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09 July 2008
People in Hurling circles speak of "Beautiful Stickmen" and may say that a player had 
"Great Hands". Well, Mike Duggan had both. And lots more.He played at all grades for Club and County in a long career..............
Name: Mike Duggan
Age: 50ish…..
Where are you now? Spancilhill
What Years did you play for Clooney? 70’s to the 90’s
Highlights? Winning the Intermediate Championship in 1986 and the League in 1979. Playing Senior Championship was a massive thrill. It was an honour to have played at all Grades for Clare. I have great memories of playing for St. Flannans also. Mike Murphy, Jimmy Kelly, Bomber Sexton, Seamus Mac, John O’Loughlin and myself played with Crusheen as Crusheen Fenians and got to the County Grounds Final. We beat a terrific Newmarket team in the semi-final in Tulla.
Those you went into Battle with? I played with terrific players- Mike Murphy, Pat O’Loughlin, The Collerans, Donie Hassett to name a few.
Who were your trainers? My father, Johnny and John Lynch were the first. We then had Paddy Lynch and Tom O’Halloran. Later on I played for Michael Power, John McCarthy and Mick Slattery.
Who was your toughest opponent? Leo Quinlan from Sixmilebridge. He was a classy hurler.
Heroes? Fr. Pat Littleton was the player I looked up to when I was young. He was terrific.
What were your most memorable moments? I remember playing in goal one day for the Clooney junior team when I was a first year in St Flannan's.
We were playing Clarecastle and the game was on in the old Cusack Park. I recall the late Joe O'Gorman(RIP) was full-back that day.
When the bell rang at the nearby Friary for the Angelus at six o'clock, the referee (I can't remember who he was) stopped up the game and made us all say our prayers.
It didn't do us much good as we lost the game by a cricket score!
