Clarke keen to move on from accident

November 28, 2015

Armagh's Ronan Clarke

Ronan Clarke says he doesn't want to be remembered as the boy who ran into a goalpost.

August saw Clarke suffer a serious head injury after colliding with a post whilst on club duty for Pearse Og in the Armagh SFC.

The injury had left the All-Ireland SFC winner in intensive care for days before returning to full health and now, a little over three months later, he is looking forward to a new venture having recently taken over the reins as Armagh ladies manager.

"I say to every team I go into 'I don't know it all, I'm still learning, but I'm not here for my own satisfaction, I'm here to give you satisfaction playing football.' That means coaching them the game," Clarke told the Irish Examiner.

"I'd spend 30 minutes at the start of each session on the basic skills. Picking the ball up right. Taking your four steps to get out of the tackle. Left and right hand. Left and right foot. Kick-passing would be a big thing of mine. Especially into the chest.

"It's a dying art in the game because people are getting bogged down watching county teams and the way they play. They see top teams getting men behind the ball and so put 13 behind the ball themselves but half the boys don't know what they're doing there. Focus on the skills. Get them right and you won't be far off in any game."

He added: "I've 40 women to trial here. I'm just trying to move on from all that (the accident). I don't want to be remembered as the boy who hit a f****n' goalpost!"


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