WATERFORD SELECTOR DAN Shanahan has claimed that his brother Maurice was ‘heckled’ by the Clare bench before slotting over the equalising free in yesterday’s Allianz Hurling League Division 1 final.
Maurice Shanahan’s 92nd-minute effort ensured a 0-22 to 0-22 draw at Semple Stadium and set up a replay at the same venue next Sunday.
Shanahan boomed over a sensational effort from long-range to level the tie for the 12th and final time.
But 2007 Hurler of the Year Dan Shanahan revealed that his younger brother had some alleged verbals to contend with as he stood over the crucial late free.
Shanahan said after the game: “I think Maurice deserves respect. It took a lot of liathróidí to put the ball over the bar.
He got a lot of heckling now, to be honest with you. A small bit. I’m talking from the Clare bench now, lads, from the crowd and stuff like that. That’s just the way it is, I suppose. That’s sport.”
When asked to clarify if the heckling was coming from the Clare bench, close to where Maurice was standing over the free, Dan replied: “I’ll leave it up to ye to imagine that. I think a draw was a fair result.”
Shanahan also played down the touchline flare-up towards the end of the first half when he and Waterford boss Derek McGrath were involved in a bout of verbals with Clare supremo Davy Fitzgerald and coach Donal Óg Cusack.
“Ah, look, that’s handbags stuff, lads. Only handbags stuff. These things happen.
“You’ve two benches that you have, they’re going to back up with you.
“Davy’s going to back up Clare and we’re obviously going to back up our young fellas and roll on the next day.”
A tight, tactical affair opened up towards the end of the second half and particularly in extra-time.
A high challenge from Tony Kelly on Colin Dunford seemed to spark the game into life on the half-hour mark, closely followed by that touchline exchange involving the two management teams.
Shanahan added: “They thought it was going to be shadow-boxing but it opened up in the second half and maybe extra-time.
“It was a tight finish and we were happy to get the draw, I suppose. We’d a lot of wides, to be honest with you, but so had Clare.”
Waterford registered 20 wides over the 90-plus minutes, as Clare finished with 19 of their own.
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Played a really solid round today – great to see him go low and win. Putted superbly all week – hopefully a sign of good things to come this season.
Great job Rory.
@thomas walsh:
Hit the 20 wins also, no more qualifying for PGA tour for life! Nice bonus.
Majestic display! The old Rory is back.
Super stuff played terrific golf over the weekend. Always glad to see him do well and keep his detractors quiet
Not at his brilliant best like he was on Saturday but even better that his game management was world class to grind out the win. In recent times Rory would have been drawn into a match with Rickie Fowler but expertly played to shoot a number. PS, I wonder how many posts would have been on here if he fell away???
Good on ya Rory, brilliant.
Thataboy Rory
Well done Rory “I always felt more British than Irish” McElroy
@Alan Campbell: You are aware that they are not mutually exclusive. Just because some Irishmen can also be British, doesn’t make them less Irish they are still just as Irish as anyone else.
@Kingshu: for a start Northern Ireland is not in Britain
@Alan Campbell: Well done Alan ‘I’m talking rubbish’ Campbell.
@Mike Kennedy: you can’t talk, I’ve read some of the s@*# you write
@Alan Campbell: I never said it was, did I? Does that mean NI citizens apply for a untied kingdom passport or a British one? Are you arguing people born in NI cannot identify as British, because NI is part of UK not Britain? Better check the GFA and what British nationality covers? Today would be a good day to educate yourself, so you can stop looking like a numpty.
@Alan Campbell: Who is this “McElroy”? At least get his name right if you are going to talk bigoted claptrap.
@Alan Campbell:
He never played for Britain, did for Ireland…
He also helped the Irish Open when they were in need of help… For such young man to help like that shows he sense duty to his homeland…
@Alan Campbell: at least you didn’t deny that you’re spouting rubbish.
@Alan Campbell: you didn’t deny you were talking rubbish all the same Alan, lol
Fantastic stuff. Went b*lls out with his statement earlier in the week and backs it up with the win!
Back to golf, minus 25 is a silly score. For top flight professionals one would expect a sterner challenge. But good on you Rory..
@John Joseph Barry: they tore it apart. Morikawa was on for a crazy round after going -7 on the front only the putts dried up. Don’t think limiting driver length is going to slow them down though.
@Niall Buckley: let them use 4×2′s?
Great to see