Rockies sights set on Munster title, says Ryan
"As far as I know everyone came through with a clean bill of health, everyone is available, no injury worries," inspirational defender Fergal Ryan confirmed last night.
The pressure is on Blackrock this year to produce on the bigger stage. In a competition once dominated by Cork clubs in general, Blackrock in particular, the county has disappeared off the radar screen. No Cork club has made any impression in either
Munster or the All-Ireland championship since Midleton won both in the 87/88 season a dismal record for a proud hurling county.
This year, according to Ryan, Blackrock are determined to make up some of the lost ground.
"We're taking it very seriously, we have maintained the same training schedule we had for the county championship.
If we're to progress any further, that's what we have to do.
"We've won the county three times in the last four years, we have to have ambitions to go one step further. The Munster title would be a great one to win, but we have to get over this test first."
If they do go on to collect the title, it would give a badly needed boost to a county currently in turmoil, with a player panel and county board at loggerheads.
In Sixmilebridge however, Blackrock face a major challenge. All-Ireland club champions as recently as 1996, Munster finalists two years ago, finalists in Clare for the last four years, champions twice, they are a seasoned team and they are currently in top form, a recent run of hard but successful games behind them.
"That's right, they've been kept going. The Clare championship was held back 'til after the All-Ireland final, then they have all those games in quick succession, which keeps them sharp. But we had Kilmoyley last Sunday, Piarsaighs the weekend before that in the city final, so hopefully we're getting back into gear as well. I know that game wasn't championship, but it was still a competitive game, and that's what you need.
"I was very happy with our performance in that one, we played very well."
Most of the credit this season, most of the recognition, has gone to the Blackrock defence, and little wonder. With names like Ryan himself, the genius of Wayne Sherlock, their inter county colleagues John Browne and Alan Cummins, along with former Tipperary star Noel Keane at full-back and Declan O'Sullivan on the wing, this is indeed a formidable unit.
Ryan however, would like to point the spotlight further forward. "Unfortunately our forwards get very little recognition, Alan Browne and Brian O'Keefe are the only two who ever seem to get a mention, but they haven't been the major influences this year, so far anyway.
"The big plus for us has been our midfield, that's been outstanding, Paul Tierney and Adrian Coughlan, though last Sunday wasn't their best day but they've been playing brilliantly. Paul Hennebry, Liam Meaney, they've been outstanding as well, taking the focus off Alan and Brian, to a degree.
"The scores have been coming in from midfield and the half forward line, which is great to see, a variety of players contributing, as opposed to just the one or two. Hopefully, at some stage, we'll get five or six of our forwards firing on the one day, and if they do, we'll be well on our way."
They could well need that performance against the Bridge, but given that the defence of the Clare champions is pretty intimidating, unlikely to happen. "In the last seven or eight years, you're not going to get an easy game against any Clare club side.
"Sixmilebridge have the likes of Niall Gilligan and John Reddan up front, in the two central positions, top class players. Their record speaks for itself, a lot better than ours this is our third year playing club championship and we've achieved nothing really, got to the Munster final last year, that's all. This is a big game for us, a huge challenge. It can go either way, but hopefully we've enough work done to bring it off."
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