Clare hurling is never too far from the spotlight.
If it’s not the outrageous skill we became accustomed to from Podge Collins and Tony Kelly in 2013, it’s the method in the madness of Davy Fitzgerald.
The success of 2013 has dissipated however due to a slippage in performance that saw them dumped out of the All-Ireland series before the last four stage in both 2014 and this year.
But in a bid to arrest the slide Fitzgerald has drafted in one of the best known, and most controversial figures, in the GAA.
The appointment of Donal Óg Cusack as part of the Clare backroom team took hurling followers by major surprise.
The Cloyne clubman is one of a number of changes to the Banner backroom team for the new season, and All-Ireland-winning full-back David McInerney feels that the appointment of the Cork legend is just what the county set-up needed after the disappointment of the last 18 months.
“We’ve seen what he was like on the Sunday Game, he won loads as a player and he’s been very good for his club.
“We’re looking forward to a bit of freshness coming in. Aonghus O’Brien and Jimmy Payne are coming in too and so it’s a bit of a change around the place which is no harm and it’s exciting times for us.”
Cusack was long tipped to become a Cork senior hurling coach or manager, and McInerney admits he could hardly believe the news when he first heard it.
“We have a Whatsapp group with the team but I lost my phone the week that it came out so the first I heard of it was on Clare FM that he was going to be in with us. I got a bit of a shock but I was delighted he was coming in.”
With his insight and awareness of the modern trends in hurling, the Corkman enters the Clare dressing room with a reputation as being one of the most analytical GAA figures of the last decade.
McInerney is hopeful that Cusack’s biggest influence will be on how Clare set themselves up for each opponent.
“His analysis after games is superb, he used all the camera angles and I thought he was pointing out teams tactics.”
“Obviously you don’t want other teams knowing that but he has a great eye for the game and and he’s won so much as player, and won under great managers, he’s bound to have learned a lot from them that will translate to us.
“He’ll bring a lot of expertise to us and a new voice in the dressing room.”
Clare are due to re-enter winter training early next week as the county prepare for life in Division 1B of the national hurling league. Cusack met the players in recent weeks with Podge Collins returning after missing all of last year’s campaign due to his commitments with the Clare senior footballers.
McInerney, speaking at the launch of the GAA’s Hurling Development Action plan in Croke Park, is delighted to have the Cratloe wizard back in the fold,
“I thought it was a very positive move to get him back into the squad. Podge brings a bit of grit between the teeth to matches and serious workrate. The scores he got in 2013, you won’t see them again. We’re delighted to have him back and we need all the best players we can get.”
“I’m sure he knows what to expect from the dual role and Davy and Colm (Collins) have a good relationship and there’s respect there. They’ll be no fear of Podge, he’s a man who likes training and hard work, he’ll be fine.”
