CLARE JOINT BOSS Donal Moloney lauded the character of his players in claiming victory over Cork yesterday in their last Munster tie of the season and hit out at their critics from the past week.
Heavy losses at the hands of Tipperary and Limerick since the start of June had generated plenty criticism of the Clare players.
Their campaign culminated in a 2019 championship exit yesterday but they did depart in a positive fashion with a stirring display in front of their home support in Cusack Park yielding a five-point success over Cork.
“We’re just so proud of them and our county should be proud of them,” insisted Moloney.
“And they shouldn’t be proud of some of the stuff they said over the last two weeks. It’s always a tough week.
“They can attack us all they want you know? We are around a long time we don’t have any issue with that, but attacking players and stuff as they have done is not very respectful.
“It was print and social (media). I don’t have to qualify it, you all know. You don’t need me to spell it out lads. We are just very proud of our players.
“We can’t control other results. we’re very proud. This is our third Sunday in a row and to be beaten like we were last week and then to do what they did today, to get up off the floor and do that it really reflects the courage and the character of our players. We’ll take stock now and see where we go.”
Clare got off to a lightning start with Shane O’Donnell’s goal inside the opening seconds of the match setting the tone.
“Yes, Shane (O’Donnell) has been terrific all week – they’ve all been terrific all week, all of them. They were superb today.
“We said at the start we wanted to get a Munster championship record, we wanted Clare to start winning games in Munster. We’ve won six in the last three years, contested two Munster finals and died with our boots on.
“Clare haven’t had a record like that since back in the ’90s so we set our stall and we’re very proud with how the players went at it today.”
Clare’s season has now drawn to a close with Moloney not drawn on the managerial future of himself and Gerry O’Connor.
“If you’re not at your absolute best every day you’ll get turned over. That’s life. It’s very, very difficult to win four championship matches back to back, especially the way the games are set up.
“We are very proud of our players today and we’ll take stock and see where we are.”
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