Another tough day for Drom & Inch as final nerves strike again

IT had promised to be a great final of romantic proportions.

Drom & Inch trying to win their first Tipperary SHC title were pitted against famed Thurles Sarsfields who were looking for their 30th.

Even the programme heading said “Drom to Roll at last”. Drom reached their first final four years ago but lost, they reached the final again two years ago and lost again.

This year it was to be third time lucky. But, alas, not only were they beaten but they will be the first to admit, that they never really showed up on the day.

By the 12th minute the sliotar hadn’t crossed the 14 yards line of Sarsfields goal area, a minute later Drom & Inch had their first shot at the target – they scored a point from play and they only scored one more point from play for the rest of the game.

When a team with the credentials, talent and experience of Drom & Inch fail to perform on the big day, they should not look at the video of the match but of a video of the lead up to the game.

Their luck was out but also, for some reason so was their focus.

This happens frequently in major games – look at Dublin against Kerry in this year’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final, look at Waterford, Limerick and Mayo in recent All-Ireland hurling and football finals.

The mind is a funny place and if its not tuned in properly then the body doesn’t perform.

Having said that, Thurles Sarsfields are a class outfit with their brand new All Stars Padraig Maher and Lar Corbett leading by example.

Sarsfields didn’t reach any dizzy heights on Sunday but I have a feeling when they clash with Newtownshandrum in a fortnight in Thurles, we could be in for a splendid afternoon’s hurling.

That Munster club game will be the centre-piece of the GAA’s 125th celebrations which are taking place in Thurles during that Halloween weekend. It should be a game well worth going to see.

On a more serious note people were very concerned over the horrific injury to the Drom & Inch captain and county star James Woodlock.

Getting such a serious injury deep into injury time summed up Drom & Inch’s day.

Their luck was well and truly out but, hopefully, the great Woodlock will recover to lead both his club and county to glory in the years ahead.

One distinctive occurrence I enjoyed on Sunday was the way all the young boys and girls went out on the field at half time pucking sliotars to one another as the band played their rousing music.

I had seen almost every young kid at the match with a hurley and I wondered why. It was at half-time I saw why as they descended onto the pitch, found a free spot and pucked away to their hearts content.

I heard a whisper that some health & safety officials are casting their evil eye on the practice. Is another great tradition about to bludgeoned?