Finding Nemo focuses Lambert on Premier victory

PETER LAMBERT has been through it all before.

An All-Ireland club medal winner with Nemo Rangers in 1994, he returned to his native club Ardfinnan in 1996, and has played a pivotal role in getting his team to tomorrow’s Tipperary County Final against Loughmore/Castleiney.

He cannot afford to look beyond tomorrow’s final, but lying in wait for the winners is a Munster quarter-final against his former club, and with home advantage for the Tipperary winners, Lambert would relish the opportunity to plan Nemo’s downfall.

At 37 years of age, the Clonmel-based Bank of Ireland official has now taken on the mantle of team manager while continuing to play, but accepts that time is running out on him to win a county senior championship medal with Ardfinnan.

“It’s been 31 years since we last won the title. This is our fourth final in eight years and we badly need to win it,” said Peter. “Unfortunately we are down three key players; Brendan Cummins and John English who are in Australia with AIB, while Anthony Keating is missing after breaking his arm with a kick from a horse.

“However we have never been at full strength for any of our championship games this season for one reason or another. It afforded some of our fringe players the opportunity to show what they can do and, all credit to them, they haven’t left the side down so far.

“To date we have used 28 players in the championship and they all have acquitted themselves very well. But tomorrow is the acid test. We are up against the defending champions and would need to be at full strength for a game of this importance as Loughmore/Castleiney are an excellent team who will be very keen to put back-to-back titles together.

“If we had every player I would be very confident of winning. There is a tremendous buzz in the club and even without the three lads, I can sense the rest are up for this game in a big way.”

Lambert continues to roll back the years and showed in the recent semi-final that he hasn’t lost his ability to kick points from frees, contributing seven in the win over neighbours Clonmel Commercials in a replay.

“Apart from myself and one or two others, our team is young, the strength of which is provided by AJ Lonergan, Hugh Bannon, team captain Michael Phelan, Terry Kerins and Kieran O’Brien.

“Sean Maher, who is a former Tipperary senior, is the coach and is also a key player. He has been plagued with injury, but has worked extremely hard, along with the players, to get to the final. It would mean so much to a lot of people if we were to win tomorrow. The club needs the victory. It would bring us on a ton.”

The defending champions are down a number of key players for tomorrow also. County senior hurler Evan Sweeney misses out as he serves a one match ban after being sent off in the semi-final, while Paul and Tommy Ormonde are out through injury.

With both sides minus three players each, it makes for an interesting final. Hurlers Michael Webster and David Kennedy will spearhead Loughmore’s challenge for a second title in a row, but Peter Lambert and Ardfinnan have every incentive to win, particularly in view of what will follow.

Ardfinnan may well feel this is their year as the omens are good. Thurles Sarsfields recently won the hurling title for the first time since 1974, the same year Ardfinnan last won the football.