Horgan: Give Christy Ring counties a break

Kerry hurling selector Brian Horgan has called for a later start to the Christy Ring Cup, claiming it is unfair to force counties back inside the whitewash just three weeks after the league’s conclusion.

Kerry’s inter-county season, win or lose against Kildare tomorrow, will be done and dusted by mid-June. Horgan slammed the scheduling of the second-tier competition, questioning the logic of leaving developing counties without competitive hurling for the summer.

“The scheduling of the Christy Ring is probably something that needs to be looked at,” he said.

“We played seven games in the league which included the final against Carlow and the relegation/promotion game against Offaly. We had a three-week break before we went in against Derry in the first round of the Christy Ring. Then we had Kildare the following week and a two-week break to Mayo. It is enjoyable when you are winning, but another week before the final would have been great. Once Saturday is done, these guys go back to their clubs. The whole summer is there and they are going back to their clubs in early June.”

The winners of tomorrow’s decider play Westmeath the following Saturday, with a seat at Liam MacCarthy’s table at stake. Kerry involvement in the top tier would be limited to the Leinster round-robin series, but Horgan maintains they are ready for a return to Munster fare for the first time since 2004.

“Maybe it is time for these lads to make the step up. I think they are ready for Munster hurling.”