After a fourteen week break we are back in Co. Senior Hurling Championship action this weekend. On Saturday night we face the Cork Institute of Technology in the Co. S.H.C. at Riverstown. ‘Twas on Saturday May 5th at Pairc Uí Chaoimh that we had our first round victory over St Finbarrs by 2-14 to 0-9. That game is so long ago now that it has little significance or bearing on the outcome of the game against C.I.T. Inter county commitment during June, July and the start of August have meant that the County Senior Hurling Championship has literally been at a full stop. Now its all systems go again with a huge programme of games this weekend. Our panel of players have trained hard under Pat Heffernan. Pat will be a very happy man this week after Limerick’s win on Sunday but a victory on Saturday night would be of greater significance. We’ve had mixed fortunes on the hurling field since the Barrs game, losing league ties to Midleton, Douglas and Sars while recording league wins over St Catherines and Glen Rovers. Our last game was a challenge against Ballyhea which we lost and on the night a few players picked up injuries which hopefully will be all cleared up by the weekend. Make no mistake about it, this championship game against C.I.T. wil be as big a challenge as we have faced in our 4 years at senior level. C.I.T. have five of the Munster winning Cork U-21 hurling team and practically every one of the college team have played inter county hurling. They are indeed an All Star team – all their players being in the 19-24 age bracket. ‘Tis only a few years ago we’d have been shouting for C.I.T. when our own Brian Murphy and Barry Johnson lined out with them. Like ourselves they’ve had just one championship game. They defeated Muskerry who had already put out a fancied U.C.C. side in a replay. A lot will depend on how our defence copes with their talented forward line. The championship is now at knock-out stage. There is no more backdoors or second chances. This is a huge game for our lads and undoubtedly we have the hurlers and the hurling to win this tie. Go for it lads. The whole parish will be behind ye. The game is times for 7 o’clock in Riverstown so as usual we appeal for huge vocal support.
