THE WEEKEND OF the All-Ireland hurling semi-finals brings forth an image of one of the truly great scores in a final-four tie.
The year was 2018, and Galway were the reigning All-Ireland champions. Their semi-final opponents Clare had battled back from nine points down in the first half at Croke Park, and were attacking towards the Hill 16 end in the 63rd minute.
A pass out wide came to Peter Duggan as Galway defenders quickly converged. Adrian Tuohy attempted a challenge on the Clooney-Quin forward as did substitute Paul Killeen. But Duggan, who goes by the nickname ‘Three-metre Peter,’ brushed past both.
Aidan Harte just about managed to break his stride with a frontal attack, forcing Duggan to role away from the challenge. What followed was a perfect exhibition of power, balance and accuracy as Duggan hooked the ball over with a one-handed technique to level the contest at 0-23 to 1-20.
"A truly astonishing score" - Peter Duggan hits a spectacular point as Clare try their best to stay in the game.
The sides couldn’t be separated that day after extra-time, with Galway eventually booking their return ticket to the final after winning the replay in Thurles. Duggan’s 1-6 couldn’t prevent a 1-17 to 2-13 defeat, but that equaliser in the drawn game was a standout moment across the two absorbing battles. Arguably the score of the season too.
Duggan collected his first All-Star later that year as the number one scorer in the championship. He topped the charts with 3-76, including 0-15 (13f) against Tipperary in the first year of the Munster round-robin competition.
The ultimate turnaround for a player who was considering quitting the inter-county game the year before.
****
Around Clooney-Quin, the Duggan name is hurling royalty. Peter’s father, Tony, has been their chairman for the last decade, his uncle, Mike, is a former manager of the club, while his mother, Maureen, has been providing first aid care from the sidelines for several years.
His first cousin Cillian Duggan was the goalkeeper for their run to last year’s senior county final which ended in defeat against Éire Óg Ennis. Cillian’s sister Orla has captained the Clare camogie team.
Former Clooney-Quin defender Conor Harrison played much of his career with Peter’s older brother Martin, but those first sightings of the younger sibling remain a vivid memory.
Peter would tag along to the club training, and find a quiet space on the pitch to practice his frees and cut a few sidelines.
“He was always trying the impossible,” Harrison says. “One of those players that you don’t see very often, who has a free spirit.
“He’d always call us over to have a look at what he was able to do. We knew he was a special talent.
“Pat O’Rourke from Shannon would have been coaching us [at the time]. We were just up from intermediate [in 2006], playing senior at the time and Peter was living down at the field.”
Peter later became Harrison’s teammate and often his opponent during training games.
“Tried to,” Harrison laughs when asked about his experience of trying to contain such an indomitable opponent.
“Very difficult to predict what he was going to do anytime that ball came near him. He’s really a one-off. He can catch the ball with either hand, he can hold you off, he’s got some unbelievable skill, huge power. He’s a really difficult guy to plan for.”
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After achieving promotion in 2006, Clooney-Quin went on to battle for the top prize in 2017. It was their first time to reach the senior final in 73 years, and Duggan was central to ending their long wait for a shot at the title which they last won in 1942.
When Clooney-Quin defeated Feakle by 2-22 to 2-14, Duggan accounted for 2-13 of their winning tally. He added another 0-12 against Whitegate to help book their place in the quarter-finals where he helped eliminate Éire Óg Ennis with nine points.
He posted 0-12 (11f) in a two-point semi-final win over Clonlara, and although their quest ultimately fell short after a county final replay against Sixmilebridge, Duggan hit a combined 0-20 (14f, 3 ’65, 1 sideline) across the two acts.
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Duggan scoring the late equaliser in the 2017 county final against Sixmilebridge. Tommy Dickson / INPHO
Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO
It was his free at the end of the first game which rescued a deserved 0-19 to 1-16 draw for Clooney-Quin. Duggan’s side were six points short in the replay, but he signed off as the championship’s top-scorer with 2-76 in seven matches.
“We really got on a run in 2017,” Harrison recalls. “That was mainly down to Peter having a special season.”
But while Duggan was clearly in imperious form for Clooney-Quin, he was struggling with the Clare hurlers. He made his championship debut in the 2013 Munster quarter-final against Waterford, and was part of the squad who went on to achieve All-Ireland glory after a famous replay against Cork later that year.
Duggan was also in the midst of completing an All-Ireland U21 three-in-a-row between 2012 and 2014.
But he felt his career plateaued in the years that followed. A place in the starting team proved elusive. He considered quitting the team during the Donal Moloney-Gerry O’Connor era before that 2017 run with Clooney-Quin restored his hunger and sparked a revival.
“I was on the panel for so long, and never really breaking on,” Duggan admitted to the media in 2018 after losing out to Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final replay.
“This was my seventh year doing inter-county hurling, and I was always just on the fringes. I ended up having a good year with Clooney. I had a bit of confidence going into the year, whatever it takes, just go and do it.”
