TIME WE DUGG OUR HEELS IN
PETER DUGGAN has challenged his Clare colleagues to add vital consistency to their game after slipping into a bad habit of performing in patches.
Clare played Galway twice in All-ireland semi-final ties last year and remarkably fell nine points behind early on in both games.
They fought back to earn a draw the first day but shot 19 wides in the replay and came up a point short.
Clare had another slow start against Tipperary in round one of this year’s League before relinquishing an eight-point lead against Kilkenny to win by just one.
They led Cork last weekend before being suckered late on by a flurry of Rebels points.
All-star forward Duggan said: “The way last year finished up still hurts, it’s a sore point but it’s happened a few times over the last few years, that we just can’t get into games.
“It has taken us a while to get going and our main focus now is that we just have to be able to perform for 70 minutes, which we haven’t really been able to do.
“It is a hindrance and I don’t know how we will get it out of our systems, it’s something that we’ve been working on and if we can get it going at all, it will build momentum for the year. We’ll just have to wait and see if we can produce it in the big games and not go in and out of games like we have been doing.”
Clare are bottom on scoring average and while there’s no relegation this year, Duggan said he wants to get up into the top four.
The Bodibro sports wear ambassador explained: “With no relegation, it’s a little bit different, there’s not as much pressure on you.
“But at the same time you still want those extra few games. If you finish fifth or sixth, you don’t get any more games so your ambition is to be hurling further into the year so you’re getting competitive games closer to the Championship.
“The further you go in the League, the more benefit it will be when you get to the Championship group stage.” ›› FOR all today’s action and the weekend results visit www.irishmirror.ie