At 4.30 in Trim our Hurlers play the Tones in the semi final,with Rathmoylan,who beat Clanna Gael well in the other semi ,awaiting the winners.We have already been beaten by the Tones in the group stages and nothing but a massive improvement on our performance that day will do tomorrow.
I hear that the Tones have secured the full commitment of their Rathkenny and indeed Gibbstown contingent of dual players and are confident of victory.
Tommy Dowd ,who was an integral part of our climb up the hurling ladder in the eighties and nineties ,and who is now a Tones man ,must have a dilemma as to who he will support.I like to think that his heart is still here.
In those years,when I played full back,there was a huge rivalry between the two teams and any match involving us was hugely contested.
I think we rose through the ranks with them on our coat tails,both entering the Senior ranks in the early nineties ,with us contesting a Senior Final Replay against Trim ,which we lost and they winning one soon after.
Both teams have slid back the ranks since and for us in any event this is the only competition we can possibly win this year at adult level.
History repeats itself and our Evan has been playing full back lately and I am proud to say that our Davy is Captain.
Junior and McLoughs and a younger Frog ,who were involved them times will remember what it takes and Flange Mc Guinness has a good few Championships under his belt,.so we need have no fears on the line.The players are made of the right stuff too and with a supreme effort and a rub of the green we are capable of prevailing.
Here's hoping.
As a sign of the times ,one man who won't be available tomorrow is Andy Coogan who has emigrated to Blighty in pursuit of work and ,I believe,romance.
We wish him well but would much prefer were he and his paramour able to pursue their romance and careers here.
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we will be back soon Daithi!!
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