction Industry Federation (which includes Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary) has backed a recovery plan put forward by construction employers to save jobs, generate in- creased government revenues and kick start economic recovery.

The CIF recently held an emergen- cy meeting that brought together all of the major construction employers, including the major material sup- pliers, representatives of the archi- tectural, engineering and surveying professions, major contractors and house builders.

Conor O’Connell from the CIF Mid-West Branch has outlined the key issues contained in the recovery plan drawn up by the CIF. According to O’Connell “infrastructure spend- ing 1s the key to saving jobs, increas- ing exchequer revenues and provid- ing a platform for economic recovery for the mid-west region.”

“In the mid-west, construction cur- rently employs in the region of 15,000 people directly, which is down by almost 10,000 people in two years. This does not include the thousands of people who are employed indi- rectly. The sector in the mid-west also supports thousands of induced jobs in the shops, restaurants etc. where construction workers spend WeCoJD MAYER Xo ee

“It was agreed as part of the recov- ery plan that urgent action is needed within the next month to protect these existing jobs. The prospect of thousands of job losses in construc- tion throughout the mid-west and the entire country is real unless the pipe- line of projects increases.”

“One of the major fears for con- struction employers in the mid- west region relates to infrastructure spending and the possibility of fur- ther cuts in labour intensive projects arising from the upcoming budget- ary measures.

It is the view of the mid-west Branch that this would be the en- tirely wrong thing to do from the economy’s perspective resulting in increased social welfare costs and undoing any savings from upcoming budgetary measures.”

“As it 1s, 75 per cent of infrastruc- ture spending is already committed to ongoing or contracted projects and even a minor cut in spending would mean that virtually no new projects will start over the coming months. In addition, spending on the pre-tender design, engineering and surveying has been significantly cut meaning a reduction in ready to go projects over the coming 12 months.”

‘Now is the time for the Govern- ment to take advantage of the com- petitive tendering environment and to place an emphasis on labour inten- sity and projects that are vital for the local economy in the long term.”

“Doing nothing is not an option for the economy. The cost of stimulat- ing the industry is less than the cost of doing nothing, including social welfare costs, loss of productivity and the wider recession caused by doing nothing.”

A FOUNDING club in the Clare Soccer League has joined forces with a founder member of the Eng- lish Football League in a move that could pave the way for professional soccer careers for the cream of its underage talent.

Lifford AFC, the only Clare club to produce three schoolboy internation- als has linked up with Notts County in a venture that will give its play- ers direct access to the English club’s School of Excellence.

“It’s an exciting departure for the club,’ says Lifford chairman John O’Neul. “In the past we produced schoolboy internationals like David Ryan, Alan Brooks and Gary Flynn, so in the future if we have players who might be good enough to pursue professional careers, this link with Notts County gives them a chance. It will be for Lifford players only,” adds O’ Neill.

The link up between the two clubs has come about through Lifford head coach Mick Kennedy’s friendship with Notts County’s Mick Leonard, who comes to Clare this week to for- malise the new arrangement. Both began their professional playing ca- reers together at Halifax Town.

“Players coming through the ranks of Lifford will be given a chance with Notts County. Mick Kennedy (picutred below) will be responsible for assessing and coaching the play- ers, and Notts County will take them on,’ says O’Neill.

The relationship between the two clubs is being seen as the next step in Lifford’s development. It comes in a decade that has already seen the club purchase and develop one of the best soccer grounds at this level of the game at Cassidy Park in Drumcliffe.

Clare’s builders ‘underemployed’

Flynn to run again at the behest of leader Kenny

CONNOLLY Celtic became the lat- est side to fall prey to the goal scor- ing talents of Rock Rovers hitman Stephen Hickey on Sunday.

Hickey scored a hat-trick to secure a win that puts Rock three points clear at the top of division one.

Hickey struck midway through the first half and twice after half time to kill off the challenge of a spirited Connolly side.

Brendan Dillon scored a late con- solation goal for bottom of the table Connolly who dominated for long stretches of the second half.

Indeed Celtic squandered a glori- ous opportunity to tie the game early in the second half.

Rock, who were far from their best, were thankful to Hickey’s predatory instincts close to goal.

The striker had already seen one

towering header rebound of the foot the post before he gave Rock the lead.

Connolly will be disappointed with the manner in which they conceded the goal. The away side were award- ed a free kick from a promising posi- tion on the right.

