Maloney, Aiden
May 28, 1993
Aiden Maloney
Mr Consistency in the Clare set up. Quilty's favourite footballing son.
It was the same old story. Cork and Kerry would annually engage in a bout of sparing sessions with the minnows of Munster football. It amounted to mere preparation for a Munster Final showdown in either Killarney or Pairc Ui Chaoimh. The Milltown massacre of 1979 illustrated the poverty of the Banner County challenge as Kerry notched up a scoreline of 9-21.
Things were no different when Cork last played Clare in the Munster Championship. Clare battled hard as is their wont but in their Fermoy meeting in 1986, the cosy little arrangement of Cork and Kerry supremacy was never in doubt. Cork won pulling up on the scoreline of 1-12 to 0-9 points. The Rebel County were on the threshold of footballing greatness as four Munster titles, two All-Irelands and a National League were to follow in four years.
Battling to get out of division three south of the National Football League and the odd McGrath Cup success was the summit of the Banner County ambitions. In fact, of the 27 championship meetings between the two sides, Clare have only triumphed on four occasions. Clare's last victory was in Ennis in 1941. Since then the sides have met on 18 occasions, with the 1-8 to 1-7 defeat in 1968 the closest Clare came to causing an upset.
Aidan Maloney was a member of the side defeated in 1986. Maloney, together with Frankie Griffin, Noel Roche and Gerry Killeen, are the only members of that side remaining. This quartet has grown accustomed to early championship exits. "It was very demoralising as we always thought we had the players that were good enough to beat Kerry and Cork, as nearly every year we had five or six players good enough to play for Munster in the Railway Cup. It was just mind boggling the way we failed in the championship, year in, year out," says Maloney.
The Munster Council decision in 1990 to introduce an open draw in the Munster Championship suddenly offered a glimmer of hope to Munster's minnows. For once and for all, the cosy little arrangement of the inevitability of Cork/Kerry Munster Finals was shattered. The course of Munster football was altered irrevocably. Clare's footballing rehabilitation could begin thereafter.
Aidan Maloney, the man known as the horse, has been ever present on this journey from also rans to football respectability. The All-Ireland B success in December 1991 provided the starting point. It was the harbinger of great things to come. As Kerry were humbled in the Gaelic Grounds, Maloney was at midfield. His partner, Tom Morrissey, won the rave review for his high fielding exploits. Maloney was content with his workhorse role.
This win, while sensational to most people, didn't come as a surprise to Maloney. "We knew Kerry were beatable, having seen them struggle against Limerick in the semi final. We also knew that Clare had the players capable of competing against the best."
However, the subtle difference between being able to compete with and being able to beat the best is not lost on Maloney. "In previous years our preparation for the championship just wasn't good enough. In the few weeks before a championship match, you could count the number of training sessions we had on one hand."
This is where John Maughan comes into the equation. This haphazard approach underwent a metamorphosis when Maughan was appointed manager in 1989. "His dedication is second to none and he has managed to transform the players at his disposal and give them the elements of good training and proper preparation," says Maloney.
This season all these preparations have been geared towards Sunday's clash with Cork. These preparations and hard work haven't gone unnoticed, as Maloney readily acknowledges. "We have received plenty of backing from the supporters club. We are well looked after and arrange our work so as to ensure we always make training."
In the past few years, this training has alternated from Crusheen to the sand dunes of Lahinch. The finishing touches have been added in Cusack Park.
Maloney is hopeful that his home venue of Cusack Park will prove decisive for Clare. "The atmosphere is sure to be electric and hopefully it will lift us and give us the necessary edge to win."
He acknowledges however, that the Cusack Park factor could also bring pressure to bear on the Clare side. "When we play at home there is a lot of pressure on the players. You can see it in the players that they are tense with some people always expecting us to fall flat on our faces. We are now more experienced and able to handle this."
These pressure situations won't come much bigger than Sunday's match. It will be an all ticket affair with 23,000 spectators in attendance, 15,000 of whom will be supporting Clare. The question is how will Clare react to what is sure to be one of the sporting highlights of the year.
Horse Maloney is convinced Clare will be more than able to confront the task at hand. "I think the team has improved from last year. Once we beat Kerry we were a better team for it and now the panel is stronger and more confident in itself, which comes with success."
This confidence is still tempered by the fact that nothing will come easy. "In the back of our minds we don't know what is going to happen but one thing is for sure, Cork are never a soft touch and like all Cork sides, they will be full of confidence in the belief that they can beat us in our own back yard," reflects Maloney.
The form of Quilty's favourite footballing son at full back is recognised as crucial to the Clare cause. After last year's semi final defeat to Dublin, full back was identified as a problem position. During that game Maloney was moved from his midfield berth to curb the influence of Vinny Murphy. He has remained there ever since. He accepts this. "Naturally, I'd rather be out in the middle where I would be involved more, but I'm really happy to play anywhere."
His defensive talents will need to be on full alert to foil the threat of Cork captain Mick McCarthy, whose scoring exploits were i the main responsible for carrying O'Donovan Rossa of Skibbereen to All-Ireland club success. Of his immediate opponent, Maloney is complimentary but in no way overawed. "Mick McCarthy is a very good forward but at the end of the day, he is only as good as the ball he gets. So we will have to ensure that his supply of ball is cut off."
Achieving this aim could be made all the harder by the absence of Joe Joe Rouine from the defence. Rouine had been the rock of solidarity at centre back for the entire league campaign. Unfortunately, he was a broken leg victim in a club match between Maloney's Quilty side and Ennistymon.
Rouine's absence is a blow but Maloney feels that this replacement Gerry Kelly is more than capable at centre back. "Gerry Kelly is a very underrated player and has his critics but he has never let the sid down."
The form of Clare's half forwards is also seen as crucial to the outcome. "Our half forwards will have to do more than attack and set up scores. They must try and curb the Cork half back line who traditionally counter attack and come forward."
All in all, a huge fifteen man effort can be relied upon from Clare. The stakes are very high. For Cork a third successive first round championship exit would be hard to stomach while Clare are desperate to consolidate and surpass the achievements of last year. As mister consistency of the Clare set up Aidan Maloney is sure to play his part. The folk hero from Quilty won't let the side down as the footballers bid to emulate the hurlers and make it another memorable day for Clare in Cusack Park.
Maloney is confident but there is no hint of over confidence. The unpredictable elements that are part and parcel of championship fare have taught Maloney to thread cautiously. "We can win but we are certainly not looking beyond this game," is his honest assessment. Honesty and toil play a big part in any championship success. With Clare and Aidan Maloney in particular symbolising these qualities, Sunday evening will tell whether this will be enough to ensure success.
Taken from Hogan Stand magazine
28th May 1993
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