Hayes points the way for Larkins

Date Published: 06-Dec-2007

IT did no justice to hurling to Allow this Connacht Intermediate Final go ahead on a day you wouldn’t have put out a cat.

The conditions at James Stephens Park were atrocious.

Players did their best to serve up something decent on a surface that became a rink of mud in minutes.

But for the most part their labours amounted to little more than a lashing session . . . reminiscent of a meitheal killing rats on threshing day.

It was the best they could do. Fine hurling skill offered no security to overwhelming favourites.

On another day Tommie Larkins would have been out of reach at half-time.

On Sunday, although never in danger of losing, they struggled or every score.

For once, stick proficiency was less important than physical strength. You lashed at the ball in churning mud and pools of water . . . and hoped for the best.

For both teams……