The Antrim team to play Laois in Saturday’s Leinster Under 20 Hurling Championship in Parnell Park shows just one change from the team who beat Down in the Leinster Qualifying final at Dunsilly two weeks ago. Team captain Enda Og McGarry, who had to sit the last game out because of injury, is fully fit again and take his place at centre back, with Ronan Laverty, who pivoted the defence against Down, returning to his normal midfield post. Dairi Murphy, who filled in at midfield at Dunsilly returns to the half forward line with Conlith McKiernan stepping down to the bench.
Ahead of the game the Saffron Gael spoke to team manager Paudie Shivers and ask him about his thoughts on the win over Down and what lies ahead against Laois on Saturday
Down Game
“It was a strange game, a poor affair overall really if I am totally honest.
We flew out of the blocks and dominated the first half, and although the scoreboard read 0-13 to 1-00 we were probably a little frustrated that we didn’t bury the three or four goal chances we had, which would have well and truly finished the game off.
Then in the second half we just took the foot completely off the gas, played to the scoreboard, and really allowed them to gain some momentum. However as I said directly after the match, the boys responded when the challenge was put up to them again to take us home safely enough in the end.”
Preparation
The Glenann Primary School principal and Dunloy clubman added
“Since the last day we have prepared really well both on the field and in the gym. We have all our players apart from Finn Henry & Caoimhin Heaney (long-term injuries) who were ruled out of the Down game back in training and the atmosphere among the boys is fantastic.”
Laois
“Look, it is no secret the work that has been going on at underage in Laois over the last few years and when you are bringing people like Derek McGrath in to develop your underage structures then you obviously mean business. Olly Hally himself (Laois manager) is a top coach and they have a good setup in place.”
“However, as I said to you previously, we have really just focused on ourselves all season – been consistent with our preparation and taken every game as it comes.
The coaching team have prepared us in the best possible way and the boys are ready and looking forward to the challenge on Saturday.”
The young Saffrons played Laois last year in Navan and were totally outplayed. I remember that night travelling down and being very disappointed at the level of performance. However they appear to have been better prepared this season so I wait to see how things go on Saturday. Paudie Shivers and his backroom team of Arron Graffin, Gooch Gillan, Sean McManus, Aaron Smiley, Liam McLean, Siofra O’Mullan and Joe Clifford have worked really hard with this squad since last November. Everyone has bought into the whole programme so it will be interesting to see how they perform against a team of Laois’s quality. It will definitely be a step up in class. Shivers and his team will be looking for a performance more along the lines of what they showed in the opening half against Down. What came at times in the second half would not be good enough, but they will have learned from that experience and should go into Saturday’s game in high spirits.
