CLARE JOB FITZ THE MARK

CLARE v KERRY

“I knew he was going to ask me again and I didn’t want to say no again so I just said I’d ignore him.

“Then when I did come in the year after, he reminded me of the call. ‘Did you get that call off me the last time?’

Decline

“I said, ‘Yeah.’ He said, ‘Don’t you ever decline a call from me again.’ So I never did!”

Ugwueru was playing for Éire

Óg, but he was also heavily involved with AIL rugby side Shannon.

“I wasn’t really

IKEM Ugwueru says Mark Fitzgerald has taken the Clare job in his stride.

Kerry man Fitzgerald, who managed Limerick last year for a spell, came in after Colm Collins left the Banner post he’d held for 10 years.

Clare lost 10 squad members, including some huge players like Keelan Sexton, Eoin Cleary and Jamie Malone, but they almost won promotion out of Division 3.

Ugwueru is one of those who has taken his chance to led towards it (Gaelic football),” he says.

“My family were saying it to me and a few outside people were saying it to me too.

“Have you ever been called into Clare? I was just playing with Éire Óg and I was enjoying it.

“They were kind of like, ‘You never know. A call might come.’

“But I was playing rugby all the way up until two years ago and I haven’t played rugby in two years.

“Colm asked me every year and I said no. Obviously I know of Colm, but I didn’t know him personally so I didn’t know who I was saying no to. “So then the lads were saying, ‘Colm is force his way into the team.

“Obviously he (Fitzgerald) knew the size of the job he was taking on,” said Ugwueru. “They were big shoes to fill from Colm.

Pressure

“But if you spoke to him now, you wouldn’t think he’s under pressure at all.

“He’s just taking it in his stride. And it’s rubbing off on us too, which is good. He just

“But there was a stage where I started to not enjoy rugby and I just kind of fell out of love with the game really for a bit.

“I feel like my loss in interest in rugby was gained in football, and I’m really enjoying it now. tells us to express ourselves.

“Obviously he has brought in his style of football, which is good and we’re using it.

“I feel like our whole team, the defending, the attacking, it has all improved. Even with all the absentees we have on the team.

“So I feel he’s doing good. And me, personally, I like him. So hopefully good things to come.”