Corofin regret at sacrifice of Sigerson Cup duo
AIB All-Ireland SFC Club semi-final - Corofin (Galway) v Moorefield (Kildare)
2pm
The dynamic half-backs will be vital to the club’s cause, if they are to beat Moorefield and reach St Patrick’s Day for the second time in three years.
But McNamara, Galway’s 1998 All-Ireland winning goalkeeper, regrets the sacrifices that Molloy and Silke have had to make, with NUI Galway and UCD, respectively, because of the fixture clash.
“They’re two huge competitions for young lads and to ask the lads to make a decision is just not fair at all,” said McNamara, of the 2pm throw-in for the club semi-final, in Tullamore, and 3.30pm start for the colleges game, in Dublin.
“Fixtures are always going to be an issue in the GAA, but, surely, they could have picked another day for one of the games, because there was always a chance there was going to be a clash.
“It shouldn’t be left up to the players, because they rightly don’t want to be missing any game.
“Maybe push one of the games a day forward, so that they had some chance of playing both.”
It was somewhat surprising that Molloy and Silke played parts in their colleges’ respective Sigerson Cup semi-final wins on Wednesday, coming so close to the Moorefield game. But McNamara wouldn’t for a moment question their commitment and says they have been influenced by the senior guard in the club, the likes of Kieran Fitzgerald and Gary Sice.
“There are a couple of brilliant guys leading the way, and then Kevin O’Brien and Dave Morris are highly respected, as manager and coach. There are five or six guys who tog out week-in, week-out, and the leadership they show to the younger guys is excellent.
“It didn’t start yesterday or the day before; this started 10 years ago and, in terms of diet, gym work and training, the younger fellas are following them.
“Kieran Fitz would be a prime example. He’s 37, or whatever the hell it is, and he has the body of a 25-year-old. He’s such a lovely guy and he’s the type of guy young lads would look up to, and listen to, and take example from.
“Gary will keep going as long as he can and he’s a lot to offer the club game. Fitzy’s 37 and I don’t think he has any ideas about hanging up the boots, just yet.
“We might have to push him to full-forward, or something!”
After last year’s against-the-odds defeat to Dr Crokes, at this stage, McNamara says Corofin are wary. “The Crokes game: obviously Crokes had their homework done on Corofin and Corofin got a pretty bad start to the game, and when you’re chasing a game, with the likes of Gooch and all those quality forwards they have, you’re looking for trouble. In fairness to Corofin, most of them have often played better.
“Corofin are fairly cautious, going into it, because, when you win a Leinster championship, you won’t have done it easy and you won’t be an average team, so Moorefield are obviously a quality team.
“Club matches can be unpredictable, so it would be foolish to take anything for granted, at this stage.”
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