CLARE BOSS DAVY Fitzgerald last night expressed concerns over the rules in place for 20 metre frees in hurling in the wake of the recent All-Ireland hurling final draw against Cork.
Cork goalkeeper Anthony Nash’s striking from close-range frees was a hot topic of debate in the aftermath of that game.
Rebels selector Ger Cunningham last week queried Clare goalkeeper Patrick Kelly advancing so far from the his goal line when facing frees.
But Fitzgerald has moved to question Nash’s technique of lifting the ball from close range when coming upfield to strike frees close to goal.
“My only concern would be from a health and safety point of view that if he meets it from the 14, I don’t what’s going to happen him if it hits him in the neck.
“The fact that you can carry it on your hurley and hit it on the 14 is a concern from that point of view. When you have to be 20 metres from the free I presumed you had to take it from out around that area.
“Anthony Nash doesn’t need to carry it too far because, trust me, he has an unbelievable shot. My hat is off to him because he is a fantastic goalkeeper. If we can keep him down the other end of the field we’ll be happy.
“Safety is my only concern on this and I think it’s something that should be looked at. Listen, we won’t kick up too much about it. It’s going to be there the next day and ourselves in Clare aren’t going to make a massive issue.”
Clare goalkeeper Patrick Kelly saves a penalty from Cork’s Anthony Nash
Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy
Fitzgerald also expressed surprise that Cork had raised the issue of Nash being jostled when he travelled upfield to take frees during the drawn games and does not believe it was a major problem.
“You’re giving me tricky questions,” laughed the Clare manager. “I could give you two or three examples of things that happened the last day and in the Munster semi-final that mightn’t have been great.
“I’m choosing not to and to be honest with you I’m a bit surprised that Cork brought it up. I don’t think anyone hit him a big dunt or anything like that.
“There might have been a bit of gamesmanship. I know the likes of Ger Cunningham, he’s probably laughing that off.”
Man In The Middle
Fitzgerald is adamant that he has no issues with the choice of James McGrath to referee the game and revealed Clare have not sought to train under floodlights in Croke Park before Saturday week’s replay.
“Someone said it to me that we were offered to go up there or that Cork were offered to go up there, but I didn’t hear a word.
“When the fixture was made I remember thinking to myself, ‘there’s no point in even thinking about this thing’.
“I would have my own personal opinion on the time and the day, but there’s no point in even commenting on that now. It’s on then and we in Clare accept that.”
