Gilligan keeps Clare focused on task ahead

Hurling/ Player of the month: That old saying of a good start being half the battle is particularly true for the play-off phase of the Allianz National Hurling League.

Clare's win over Tipperary in Semple Stadium has them leading the chase to claim the second most important honour in the game, and a home victory over Cork next Sunday would practically ensure a final day out on the first Sunday in May.

Making the play-offs has already earned them some reward, as forward Niall Gilligan yesterday collected his Vodafone Player of the Month award for March. Gilligan has been around long enough - nine seasons in fact - to know that league form doesn't automatically transfer to the championship. But it's a good crossing guard.

"I think this format of the league definitely works out great for a team like ourselves," says Gilligan, "especially to sort out any weaknesses ahead of the championship. We were disappointing against Dublin and Laois, and then we were terrible against Galway.

"So things just had to improve after the Galway game. I think we all just realised we had to make a greater effort. We just weren't up to speed then, but yeah, we're happy now with the way things are going. But we know too that the way this league works we could be down again next Monday morning."

Not everyone agrees with the current league format, especially the teams that didn't make the play-offs. But as a temporary platform for truly elite hurling the next two weekends will be approached with total commitment.

Clare finish off against Wexford on Saturday week, then wait for the last tallies to see if they've made the final. Gilligan makes no secret of his desire to get that far.

"It's 1978 since Clare last won the league. That will tell you how nice it would be to win again. But we weren't going too badly this time last year, and then Waterford came out and beat us by 18 points in the Munster championship. That was such a low day, we just didn't come to the game. To get beaten without even trying is particularly hard to get over.

"So we'll definitely be staying a lot more focused this year, and maybe we did get a little bit carried away last year. There's still nothing between the top five teams in Munster championship hurling. And to be honest, I don't think we played particularly well against Tipperary, so it was nice to get the win."

He now expects Cork to hit them with all they've got. Losing to Kilkenny on home soil clearly shook the All-Ireland champions and they need to win in Cusack Park to keep alive any league ambitions.

"It's our first big home game of the season, and obviously Cork will come down knowing they need to win. It probably will be the best barometer this year. We're well into April now and teams have put a lot of hard training behind them, and are just getting fitter and fitter. The long evenings make a big difference too. You can just feel that touch getting a little bit better."

Claiming the football award for March was Tyrone's Stephen O'Neill, who is confident his recent hamstring injury will be cleared up in time for Sunday's league semi-final against Wexford.