1. An All-Star for Gary Brennan
On this historic day for Clare football, it is only right that one of the county’s most loyal servants to the big ball came to the fore.
For nine seasons at senior inter-county level, Gary Brennan had to be content with plying his trade away from the bright lights of August and September Sundays in Croke Park. It was 2014 before he got a chance to play in HQ — and even then, there was no fairytale as Clare were edged out by Tipperary in the Division 4 league final.
When Davy Fitzgerald tried to tempt him over to the hurlers, the reigning All-Ireland champions at the time, he politely declined and put his head down. Days like this must have been at the back of his mind.
Today, as on so many occasions in the past, he was the midfield totem pole around which Clare built their performance, leading by example.
You won’t have to look far this weekend to hear hopeful talk of a long overdue All-Star for one of the great unheralded footballers of the modern game.
You won’t find too many arguments either.
2. Podge’s balancing act
It must have been a curious feeling for Podge Collins to see his weekend itinerary — along with proposed routes and stopping points — mapped out and discussed so thoroughly in the media this week.
But as one of the few remaining dual stars in an era when demands on players are increasing in both codes, Collins is a rarity.
Speaking on Second Captains this week, Clare hurling legend Niall Gilligan was brutally honest when he wished the county’s footballers well, but said that his priority was having Collins at 100% for tomorrow’s hurling quarter-final against Galway.
Thankfully it looks like that is the case. Teenager Keelan Sexton kept Collins out of the starting XV, and it was only after Cathal O’Connor’s harsh red card that the Cratloe star entered the fray for the final 25 minutes.
The pictures at the final whistle of him drinking in an unforgettable moment with his parents were the GAA at its finest — but you can bet it wasn’t long before his thoughts turned to Semple Stadium and the task at hand tomorrow.
3. No panic for tenacious Tipp
With 10 minutes to play in Breffni Park, it didn’t seem premature to suggest that Tipperary — five points up against Derry and well in control — were home and hosed.
Bill Maher was running the show, the Derry defence had no answer to Robbie Kiely and Philip Austin, and, truth be told, Damian Barton’s side looked to be out on their feet after three games in as many weeks.
Tipp must have sensed history within their grasp and so when Derry pulled their usual party piece and wrestled it away from them with an unanswered 1-4, including Eoghan Browne’s goal four minutes from time, you could have forgiven them for panicking.
Instead, they kept the territorial pressure on, worked the ball to men in space, took points where they could and drew frees where they couldn’t.
By the fifth minute of stoppage time they were ahead by a point again, controlling possession and running down the clock. It was a dangerous game, and could have cost them had Brendan Rogers’ late attempt at an equaliser been a couple of feet to the right, but they kept their heads till the last.
4. Tipp forge a new band of brothers
Do not underestimate what this historic achievement — a first All-Ireland quarter-final — means for Tipperary.
Overnight, the county saw the backbone of its heralded “golden generation” almost evaporate. Colin O’Riordan went to try his hand at Aussie Rules; Steven O’Brien and Seamus Kennedy chose to focus on hurling alone; a handful of their U21 stars preferred a year in America.
Rather than sulk and mope about what might have been had one, or all, of the above stayed, this Tipperary team resolved to show the quality that was still there.
Conor Sweeney, a man who has faced his fair share of criticism in the past, shone with 0-5 from play, but he was only one of many stars across the pitch.
5. Familiar foes in the last eight
And so after today’s action (and one of the games of the summer between Tipp and Derry), we now know the lineup for the first of the quarter-finals.
It’s a double-header in Croke Park next Sunday, 31 July, as Kerry take on Clare and Galway meet Tipp.
Clare have used the backdoor to its fullest since their Munster semi-final defeat against Kerry back in mid-June. Wins against Division 3, Division 2, and now Division 1 opposition will have primed them for a second shot at their provincial rivals.
They will certainly expect to get closer than the 12-point margin that separated the sides the last day but it would be a seismic shock if they could turn the tables.
The same can’t be said with such certainty for Galway and Tipperary. The Tribesmen edged a high-scoring affair when the sides met in the Round 4 qualifiers two years ago, 4-17 to 4-12.
And while Galway put their Connacht final blip behind them with a storming performance in the replay against Roscommon, Tipp’s wins over Cork and now Derry will inspire plenty of confidence.
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
