Clubs return to battle stations for the title action

Date Published: 10-Sep-2009

THE charades of the group stages, barring one outstanding fixture, are all but over and it is now down to the real business of competitive fare when the Galway senior hurling championship recommences this weekend.
With the recent spell of atrocious weather disrupting all teams’ preparations for the knock-out stages, and little or no form guide to go on given the length of the summer siesta, it is difficult to gauge just how challengers will react to competitive action.
Understandably, team managers have made what is, by now, an annual plea for the county board to take another look at the structure of the championship, outlining that the current format of a summer break is detrimental to the club scene.
One manager’s ire is greater than others, though, as Offaly native and Liam Mellows boss Paddy Kirwan has expressed his dissatisfaction at the fixing of his charges preliminary quarter-final this weekend. The club had previously requested the game be played on a Saturday as Kirwan’s daughter, Orla, is part of the Offaly squad facing Waterford in the All-Ireland junior camogie decider at Croke Park on Sunday.
“We requested that it be played on a Saturday three week ago,” says Kirwan. “You go the whole summer without a game and then this comes along. You are hit with the fixture just like that. Castlegar and Carnmore haven’t even their last group game played! It seems to be one rule for one and another rule for others.”