Harrison remembers that period too, and describes how his teammate took those frustrations and converted them into a series of powerful performances in a Clooney-Quin jersey.
“He had been our main guy for a couple of seasons before that, but I just remember speaking to him when we won a Senior B [county title] in 2016, that he was going to give it absolutely everything in the gym that winter. And he really dedicated himself to getting in great condition. I think all those years of nearly making it, or maybe not making it, everything just clicked into place for him.
“Everybody in the county would have known about Peter, but he was performing so well in 2017 that there was a clamour really for him to be given more of an opportunity [with Clare].
“The starting positions never really seemed to come for him until after that season, and once he got his opportunity, everything just took off for him.”
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Duggan ultimately did step away from the Clare squad after the 2019 season to travel to Australia. Thankfully for the Banner and Clooney-Quin, the temptation to explore some of the world amounted to just a two-year absence, and he was back in Ireland for the 2022 season.
Two years later, he was an All-Ireland champion again. This time, as a starter on the half-forward line. His 0-2 (1 sideline) helped Brian Lohan’s side squeeze past Cork after extra-time, while his clubmate Ryan Taylor also made an important contribution off the bench with a point from play.
Clubmates Ryan Taylor and Peter Duggan lifting the Liam MacCarthy cup together in 2024. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“They’re absolute heroes and Gods around East Clare,” Harrison explains. “Everybody knows Peter and Ryan.
“Peter had a huge influence on Ryan. Ryan was always a great athlete, but would admit himself that he wasn’t as good a hurler as Peter. But once he became friendly with Peter, he had a great influence on him.
“Having a role model like Peter makes such a difference to all the young kids that are trying to be the next Peter or the next Ryan in the club.”
****
These days, Duggan is more likely to be positioned along the full-forward line where he can really use his towering strength to full effect. All three metres of it.
His considerable wingspan makes him a brilliant target at the edge of the square, although he can still swing over crucial scores when needed. Duggan left Thurles two weeks ago with 0-3 (1 sideline) as Clare inflicted a 0-29 to 0-16 win over Dublin to assure safe passage to the All-Ireland semi-finals.
Now it’s Limerick’s turn to try and curtail the Clooney-Quin colossus in an arena where he delivered one of his finest moments. The resilience he demonstrated to produce that inspirational score in the 2018 semi-final is the same quality he relied on to go from the peripheries of the Clare squad to the front lines of their attack.
Of course, none of that is a surprise to Harrison. He still has all the memories of those first few glimpses of what Duggan is capable of.
“He’s really leading the line up there. And physically, he’s such a handful for other teams. He’s been carrying that for years with the club, but it seems to be getting more and more important with the county in the last number of years in the role that he’s doing.”
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From almost quitting the Clare hurlers to a classic Croke Park point and seeking more glory
THE WEEKEND OF the All-Ireland hurling semi-finals brings forth an image of one of the truly great scores in a final-four tie.
The year was 2018, and Galway were the reigning All-Ireland champions. Their semi-final opponents Clare had battled back from nine points down in the first half at Croke Park, and were attacking towards the Hill 16 end in the 63rd minute.
A pass out wide came to Peter Duggan as Galway defenders quickly converged. Adrian Tuohy attempted a challenge on the Clooney-Quin forward as did substitute Paul Killeen. But Duggan, who goes by the nickname ‘Three-metre Peter,’ brushed past both.
Aidan Harte just about managed to break his stride with a frontal attack, forcing Duggan to role away from the challenge. What followed was a perfect exhibition of power, balance and accuracy as Duggan hooked the ball over with a one-handed technique to level the contest at 0-23 to 1-20.
The sides couldn’t be separated that day after extra-time, with Galway eventually booking their return ticket to the final after winning the replay in Thurles. Duggan’s 1-6 couldn’t prevent a 1-17 to 2-13 defeat, but that equaliser in the drawn game was a standout moment across the two absorbing battles. Arguably the score of the season too.
Duggan collected his first All-Star later that year as the number one scorer in the championship. He topped the charts with 3-76, including 0-15 (13f) against Tipperary in the first year of the Munster round-robin competition.
The ultimate turnaround for a player who was considering quitting the inter-county game the year before.
****
Around Clooney-Quin, the Duggan name is hurling royalty. Peter’s father, Tony, has been their chairman for the last decade, his uncle, Mike, is a former manager of the club, while his mother, Maureen, has been providing first aid care from the sidelines for several years.
His first cousin Cillian Duggan was the goalkeeper for their run to last year’s senior county final which ended in defeat against Éire Óg Ennis. Cillian’s sister Orla has captained the Clare camogie team.
Former Clooney-Quin defender Conor Harrison played much of his career with Peter’s older brother Martin, but those first sightings of the younger sibling remain a vivid memory.
Peter would tag along to the club training, and find a quiet space on the pitch to practice his frees and cut a few sidelines.
“He was always trying the impossible,” Harrison says. “One of those players that you don’t see very often, who has a free spirit.
“He’d always call us over to have a look at what he was able to do. We knew he was a special talent.
