O’Hare hopes Dubs will surf wave of success
On Saturday last, the county U21 side defeated Tyrone to lift the All-Ireland crown for the first time.
Now O'Hare, the Dublin minor manager, is aiming to surf that wave of confidence, and help his side to victory against Laois tomorrow in the replay of the All-Ireland MFC final at Dr Cullen Park, Carlow (3.30pm).
"It would be great if as many fans as possible travelled to Carlow on Sunday and got behind the team," said O'Hare. "With Dublin winning the U21 All-Ireland last Sunday it should be a help to us as that will have created even more interest among the Dublin public."
O'Hare has made one change to his side for tomorrow's tie with Francis Fitzgerald named at corner-forward at the expense of John O'Hara. Fitzgerald came on as a sub in the drawn game as the Dubs reshuffled their side when centre-back Ger Brennan had to be taken off injured.
Laois manager Sean Dempsey has no injury worries and starts the same 15 who appeared at Croke Park two weeks ago.
"Sunday's game is every bit as big as the first one and it also gives the people of Laois a chance to go along and support the team after the difficulty of getting tickets for the original game in Croke Park," the St Joseph's man said.
Football is very much to the fore in county championship nationwide. In Wexford, Kilanerin face Horestown in the SFC decider at Wexford Park.
The New Ross district side are making their first final appearance against an outfit who have appeared in six of the last ten deciders, a fact which the Kilanerin skipper, Pat Forde, is keen to downplay.
"Horestown have been our tormentors from U12 all the way up to U21. We would have swept the boards in Wexford had it not been for Horestown."
There is a similar tale in Donegal, in the SFC final between Termon and Four Masters at Ballybofey, with the latter playing at this stage of the competition for the first time. The victors will face an Ulster club championship assignment at home to the experienced Monaghan title-holders, Castleblayney Faughs next weekend
The meeting of St Patrick's and champions Enniskillen Gaels in the Fermanagh SFC Final at Emmett Park, Lisnaskea is a repeat of last year's final. The title holders who were defeated by Errigal Ciaran in the Ulster club campaign last year are firm favourites to achieve their sixth successive title win.
Hurling wise, the chief action of the weekend is in Kenny Park, Athenry with the semi-finals of the Galway SHC pitting Loughrea against Kilnadeema-Leitrim while Clarinbridge face Portumna.
The latter fixture is an enthralling prospect, as Portumna defeated former All-Ireland club champions Athenry last weekend while 2001 champions Clarinbridge looked impressive in the victory over Turloughmore.
The other game features Kilnadeema-Leitrim, a side which won 50,000 after betting on themselves to make the last eight of the championship. They subsequently shocked Sarsfields last Sunday to make the last four for the first time in their history.
DUBLIN K Walsh; A Downes, K Cleere, W Lowry; D Reilly, G Brennan, I Ward; B Phelan, J Coughlan; G O'Meara, B Kennedy, M Vaughan; A Relihan, K Leahy, F Fitzgerald.
LAOIS C Gorman; C Healy, C Ryan, R Stapleton; P O'Leary, C Begley, N Donagher; B Quigley, C Rogers; C Bergin, C Kelly (St Josephs), P McNulty; M Tierney; D Brennan, C Kelly (Stradbally).
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