CLONLARA GAA HAVE the misfortune of knowing what it is to wait through a famine for success.
When they won the county championship in 2008, it was the end of an 89-year wait for a Clare senior hurling title in their parish. It was the final note of a productive 12 months for Clonlara. They captured the Clare intermediate championship the previous season as well as triumphing in Munster to send them up to the top tier in sharp condition. It was an achievement few saw coming, and it ended up being a brief candle.
Breakthroughs of that nature often give way to fantasies of annual victories. And sometimes, the silverware flows with the newfound confidence.
But for Clonlara, they drifted back, reaching just three county finals after that including a replay against Ballyea in 2016. Ballyea reached the All-Ireland final that season which underlines the slim margins that separate teams in the cutthroat business of club championship.
Clare hurling star John Conlon is the last remaining player of that class of 08 as Clonlara prepare for a fourth bite at it in a county final. Manager Donal Madden was a player then, and hit 0-7 in their 1-12 to 1-9 victory over Newmarket-on-Fergus. But Conlon was just a pup then, reaching the summit of Clare hurling at just 18. And he’s still pulling up trees for club and county at 34.
“John and I would be best friends since we’re three or four,” Nicky O’Connell tells The 42. He was also a part of that 2008-winning side, as well as the Clare team that lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup five years later.
“We played on all Clonlara teams growing up. We won everything together and played on all Clare teams growing up.
“He was one of the main boys when he came in at 15. He’s gotten better and better, especially in the last couple of years when he got injured and didn’t know if he was going to play anymore. But if there’s anyone who deserves to be there again, it’s John.
“If he wasn’t there in 2008, we wouldn’t have won it. That’s the way I put it. He’s a hurling monster and his brain is just made for hurling. He loves it and in my opinion, we wouldn’t have a 2008 championship if he wasn’t there.”
Paul Nihill is a first cousin of Conlon’s, and one of the half-backs on that Clonlara team who defeated Newmarket-on-Fergus in that county decider 15 years ago. It’s his contention that Conlon is playing the best hurling of his life, after overcoming a torn cruciate in 2020.
“All I can say about John is I’ve never seen anyone more dedicated to the sport in my life. What he’s doing now to keep himself fresh and fit. A lot of us were watching the matches and it’s probably the best I’ve ever seen him play for Clonlara at 34. He looks faster and fitter than we’ve ever seen him.
“The work he’s putting in behind the scenes is amazing. The amount of time he puts towards the gym and looking after himself and getting injuries right is massive. He’s an inspiration for all the players on the team, and a real driving force.
“John doesn’t just go in, get the surgery and do whatever they tell him. He does in-depth research into what is the best thing to be doing. He’ll get all the information, do all the exercises and go above and beyond to get himself back and he’s in flying form.”
Colm Galvin was just a touch too young for that 2008 team but he was part of Clare’s All-Ireland-winning side in 2013. Domhnall O’Donovan was involved with both parties too, as was Darach Honan. Galvin has U21 Munster and All-Ireland honours with his county too.
But the county medal remains an elusive jewel for him. His inter-county career ended prematurely when he forced to retire due to injuries last year, and according to O’Connell, Galvin became a bit disillusioned with the game.
“He lost a bit of the love for the game, and he’s after getting back this year. He was brilliant the last day in the semi-final and I’m just delighted for him. Losing the love for hurling has happened to me and it’s really hard to get it back. But this year, you can see the smile on his face again. Colm would be one of my really good friends and it’s so nice seeing it.
“You kind of feel lost when you don’t have hurling. And then when you do get that edge back, it’s brilliant to see.
“If you asked Colm whether he’d prefer this or an All-Ireland, he’d nearly say this medal because it’s the one that has eluded him all his life.”
Crusheen are Clonlara’s opponents in today’s final. They too are looking to bridge a mighty gap and become Clare senior champions since their back-to-back success in 2010 and 2011.
The sides met in the 2008 championship, needing a replay to separate them in the semi-final. Clonlara were considered major underdogs that time, and they used that to their advantage, progressing through the competition without any burden of expectation. A pure example of winning momentum producing maximum effect.
Looking ahead to today, both Nihill and O’Connell suspect that the odds are 50-50 between the two sides. Clonlara beat Crusheen when they clashed in the group stages, but circumstances change when it comes to a final. Equal parts “confident and cautious,” according to Nihill, but without slipping into the dangers of complacency.
O’Connell had initially togged out for Clonlara in the early stages of this season, but a combination of a hamstring injury and work commitments forced him to step aside. Of course, it would be nice to be involved but his overall hope is that Clonlara bringing the waiting to an end, and revive the winning spirit of 2008.
“When they get to a final, and everything is flying and going well, you kind of wish you just held out and stayed going to be patient with it. But I’m buzzing for the boys. You could see over the last couple of years that things were slowly changing in their mindset, especially from the younger boys.
“15 years is crazy, especially with the team we had. There was seven or eight of us on the county panel back 10 years ago, and unfortunately we lost three finals. We could have added a few in the mean time, but I’m just buzzing for the boys to be back again.”
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