EMBATTLED CLARE BOSS Davy Fitzgerald is confident that his Banner County stars can defy the “doomers and gloomers.”
Clare slumped to a third successive Allianz Hurling League Division 1A defeat on Sunday – and are now staring a relegation playoff squarely in the face.
Clare have two games left to save their skins or they’re facing the prospect a second one-off shootout in three seasons to preserve their top-flight status.
But Clare did, of course, defeat Cork in 2013 before going on to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup later in the year.
Fitzgerald watched Clare lose by five points against Tipperary at Cusack Park on Sunday.
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But he accentuated the positives from the home side’s display in front of over 7000 spectators.
Fitzgerald said: “A lot more fight there today. I’m a lot happier.
“We have the doomers and gloomers around (but) if we keep playing with that kind of passion and spirit, we’ll win more games.”
And while Fitzgerald, a fiercely competitive character, is concerned by his team’s current losing streak, he insisted that the summer is what really matters.
But the worry for Clare is that they haven’t won a game in League or championship since defeating Laois in the 2014 League quarter-final.
Fitzgerald added: “Listen, they’re big games but in the context of Mayo and June, how big will they be?
“If we lose to Limerick and Tipp in Munster, they’re big games. I’d be worried then if we were getting well beaten.
“We’re disappointed, we tried everything to win the game. I felt we weren’t 100 miles away today.”
And Fitzgerald hailed a vocal Clare support for their backing.
“The crowd were pretty good – they tried to get behind us. We were half-expecting they might get on our backs but hats off to them.
“They know we’re trying and trying very hard. I said to the lads inside (in the dressing room), you’ll always have the fellas that will be giving out and knocking you but we’re a very united squad as everyone will see.
“We’re very together and we’ll keep going. We won’t be 100 miles away from anything.”
Davy defiant about Clare's progress despite 'the doomers and gloomers around'
EMBATTLED CLARE BOSS Davy Fitzgerald is confident that his Banner County stars can defy the “doomers and gloomers.”
Clare slumped to a third successive Allianz Hurling League Division 1A defeat on Sunday – and are now staring a relegation playoff squarely in the face.
Clare have two games left to save their skins or they’re facing the prospect a second one-off shootout in three seasons to preserve their top-flight status.
But Clare did, of course, defeat Cork in 2013 before going on to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup later in the year.
Fitzgerald watched Clare lose by five points against Tipperary at Cusack Park on Sunday.
But he accentuated the positives from the home side’s display in front of over 7000 spectators.
Fitzgerald said: “A lot more fight there today. I’m a lot happier.
“We have the doomers and gloomers around (but) if we keep playing with that kind of passion and spirit, we’ll win more games.”
And while Fitzgerald, a fiercely competitive character, is concerned by his team’s current losing streak, he insisted that the summer is what really matters.
But the worry for Clare is that they haven’t won a game in League or championship since defeating Laois in the 2014 League quarter-final.
Fitzgerald added: “Listen, they’re big games but in the context of Mayo and June, how big will they be?
“If we lose to Limerick and Tipp in Munster, they’re big games. I’d be worried then if we were getting well beaten.
“We’re disappointed, we tried everything to win the game. I felt we weren’t 100 miles away today.”
And Fitzgerald hailed a vocal Clare support for their backing.
“The crowd were pretty good – they tried to get behind us. We were half-expecting they might get on our backs but hats off to them.
“They know we’re trying and trying very hard. I said to the lads inside (in the dressing room), you’ll always have the fellas that will be giving out and knocking you but we’re a very united squad as everyone will see.
“We’re very together and we’ll keep going. We won’t be 100 miles away from anything.”
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