Credit: The Clare Herald

Sixmilebridge custodian, Derek Fahy was a very satisfied man after collecting his second Clare SHC medal, he highlighted their more focused attitude this year as a key reason why the Canon Hamilton is now residing in the Bridge.

Fahy told The Clare Herald that their nine point win over Clonlara was sweeter than their 2013 victory over rivals Newmarket-on-Fergus. “This was sweeter. We put in a lot of hard work at the start of the year, there’s a great bunch in the panel here, the backroom staff, everyone, there was much more work done than in 2013 and it’s a lot more sweeter”.

He said Clonlara faded for a finish whereas they didn’t ease up until the final whistle. “A great win in the end, Clonlara really came out in the second half and they responded well after we got two or three points and we just tacked on a few more, there was always two or three points in it we just kept going and they faded in the end so a great day, delighted I am”.

Over the hour, Derek was called upon to make four vital saves to deny Clonlara any opportunity of a goal. He states that for every shot he just kept a cool head. “Pretty much, all year I don’t think I made a save in the Championship so I really wanted to get a save in today but the shots weren’t exactly the hardest shots but I was just happy to get the ball out of there, keeping calm and focused was the main point”.

The successor to Davy Fitzgerald as Sixmilebridge goalkeeper believed their greater workrate, discipline and clinical finishing proved to be the difference. “Our workrate I thought was good, we swallowed them up there in twos and threes. They gave away a lot of frees against us and Gilly never missed a free. The goal chance aswell, we got one goal”.

Much has been said about their disappointing displays in 2014 with the Club Executive holding their AGM in October of last year in order to get back to business as early as possible.

 
Fahy admits that their inspiration from success has stemmed from last year’s campaign. “2014 was a bit of disappointment, I think we faded away after winning in 2013, we knew there was way more in us. That definitely was the springboard to get us motivated today”

Interestingly Derek has played in three Clare SHC Finals in the last four years and has impressively kept a clean sheet in each showing that his calm and focused approach is certainly paying off.