Clarecastle have appointed two time All-Ireland senior hurling medallist Fergie Tuohy as manager of their senior hurling team.
By Jamesy Mc Conigley
At the club’s recent Annual General Meeting, Tuohy was elected to the position of senior hurling manager within the club. He will be joined on his management team by Martin Duggan who was involved with Clare minor hurlers for the past three seasons and 2016 Clarecastle manager Conor Dolan.
Fergie was trainer of North Kerry club Lixnaw this year and his side were knocked at the quarter-final stage by eventual winners Kilmoyley who were managed by fellow Clarecastle man Fergie O’Loughlin.
Bobby Duggan is the club’s sole representative on the county senior hurling panel. He told The Clare Herald that the addition of younger players to their panel will help their chances in the Clare SHC.
“We have had recent success in the minor grade and also won it in 2013 so with the addition of a few minors from the 2016 breaking through, we will be presented with a better chance of contesting for the Canon Hamilton in 2017.”
On October 30th, Bobby watched on as parish rivals Ballyea created history winning their first ever senior championship. As Stan Lineen hoisted the Canon Hamilton into the sky, Duggan was struck by realisation that “we’re not actually too far off this”.
Since breaking into the Magpies senior team in 2012, their best run was reaching the last four in 2014 subsequently losing out to champions Cratloe, on a scoreline of 4-15 to 1-19.
“Clarecastle’s focus for 2017 will be on taking it game by game, we believe that under the current format winning your first game gives you a huge advantage and also an opportunity so naturally our initial focus will be geared towards that” the NUIG graduate stated.