The hurlers of Maigh Cuilinn continue their 2011 adventure this weekend when they head to London to take on Robert Emmets in the All-Ireland Intermediate quarter-final in Ruislip o Sunday (1pm ).
It will a tough test, a fact readily acknowledged by team selector Tom Faherty.
“We expect it to be the toughest game we have played all year,” he says. “Robert Emmets won the All-Ireland intermediate a few years ago and emigrant teams are usually very strong in times of recession.
“They have a few very experienced and talented former intercounty players from all grades and we will have to really perform to get out of there with a win.”
This weekend will be a new experience for the club and one that has presented some logistical problems.
“Getting 30 to 40 people over to London is something new to the club,” says Faherty. “Ideally the GAA would have a template for clubs that are new to the experience. Our chairman Kenneth Fox has performed Trojan work organising the whole thing and I think his phone is ready to melt, it has taken and made so many calls over the last 10 days.
“We are flying out of Knock at Saturday at 3.45pm and hopefully we will be coming home on Sunday looking forward to an All-Ireland semi-final. There is good support going over and they will be looking forward to a great weekend. Our only priority is to get a victory.”
