Massive boost for ’Bridge as O'Meara passed fit

THERE is good news for Sixmilebridge as they prepare to take on Mount Sion in next Sunday's AIB Munster club hurling championship final at Semple Stadium, Thurles.

The All-Ireland minor medal winner in 1997, John O'Meara, was last night passed fit to take his place on the Clare champions' side for the provincial showdown, which promises to be a classic .

Classy corner forward O'Meara, who has been suffering from a groin injury, came on as a substitute in the Clare county final and scored the crucial goal, which steered The Bridge, on the path to victory over Clarecastle.

O'Meara subsequently missed the Munster semi-final thriller with Blackrock but has now been given the all-clear.

Sixmilebridge manager Paddy Meehan is under no illusions about the task facing his side. The clubs' meeting will be a repeat of the 2000 decider, won convincingly by the Clare champions on the scoreline of 2-17 to 3-8.

“When Clare made the All-Ireland breakthrough in 1995 it had a massive rub-off effect on the club scene with ourselves, Clarecastle, Wolfe Tones and St. Joseph's/Doorabarefield going on to win provincial club titles.

“With Waterford hurling coming back to the forefront, the standard of the clubs in that county has already risen as illustrated by Ballygunner's success in Munster last year.

“When we met Mount Sion in the final two years ago, I felt that they played more as individuals than as a team, but Jim Greene has got them very focused now and a massive challenge awaits us.

“I thought we played our best hurling of recent times against Blackrock in the semi-final but that will count for nothing if we lose on Sunday,” he maintained.

“Nobody wants to be second best. Everybody wants to be a winner and that is the attitude we will be taking into the game with us,” said the Sixmilebridge manager.

Meanwhile, on this occasion, Young Irelands of Kilkenny, who meet Birr in the final of the AIB Leinster club hurling championship at Portlaoise on Sunday, have kept the champagne on ice.

“When we won the Kilkenny county championship for the first time in 1996 we celebrated wildly and as a consequence came a cropper in our first ever game in Leinster against Rathnure of Wexford.

“We hardly lifted a glass after beating Dunamaggin in this year's county final and as a result have qualified for our first provincial final,” revealed manager John Brennan yesterday.

Brennan was thrilled with his side's performance in the provincial semi-final when, with D. J. Carey scoring 2-4, the Gowran club exacted sweet revenge by beating Rathnure after a most hesitant start.

Brennan is acutely aware of the fact that no Kilkenny team has ever beaten Birr in Leinster club competition.

“Yes, it is true Birr have a 100% record against Kilkenny teams but we are not afraid of them.

“We have trained well. We have no injury problems and are very focused going into this provincial final,” said the Young Irelands boss.