Kingdom hurlers aiming to dethrone champs

AFTER a winless NHL campaign Kerry hurlers have high hopes of reaching the Christy Ring Cup final for the first time when they meet holders Carlow in a replay in Tralee this afternoon.

Despite such a traumatic start to life at the helm, new manager Mossie Carroll found plenty of positives from the league and was confident facing into the championship.

He explained: “It was a huge learning curve and with the exception of games against Wexford and Offaly — who proved way too strong for us and for a lot of teams — we had serious games against Carlow, Westmeath, Laois and Antrim where we learned an awful lot.

“The League picked us up and got us going — and showed us that we were there or thereabouts.”

However Carroll is less than impressed that his side — who could in theory be Christy Ring champions — will be playing Division 3 hurling next season.

“It seems crazy to me that there is a mix of different teams from different championship competitions in the same divisions.

“It’s illogical that there is a complete mishmash of counties. I don’t see much point in the likes of Kerry who are fighting against the odds to promote the game, having to play in Division 3, when we are ‘plenty good enough’ to take on the teams that are in the Christy Ring!’’

Carroll is a former Limerick star and played centre-back in the losing 1980 All-Ireland final against Galway. This is his first season at the helm in the Kingdom after six seasons with underage teams at Erin’s Own in Cork, where he lives.

While there was speculation earlier in the week that the game might be played in Páirc Uí Chaoimh as a curtain-raiser to the Munster SFC semi-final replay, manager Mossie Carroll is hoping that with home venue and more favourable weather conditions than for the drawn game in Dr Cullen Park a week ago, his side can advance.

“We are better hurling-wise than we showed, because we have done a lot of work done in speeding up our game. Saturday turned out to be basically an exercise in guts, determination and spirit,’’ he said.

“We are capable of playing better. Championship hurling is all about the speed you play at and intensity.

“That is the message I have been preaching — if we want to improve we have got to speed up what we are doing and we have got to play on instinct more than fall back on the same old habits.’’

Meanwhile, there is unanimity among the three counties in contention for the trophy that the final should be played in Croke Park.

Jim McKernan, manager of the Down team which has qualified for the decider claimed it would be ‘a disgrace’ not to while Carlow secretary Tom O’Neill agrees it should be in GAA headquarters.

The Kerry boss feels that failing that, the profile of the competition would be enhanced by pairing it with a major Munster or Leinster championship game.

O’Neill said: “Generally speaking, Croke Park should be the venue, unless there was a decent game going in Thurles. That would make sense, to make an occasion out of the final.”

Officially, no decision has yet been taken on either where or when the final will be played, with Croke Park Head of Communications Lisa Clancy pointing out that the venue choice could be influenced by the contestants.