They may have to erect a fence between the two benches at Semple Stadium by the time June 5th rolls around.
Clare and Waterford could not be separated after 90 minutes yesterday, but their respective management teams had to be separated during the course of a see-saw Allianz League Final in Thurles.
It took a monstrous free at the end of extra-time from Waterford’s Maurice Shanahan to level the game at 22 points apiece, which has set up a replay at the same venue this Sunday – four weeks before they meet at Semple Stadium in a Munster SHC semi-final.
Speaking to the42.ie after the game, Waterford selector Dan Shanahan accused the Clare bench of trying to unsettle his brother as he stood over the last-gasp free.
Booing and whistling could be heard from the stands, but Shanahan specifically identified the Clare bench.
“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,” he said.
Shanahan’s claims are likely to heighten tensions between the two management teams, who went head-to-head during the first half. Linesman Cathal McAllister had to intervene as Waterford manager Derek McGrath and Shanahan got involved in a shouting match with their Clare counterparts Davy Fitzgerald and Donal Óg Cusack.
“Ah, look, that’s handbags stuff, lads. Only handbags stuff. These things happen,” said Shanahan of the incident.
“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.”
For his part Fitzgerald said he was looking forward to the replay on Sunday, despite it coming less than a month ahead of their Championship encounter. The Clare boss does appear to relish encounters with his old charges.
Always volatile on the line, Fitzgerald has had more than one run-in with the team he managed from 2008 to 2011.
While Clare went on to win the 2013 All-Ireland, they were eliminated from Munster Championship by Waterford, with John Mullane and Eoin Kelly infamously celebrating in front of the Clare bench (again in the crucible of Semple Stadium).
Earlier in the game the RTÉ microphones picked up on Fitzgerald shouting, “I’ve got two All-Irelands and you’ve got f*** all”.
While there may be respect, there is very little love between these two.
Sunday should be fun.