However the ball was cleared swift- ly to Hickey who broke clear of an under-manned Connolly defence to score.

Connolly caused plenty of prob- lems for the Rock defence early in the second half but were desperately unfortunate not to score.

Rock, with David Considine a steadying prescence in midfield, sur- vived and doubled their advantage in the 65th minute.

Brian Fitzpatrick picked out Hickey with a great pass, and, as before, he buried to the back of the net.

The goal took the wind out of Con-

nolly and minutes later the visitors fell further behind. This time Dean Gardiner did the spadework, digging out a byline cross that Hickey tapped home from close range.

Dillon scored a deserved goal late on when he created a yard on the edge of the area and found the net with a low drive.

The future may not look too grim for Connolly if they can play with the same attitude for the remainder of the season. Rock, meanwhile, will hope Hickey keeps doing what he does best.

A NATIONWIDE carers support group, whose foundation and base is in Ennis, is growing in strength thanks to its hard working staff, ded- icated volunteers and the determina- tion of carers to finally speak out.

Family carers throughout the coun- try who had been overlooked by the Government and society for decades are finding their voice thanks to Car- ing for Carers Ireland.

That strength was in numbers at the organisation’s 18th National Carers Conference and Respite Break at the Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney.

As many as 84 delegates from nine Caring for Carers groups in County Clare were among the 500 family carers who took part in and contrib- uted to the conference.

Training and Development Officer Susan Hogan – who, among her many roles, oversees the nine branches of the organisation in Clare – hailed the conference a success.

The theme of this year’s conference was ‘Sustaining Care in Challenging Serato

Ms Hogan explained that acute disappointment was expressed at the decision by the Minister of Social and Family Affairs not to publish the National Carers Strategy. Caring for Carers had made a submission to the Carers Strategy Consultation Forum, which sought to advocate the enact- ment of a Carer Act, to improve sup- ports and services into the future.

The National Conference, repre- senting the 161,000 family carers in Ireland, called on Minister Hanafin for the immediate publication of the Carers Strategy, pointing out that its implementation need not necessarily mean increased funding in the cur- rent economic climate, but to put ex- isting funding to better use.

‘We believe that the strategy should still be published. A lot of what is in it would not cost a lot, if anything,” said Ms Hogan.

Those taking part in the conference also argued that family carers are the backbone of community care and should be supported in every way possible, not only to maintain their own health and well-being, but also those for whom they care.

Caring for Carers Clare was repre- sented strongly at the weekend con-

ference through its 85 members and the newly elected chairperson.

Chairperson Margaret Scanlon who hails from Cranny, is expected to provide strong leadership for the 4,671 family carers in Clare.

Tributes were paid to the outgoing chairperson, Helen Kelly, who pro- moted the position of family carers in County Clare for the past three ert ae

THIS was a must win for both teams and for very different reasons. Lif- ford, on the back of a disappointing loss to Newmarket on St Patrick’s Day, had to win to stay in with any kind of chance at league honours. The Newmarket defeat meant they missed on the opportunity to close the gap on leaders Bunratty and a successive defeat would almost cer- tainly have dashed their title hopes.

Moher, on the other hand, are bat- tling the long arm of relegation and needed to get something from the game to ensure they stayed in touch at the bottom of the table.

In the end, the game went accord- ing to league standings but it came with a scare for Lifford as well. Twice Moher lifted their game to reel in Lifford but eventually, Lifford had enough class and composure to see them through to securing that much needed victory.

In the early stages, it seemed as though Lifford could run away with the game as they took control of the game and on five minutes they were rewarded for their hard work when Ryan Boyle was on target.

Moher didn’t he down though and Johnny Daly popped up to direct a free kick to the net with a fine header that equalised proceedings. It an ac- tion packed first half, Lifford once more pressed forward and Roberto put them back in front after a neat dribble from the edge of the box saw him drive the ball low and accurately into the corner of the Moher goal.

But the away side still weren’t finished and just before the break, Shane Keane headed home Moher’s second goal to leave the sides locked at 2-2 at the break.

Just when it looked like Lifford could become frustrated with the lack of a breakthrough, David Mc- Carthy popped up with a superb strike. David McCarthy latched onto a cleared header and volleyed to the top corner from the edge of the box. From there, Lifford dominated and took the points to ensure they could still have a say in this year’s league.