“Pat O’Rourke from Shannon would have been coaching us [at the time]. We were just up from intermediate [in 2006], playing senior at the time and Peter was living down at the field.”
Peter later became Harrison’s teammate and often his opponent during training games.
“Tried to,” Harrison laughs when asked about his experience of trying to contain such an indomitable opponent.
“Very difficult to predict what he was going to do anytime that ball came near him. He’s really a one-off. He can catch the ball with either hand, he can hold you off, he’s got some unbelievable skill, huge power. He’s a really difficult guy to plan for.”
****
After achieving promotion in 2006, Clooney-Quin went on to battle for the top prize in 2017. It was their first time to reach the senior final in 73 years, and Duggan was central to ending their long wait for a shot at the title which they last won in 1942.
When Clooney-Quin defeated Feakle by 2-22 to 2-14, Duggan accounted for 2-13 of their winning tally. He added another 0-12 against Whitegate to help book their place in the quarter-finals where he helped eliminate Éire Óg Ennis with nine points.
He posted 0-12 (11f) in a two-point semi-final win over Clonlara, and although their quest ultimately fell short after a county final replay against Sixmilebridge, Duggan hit a combined 0-20 (14f, 3 ’65, 1 sideline) across the two acts.
It was his free at the end of the first game which rescued a deserved 0-19 to 1-16 draw for Clooney-Quin. Duggan’s side were six points short in the replay, but he signed off as the championship’s top-scorer with 2-76 in seven matches.
“We really got on a run in 2017,” Harrison recalls. “That was mainly down to Peter having a special season.”
But while Duggan was clearly in imperious form for Clooney-Quin, he was struggling with the Clare hurlers. He made his championship debut in the 2013 Munster quarter-final against Waterford, and was part of the squad who went on to achieve All-Ireland glory after a famous replay against Cork later that year.
Duggan was also in the midst of completing an All-Ireland U21 three-in-a-row between 2012 and 2014.
But he felt his career plateaued in the years that followed. A place in the starting team proved elusive. He considered quitting the team during the Donal Moloney-Gerry O’Connor era before that 2017 run with Clooney-Quin restored his hunger and sparked a revival.
“I was on the panel for so long, and never really breaking on,” Duggan admitted to the media in 2018 after losing out to Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final replay.
“This was my seventh year doing inter-county hurling, and I was always just on the fringes. I ended up having a good year with Clooney. I had a bit of confidence going into the year, whatever it takes, just go and do it.”
Harrison remembers that period too, and describes how his teammate took those frustrations and converted them into a series of powerful performances in a Clooney-Quin jersey.
“He had been our main guy for a couple of seasons before that, but I just remember speaking to him when we won a Senior B [county title] in 2016, that he was going to give it absolutely everything in the gym that winter. And he really dedicated himself to getting in great condition. I think all those years of nearly making it, or maybe not making it, everything just clicked into place for him.
“Everybody in the county would have known about Peter, but he was performing so well in 2017 that there was a clamour really for him to be given more of an opportunity [with Clare].
“The starting positions never really seemed to come for him until after that season, and once he got his opportunity, everything just took off for him.”
****
Duggan ultimately did step away from the Clare squad after the 2019 season to travel to Australia. Thankfully for the Banner and Clooney-Quin, the temptation to explore some of the world amounted to just a two-year absence, and he was back in Ireland for the 2022 season.
Two years later, he was an All-Ireland champion again. This time, as a starter on the half-forward line. His 0-2 (1 sideline) helped Brian Lohan’s side squeeze past Cork after extra-time, while his clubmate Ryan Taylor also made an important contribution off the bench with a point from play.
“They’re absolute heroes and Gods around East Clare,” Harrison explains. “Everybody knows Peter and Ryan.
“Peter had a huge influence on Ryan. Ryan was always a great athlete, but would admit himself that he wasn’t as good a hurler as Peter. But once he became friendly with Peter, he had a great influence on him.
“Having a role model like Peter makes such a difference to all the young kids that are trying to be the next Peter or the next Ryan in the club.”
These days, Duggan is more likely to be positioned along the full-forward line where he can really use his towering strength to full effect. All three metres of it.
His considerable wingspan makes him a brilliant target at the edge of the square, although he can still swing over crucial scores when needed. Duggan left Thurles two weeks ago with 0-3 (1 sideline) as Clare inflicted a 0-29 to 0-16 win over Dublin to assure safe passage to the All-Ireland semi-finals.
Now it’s Limerick’s turn to try and curtail the Clooney-Quin colossus in an arena where he delivered one of his finest moments. The resilience he demonstrated to produce that inspirational score in the 2018 semi-final is the same quality he relied on to go from the peripheries of the Clare squad to the front lines of their attack.
Of course, none of that is a surprise to Harrison. He still has all the memories of those first few glimpses of what Duggan is capable of.
“He’s really leading the line up there. And physically, he’s such a handful for other teams. He’s been carrying that for years with the club, but it seems to be getting more and more important with the county in the last number of years in the role that he’s doing.”
****
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