Clare hurling was never far from controversy in 2007, with the 'Semplegate' affair and the spat between former manager Tony Considine and the county board making for a turbulent year. The Banner County's highly-rated centre forward Diarmuid McMahon admits that the controversies had an unsettling affect on the players. Sometimes controversy can galavise a team - a classic example being Offaly's 1998 All-Ireland success just a couple of months after their then manager Michael 'Babs' Keating's infamous 'sheep in a heap' remarks. Other times controversy can have the opposite effect and this seemed to apply to Clare in 2007. "It was hard to focus fully when you had this cloud hanging over you," recalls Clare centre forward Diarmuid McMahon. "I don't want to use it as an excuse for us not winning silverware this year, but it was always there in the background. Tony Considine seemed to be under pressure from the time he took over as manager and then you had the fallout from the Cork game as well. It was all very unsatisfactory." When Clare fans look back on 2007 in years to come, they won't remember it for the great All-Ireland qualifier win over Ger Loughnane's much-hyped Galway, or for the fact that a team in heavy transition reached the All-Ireland quarter-final. Instead, they'll remember it for the very public falling out between former manager Tony Considine and the county board, and for the pre-match bust-up which marred the Munster championship game against Cork and was to become known as the 'Semplegate' affair. Appointed as manager in November 2006 as successor to Anthony Daly, Considine's reign was dogged by controversy for the most part and it came as little surprise when the county board voted 45 to 6 to remove him from his post last August. A mere three weeks into his tenure, the Banner County's celebrated goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald sensationally quit the squad over an alleged disagreement with the manager. This was followed by the departure of renowned fitness coach Davy Mahedy, who had been previously involved with Limerick, and the resignation of selector Ger Ward in February. These controversies led to great unrest in the county, and Considine had to survive an attempted vote of no confidence at a county board meeting just three weeks before the championship opener against Cork. However, the vote didn't get off the ground for debate as a motion and it sparked senior members of the Clare panel to defend the embattled Considine and to call for people to allow the manager and players to get on with the job in hand. Considine learned of the decision to dispense of his services through the media and he subsequently launched a scathing attack on the Clare county board, comparing their treatment of him to a mafia execution. McMahon has much sympathy for the Cratloe man, who was part of Ger Loughnane's backroom team when the Banner County captured the Liam McCarthy Cup in 1995 and '97, saying: "He gave every ounce he had to Clare and I thought he was treated very badly in the end. If the county board didn't want him for next year, they could have told him to his face, instead of letting him find out from some journalist. The whole affair was handled badly and if we're to make progress next year, we'll need both the county board and the new manager (Mike McNamara) to be pulling together." The Banner County endured a difficult National League campaign, and there was much disappointment at their failure to qualify for the quarter-finals. The Division 1A campaign saw defeats to Waterford and Cork with the home win over eventual league champions Waterford the only highlight. Prior to the start of the Munster championship clash with Cork at Semple Stadium on May 27, a number of players from both Clare and Cork clashed as they emerged from the tunnel at the same time, and the fighting spilled onto the pitch, much to the disbelief of the crowd and the children who had formed a guard of honour for the teams. The bust-up completely overshadowed the game which resulted in a comfortable 1-18 to 1-11 victory for Cork. The Rebels led by 0-9 to 0-4 at half-time and Clare fell further in arrears when Pa Cronin goaled early in the second half. Niall Gilligan pulled back a goal for the Banner County, but it failed to alter the outcome. Subjected to huge media scrutiny and vociferous condemnation from the GAA and media commentators, both Clare and Cork were hit with heavy fines and suspensions. Cork had Donal Og Cusack, Diarmuid O'Sullivan and Sean Og O hAilpin suspended, while Colin Lynch, Alan Markham, Andrew Quinn and Barry Nugent were forced to sit out Clare's next game, which was an All-Ireland qualifier against Antrim. McMahon admits that the 'Semplegate' affair still rankles with the Clare players. "The most disappointing thing from our point of view was that the GAA authorities never once held their hands up and said 'we made a mistake' for letting the two teams run out at the same time. It was a recipe for disaster and the fact that there were young children in close proximity made it look even worse," he says. Minus their four suspended players and one or two others who were ruled out through injury, Clare were expected to struggle in their All-Ireland qualifier against Antrim at Casement Park. But after being level early on, Daithi O'Connell pounced for a goal and the visitors went on to lead by 1-13 to 1-7 at half-time. The Banner boys were never threatened after that and they eventually won by 3-21 to 2-15. Cusack Park in Ennis was full to capacity for the return of Ger Loughnane with his new Galway charges. The Tribesmen were fancied to win, but producing their best display of the year, Clare emerged as 2-10 to 0-14 winners. Even though the Banner County had the better of the first half, Galway landed three successive late scores to go in level at the short whistle. Galway went in front after the break, only for Clare to reply with a long-range Colin Lynch point and their second goal from Niall Gilligan. These scores gave them a 2-8 to 0-11 lead, and they managed to keep their noses in front until the end, despite a late surge from the Tribesmen. Tony Considine's side ensured they finished top of the group with a 2-14 to 1-11 win over Laois at a rain-soaked O'Moore Park. That set the scene for an All-Ireland quarter-final showdown with neighbours Limerick at Croke Park. In 2006, Clare annihilated the same opposition in an All-Ireland qualifier at Ennis, but the Shannonsiders exacted revenge with a decisive 1-23 to 1-16 victory. Gerry Quinn took his place at centre back for Clare, despite carrying a serious knee injury he sustained in the game against Galway. But from an early stage, it was evident that there was a gap in class between the two teams. Limerick raced into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead after eight minutes and were 0-10 to 0-3 in front after 31. In the final five minutes of the half, however, Clare finally began to make an impression and outscored Limerick four points to one to rail 0-11 to 0-7 at the break. The Clare recovery continued after the restart when Declan O'Rourke got the first score, but Donie Ryan then swooped for a goal to give Limerick a 1-12 to 0-8 lead. Clare refused to wilt and they reduced the deficit to three points, 1-17 to 1-14, after Diarmuid McMahon scored a goal in the 56th minute. That was as close as Clare were to come, though, as Limerick finished strongly to end their hopes for another year. "Overall, it was a disappointing year," explains the Kilmaley clubman, who is a cousin of legendary Clare centre back Seanie McMahon. "We didn't make the knock-out stages of the league and we went down badly to Limerick in the All-Ireland quarter-final. We didn't achieve our goals." A teacher at Stonehall National School in Newmarket-on-Fergus, McMahon takes encouragement from the progress of the new players in the squad and is convinced that Clare can become All-Ireland contenders once again. "I think we have the nucleus of a very strong team. We're going through a transitional phase at the moment and it's very difficult to replace players of the quality of Davy Fitz, Brian Lohan and Seanie McMahon. But the new lads who have come in have done very well. I thought Philip Brennan, Kevin Dilleen and Brendan Bugler had very good debut seasons." He continues: "I've no doubt that the current group of players are good enough to challenge for an All-Ireland title in the next few years. You can only take hope from what Limerick achieved this year and I think we're capable of beating any team out there, with perhaps the exception of Kilkenny, who seem to be operating at a different level to everyone else at the moment. "We gained huge experience from this year and we'll be working towards becoming a top three team again in the coming year. The players are good enough and hopefully we'll be able to show this in 2008." Tweet

Most Read Stories