Indo GAA · Irish Independent

A flight, a fry and an unforgettable celebration | 30 years on from Clare’s 95’ All-Ireland victory | Tony Considine

·45 min·4 clips

Frank Lohan's miraculous tackle saved Clare's Munster dream in a heart-stopping moment against Cork.

This episode of the Indo GAA podcast marks the 30th anniversary of Clare's 1995 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship victory. Host Michael Verney is joined by Tony Considine, a selector on that historic management team alongside manager Ger Loughnane and fellow selector Mike McNamara. Considine reflects on ending Clare's long provincial drought and achieving ultimate national success. The core goal for the management team was to win the Munster Championship, which Clare had not secured since 1932. They initiated an unprecedented 12-month training regimen focused on building mental toughness, not just physical fitness, to prevent the team from collapsing in big games. Considine recounts a pivotal moment in their Munster semi-final against Cork, where a last-ditch tackle by Frank Lohan and a late goal from substitute Ollie Baker secured a narrow win. He describes the wild, days-long celebrations across the county after finally winning the Munster final against Limerick. The management team of Loughnane, McNamara, and Considine was a deliberately small trio who had not all worked together before but shared a unified vision. A key insight is how the management engineered a crucial "reset" session in Cusack Park when they felt players' focus wavered after the Munster celebrations, driving them intensely to restore their edge. Considine emphasizes that the entire squad were bachelors, which allowed for total commitment to the grueling training schedule. He reveals the team flew from Shannon to Dublin on the morning of the All-Ireland final, had a fry-up for breakfast, and then rested in hotel rooms before the game. Despite conceding a soft goal just before halftime, the dressing room atmosphere was defiantly positive, with players rallying around goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald. The conversation is nostalgic and detailed, driven by specific memories and anecdotes from Considine's firsthand perspective. The tone is informal and conversational, with the host guiding the narrative through focused questions. Listeners who cherish GAA history, particularly Clare supporters or fans of that era, will find this a compelling deep dive. Those with no interest in hurling or sports reminiscence might find the episode too narrowly focused.

As heard by us

A warm, careful recollection of Clare's 1995 breakthrough, anchored by Tony Considine's memories.

Clare's 1995 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final win over Offaly, sealed by Eamon Taft's last-minute goal, is remembered here with real warmth. Tony Considine, one of the three selectors alongside Gerard O'Connor and Mike Mack, keeps the focus on the people in the camp: Anthony…

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Why you'd press play

A 1995 Clare memory lane chat with the selector who was there.

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