Clare will immediately turn their focus on winning back their spot in this year’s All-Ireland series after relegation to Division Three, says former Banner star Gordon Kelly.
Colm Collins’s charges’ seven-year stint in Division Two ended as a result of yesterday's defeat to Derry as even a win over Limerick next Sunday won’t be enough to climb out of the bottom two with Kildare trumping them on the head-to-head rule.
Their only win so far came in somewhat fortuitous circumstances in their opening game against Louth but their luck ran out after that, particularly when suffering one-point defeats to Kildare and Dublin having been in control of both games.
Kelly, who was part of the side that rose from Division Four to Division Two, where he played for four seasons before his retirement in 2020, said: “The big ones would have been Kildare and Dublin and in those games they played some excellent football but they probably just didn’t see it out how they’d liked.
“Even one of those results would have changed the shape of the League. That’s how things are. Look, I suppose you have to take the victories when you have the opportunity and if you don’t you’re going to be in trouble at the end of the League and that’s what happened.”
At different stages over the years, Clare contended for promotion to Division One, particularly in 2021, and Kelly pointed out that their ambitions went well beyond merely consolidating their position in Division Two.
“I think over the last few years they’ve been looking more to get into Division One than looking over the shoulder at the drop.
“The team now will be disappointed across that era that they never made the step up to Division One. I know that the ambition there was to get to Division One. It didn’t happen.
“Now we’re going back down to Division Three. Division Three is going to be very competitive next year but, look, you just have to park this year and things move on to the League.
“People say being up in Division Two for so long was a big achievement but during that time we were always trying to get up to Division One during that period.”
For now, dropping into the bottom 16 of the League condemns Clare to the Tailteann Cup later this year though they have a lifeline in the shape of what is a negotiable Munster Championship draw.
They play Cork at home in the quarter-final on April 9 with the winners facing Limerick. Should Clare reach the provincial final, they will automatically be part of this year’s All-Ireland series instead of the Tailteann Cup.
Kelly added: “They’re going to move on their focus to the Championship and the fact that they’re gone down to Division Three and everything that entails with the Tailteann Cup does put more emphasis on the Championship.
“I know that their ambitions will be to get to the Munster final and when you’re in the Munster final you’re looking to win the Munster final but getting into the All-Ireland series will be highly motivational, playing in the All-Ireland Championship.
“I’ve neer been a fan of this moving teams over to the Tailteann Cup, it’s a B competition. I know that the guys will be highly motivated to get a run in the Munster Championship and get back into the All-Ireland series.
“Getting back into the All-Ireland Championship will be a priority for them but, look, if that doesn’t work out again, if you’re in the Tailteann Cup and if that’s your lot, go all out to win that as well.”
