Positive attitude gives Jerry the edge

CRUNCH time on the club scene this weekend, with Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) meeting Tullamore (Offaly) in Portlaoise in the Leinster senior hurling final, Ballygunner (Waterford) facing Newtownshandrum (Cork) in the Munster decider.

And yet, a sure sign of the times, whenever a meeting takes place between media and players to discuss those upcoming games, the talk almost invariably turns to jobs, and the challenges now being faced by those who are all in that age group and of that gender worst affected by the current crisis – young men in their 20s.

So it was a couple of weeks ago with the Fennelly brothers of Ballyhale, so it is again this week with Jerry O’Mahony and John Paul King, team-mates with Newtownshandrum, workmates in their home area.