Tipperary champions ready to grab their chance with both hands

Tipperary county champions Skeheenarinky are heading to Mallow this Saturday to play Ogonelloe from Clare in the AIB Munster Club junior hurling championship semi-final, despite having home advantage for the fixture.
“It’s a long story,” says Skeheen’s manager/coach James Lacey, as he explains the decision to forfeit home advantage and move the game out of the county.
“The Munster Council has criteria that states that a venue must have floodlights, a stand and a pitch with railings to host a game.
“We would love to have played in Clonmel Sportsfield but it doesn’t have floodlights. We tried Golden, Cashel, Holycross, Boherlahan.....they either ticked one or two of the boxes but not all three.
“It’s a pity to have to take the game out of the county but we have no option, it’s out of our hands.
“We have no option but to go to Mallow, which is a sand-based pitch and is the best of what’s around.”
Skeheen’ breezed through their quarter-final against Tralee Parnells by 1-22 to 0-8 in Tralee almost a fortnight ago but they’ll get a much sterner test from the Clare champions.
“Ogonelloe are a hardworking team and they’re not depending on any one or two players,” says James Lacey.
“They’ve a very good centre forward in Gearoid Sheedy and a dangerous corner forward in Henry Vaughan, and Peter Harte is another of their leading players.
“Ogonelloe ground down the Waterford champions Brickey Rangers (3-13 to 2-13) in the quarter-final and they work so hard for each other.
“We’ll have our work cut out. We see it as a 50-50 game and it will be all on the day.
“Conditions at this time of the year are a great leveller. It’s all about winning the dirty ball and the second ball.”
However, Cappoquin man Lacey says his team will concentrate on their own game.
“We have good forwards, and when we link the play we play it well. We’ll have to move the ball quickly.”
The club enters the game on the back of their county final win over Holycross Ballycahill and the quarter-final defeat of Tralee Parnells.
“Momentum is a great thing to have,” says James Lacey.
“This is bonus territory and new ground for us. It’s a great opportunity, as I was saying to the boys when will we get this chance again.
“We have to grab it with both hands.”
Skeheen’ will be attempting to reach their first Munster final. On their last foray into the provincial junior championship seven years ago they were beaten by Limerick team Feohanagh-
Castlemahon by 0-17 to 0-10 in Cahir.
“There’s a great buzz about the place and it has given a great lift to the Ballyporeen area, especially in these difficult times,” says the manager.
“People have given us great support.”
James says there’s a good mix of youth and experience in the panel. All-Star footballer Conor Sweeney is “a great leader,” as are captain Fionán Ó Súilleabháin and Adrian English,  while they have several good young players including Tomás Vaughan, Darragh Brennan, Christy English and Oisin Brennan.
A storming finish to their county junior A championship final, when they outscored Holycross by 10 points to no score in the final quarter to wrap up a 0-19 to 0-12 victory, was a good indicator of high fitness levels.
“The conditioning that so many of the players have from playing football with Ballyporeen helps as well,” says James Lacey.
Skeheen’ have injury concerns heading into the game. John Martin, one of their most experienced campaigners, is very doubtful with a groin injury while Tommy Sweeney, another longtime servant who scored six points from play in the county semi-final against Galtee Rovers, has a shoulder injury and probably won’t be ready.
John O’Callaghan, meanwhile, has a dead leg but the manager thinks he’ll be okay.
“The lads will give it everything,” he promises.  
Saturday’s game starts at 1pm and the referee is Limerick official Eamonn Stapleton. 

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