Rabbitte: we have a brilliant bunch of lads

FOR reasons defined only by narrow parochialism, Athenry are not the most popular club in Galway, but in recent seasons, they are undoubtedly the best.

Six County titles in a competitive hurling county in the last nine years is an outstanding record, and this latest won’t go down well with the begrudgers.

To hell with all that, reckoned mighty Joe Rabbitte, a hugely-influential figure over the full duration of that run. “We all knew that playing Sarsfields and Joe Cooney that they were going to be tough and that’s the way it proved. They know every trick in the book and used them, like when they scored those two goals in the second half. But we knew too we had something in reserve after last year; the abuse we took in our own County after losing the County cup and things that were put around the County. We’re delighted to come back and show that we were worthy All-Ireland champions, and deserving County champions. The bunch of lads we have here are brilliant, I’m proud of every one of them.”