| |||
 Evening Echo 12th February 2004 | |||
|
WHAT a great start to the hurling season.
Newtownshandrum, champions of Cork meeting O’Loughlin Gaels, champions
of Kilkenny in the semi final of the AIB All Ireland club championship.
How this club championship has changed and developed over the years is
fantastic.
Its a far cry from the 60’s when there were only provincial titles to be
won and the games were generally played in the depths of winter in front of
a few hardy souls.
Both teams stand on the brink of achieving the greatest possible honour
for their clubs winning an All Ireland with fellows you grew up with is one
of the most emotive moments you can experience.
Players not blessed with the ability to play inter county hurling,
standing shoulder to shoulder with their more illustrious comrades.
That’s the very heart beat of the All Ireland Club Championship.
That’s what makes this championship tick. However, both will be aware,
Sundays clash is only the stopping stone to such an honour.
O’Loughlin Gaels are formidable opponents.
Back boned by the Comerford brothers and Brian Dowling who won All
Ireland honours last September.
Andy Comerford is, I believe, their most influential figure.
He possesses a tremendous work rate, a great engine always in the thick
of things and will guarantee a generous supply of ball to their forwards.
And there in the heart of that attack is his brother Martin, who showed
an adept scoring touch in last year’s All Ireland final when a lot of his
comrades in the full forward line were struggling to get scores.
There are superb hurlers and are sure to torment the North Corkmen’s
defence in pursuit of their first All Ireland.
What of Newtown?
Their emergence as champions of Cork and Munster has raised many
questions amongst genuine hurling followers who question their style of play.
They favour a possession game, full of running and are often content to
play the ball sideways or backwards in an attempt to bring their star
players into play.
It’s a style of game they are playing since they were kids and it has
proved a very successful formula for them.
Just read the record books.
They proved their credentials in coming back to win their second county
senior title.
And they did it with style, skill and no little determination.
But the big question is are they a one dimensional team?
Personally I don’t believe that they are. But there is that perception
out there that if their passing game breaks down they could be vulnerable.
There is no style of play or coaching tactics that is better than the
other.
Hurling is still very much an instinctive game not enslaved by tactics
or coaching mantras.
Players performing heroic deeds in the twinkling of an eye in the
tightest of situations.
That is the beauty of hurling because 75% of the time you don’t get the
time or space to do what you want with the ball. That is where instinct and
skill comes to the fore and Newtown have coped very with this side of the
game.
No, there is no secret formula on how best to play hurling.
The really successful teams are the ones that are prepared to improvise
and embrace all the skills and other aspects of the great game like
blocking,hooking, harrying and defending to the death.
The magic moments just arrive.
Newtown would not have achieved all that they have if they were just a
one dimensional team. Yes, they do like to run and yes they do like to pass
but they also have blinding skill and controlled aggression in abundance.
Ben O’Connor would be a huge loss if he is unable to play.
I would expect that he will play some part in this game even if he is
curtailed by injury and I’m sure Gerry and John will be very determined
to make up for any deficiency in Ben’s contribution.
Pat Mulcahy’s contribution will be vital too and don’t be surprised if
he has to deal directly with the threat of Martin Comerford.
Pat had a superb All Ireland last year and he is now a far more
confident and focussed player and not so prone anymore to conceding unnecessary
frees.
There are many searching tests on the road to All Ireland glory.
For Newtown and O’Loughlin Gaels, this is another such test along the
way.
On the assumption that the inter-county stars should cancel each other
out, it may fall to unlikely heroes to win this one.
I believe Newtown have the better balanced side and that is why I think
they will win.
| ||
www.newtownshandrum.com | |||