Newly-crowned Galway intermediate hurling champions Maigh Cuillinn head to Athleague (2pm ) on Sunday to take on Four Roads in the Connacht final.
Maigh Cuillinn’s promotion has been one of the major success stories of the hurling year in Galway and it is fantastic to see the Connemara club moving into the senior ranks of Galway hurling for 2012.
As team manager Fergal Clancy admits, it is an exciting time for the club.
“Going senior was our objective at the start of the year and it is great to have another club on this side of the county in the senior ranks. Hopefully Rahoon/Newcastle and Oranmore will also come up senior in the next year or two and that Liam Mellows and Castlegar will be back challenging for senior titles over the next few years.
“The more city clubs and clubs near the city playing senior and competing at a high level, the better for hurling. We have some very talented and committed players on our squad and guys like Eanna Noone and Mark Lydon would not be out of place in a county senior jersey. Hopefully we can cap off our year on Sunday with another trophy.”
Clancy knows that Four Roads will not be the pushover that some people expect and he is wary of the challenge his side faces.
“They are a very good side and they have been very well coached over the past few years. We are very much aware of how difficult Sunday will be. We had incredible support out in Kenny Park for the county final and hopefully many of those supporters will be able to make the trip to Athleague on Sunday to cheer the team on.
“There is another cup on offer and, having not won that many in the past, we will be trying to collect any that are on offer. Thankfully we have no injuries and we will be going flat out to try to collect the Connacht title.”
