Flanagan proud to lead his Clare troops
September 02, 2010
Clare minor captain Paul Flanagan lifts the Munster MHC Cup as his team mates celebrate at Thurles
'It's a long, long way from Clare to here' or so the Ralph McTell song of the same title goes - and for a Clare Minor Hurling team it has been a long, long journey to get back to an ESB All-Ireland MHC decider, as the Banner troops make their first appearance at this stage since 1997, when they face Kilkenny on the first Sunday in September at Croke Park.
Indeed there have been many years of heartbreak for this particular group of players, who until their Munster triumph by 1-16 to 1-11 over Waterford in Semple Stadium last July hadn't claimed any sort of inter-county silverware up through the age grades.
Current Clare Minor hurling captain Paul Flanagan takes up the story.
Of course Flanagan and his team-mates had a slender 0-21 to 2-14 win over Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final stage, and he is delighted to have the 'Croke Park nerves' firmly out of the system.
"Obviously it is a special place, and one we hadn't played in before the semi-final," he said.
"It is good to get the experience of playing there, and we'll just drive it on to the next day. There won't be even a thought of where we are playing. We'll just treat it as another game for us."
Although Clare and Kilkenny are in different provinces, they've already met on three occasions this year - with a draw, a win and a loss, ensuring that this Minor showpiece promises to be one of the keenest deciders of recent years.
"We know them well alright, and we have also faced teams from Kilkenny at (second level) colleges and stuff also. We'll have no fear. We have played them a number of times before and we are just looking forward to the final."
Flanagan feels privileged and honoured to be leading his county into battle, but also points to the strong leadership qualities which exist throughout the squad.
"Obviously it is a massive honour for my club and my family and so on. Then again my role is very subdued. Everyone puts in massive effort and there are so many leaders on the field."
The former St Flannan's College pupil is hoping to begin a course in PE teaching in University of Limerick in the coming weeks, and he has been impressed with what he has seen to date from their final opponents.
"Obviously Kilkenny had a great win in the semi-final, and there is no doubt that they are firm favourites in the final.
"We'll be just concentrating on our own performance and hoping to go out to Croke Park and do the business."
It is Flanagan's second year on the Clare Minor squad, and how it has certainly been two contrasting campaigns.
In 2009 Clare beat Waterford by 1-12 to 0-14 in a Munster quarter-final, but by virtue of a back-door system, the Deise overturned the Banner by 3-9 to 0-12 in the semi-final.
However, this year it was Clare's turn to use the system to their full advantage. A 1-21 to 0-16 loss to Waterford in their opening game at Walsh Park on April 28th firmly put aside, to register wins over Kerry, Tipperary, Limerick and Waterford to claim Munster silverware.
"At the start of the year you hope things go your way, and thankfully we had great success in Munster this year and driving it on into the All-Ireland series.
"Last year we were building, but thankfully it all worked out this year."
Paul has certainly been delighted to have had a second chance, after that first round blip against Waterford.
"It was a good thing - we re-looked at ourselves and saw that we had a lot of improving to do. We did it, and gradually we improved day by day, especially against Tipperary.
"We drove on then in Munster and thankfully it all worked out."
It's not too often that a joint-management team comes to the fore, but in 2010 Donal Moloney and Gerry O'Connor have helped bring Clare to the promised land, with Flanagan just 60 minutes away from succeeding Sixmilebridge's John Reddan as the last Clare man to lift the Irish Press Cup - the Banner's lone All-Ireland Minor triumph to date.
Indeed two out of three certainly wouldn't be bad, with Clare's lone Minor final loss in 1989 to a Brian Whelehan led Offaly side.
Last year's All-Ireland Under 21 success, certainly drove into the mindset just how hungry the Clare hurling public are for victories - one of the lesser publicised pitch invasions at Croke Park in 2009.
While there won't be a pitch invasion regardless of the Minor outcome, joint manager Donal Moloney says there's certainly a great buzz surrounding the current crop of under 18's in the Banner County.
"A lot of people are certainly looking forward to the game. I suppose this particular team have had the underdog tag associated with them all year, so people have particularly taken them to their hearts," he said.
"I think that it is a big occasion - we don't get to too many Minor All-Ireland finals and we don't win too many Munster Minor titles either, so I think we'll get a lot of support on Sunday week in Croke Park."
Both Moloney and O'Connor have been involved in managing Clare underage sides together over the past four years, starting out at under 16 level.
"We have been trying to find the formula ever since to make the breakthrough and we always dreamed that we would bring a Munster and an All-Ireland title back to Clare."
Moloney managed his club team Scariff in the past, but confesses it didn't prepare him for the trust of the inter-county scene.
"It's taken us a couple of attempts to try and get things right. It has been a big learning process and it's completely different to Senior hurling and managing club teams - it's a completely different ball game."
Eire Og, Ennis clubman Gerry O'Connor says that since himself and Moloney took over this particular group of players last Spring their dedication and commitment to the Clare hurling cause has been exceptional.
"We found ourselves with a panel of 30 really exceptional guys," he said.
O'Connor pays particular tribute to all of the schools in the Banner County for their involvement in nurturing this talent.
"Three or four schools dominate the Clare panel, including St Flannan's, St Caimins and Tulla. There are also one or two lads from Killaloe and others from Scariff.
"But the experience those guys gain at Dr. Harty Cup level in particular with Caimins and Flannan's is of a huge benefit to us."
And what about their opponents in the All-Ireland decider?
"The bottom line is that we have played Kilkenny three times in the past six months in challenge matches," O'Connor says.
"Our lads have no fear whatsoever of Kilkenny, and the result that we saw in the semi-final against Galway (5-19 to 0-15) was an absolutely phenomenal performance.
"To be perfectly honest, if Kilkenny deliver a performance like that against us they will beat us, but the way minor matches generally pan out is. It's 15 against 15, and it's a game of hurling.
"Once we actually turn up and perform to our ability we would be well capable of causing an upset on the day." Tweet
