All about the start for Inniscarra's Ryan

While Inniscarra's opening-round fixture pits them against Killeagh, the Muskerry club will have to contend with Bride Rovers - semi-finalists in 2022 - and Na Piarsaigh, a club just relegated from Cork hurling's top-tier.

Fri, 04 Aug, 2023 - 07:11

Shane Donovan

One game at a time. That’s the message from the Inniscarra camp ahead of their senior A hurling bow against Killeagh under the Caherlag lights on Friday night.

A first year playing senior hurling was secured in 2022 thanks to a premier intermediate championship final triumph over Castlemartyr - after a replay - and judging by Inniscarra hurler Liam Ryan’s description of the scenes that awaited the victorious hurlers on that October night last year, we’re pretty sure he and the rest of his colleagues would bite your hand off for a chance to replicate it.

“There was a great buzz,” Ryan told the Irish Examiner. “To finish up as county champions after two tough games against Castlemartyr, sure it was only a puck of a ball between the two teams (in the end).

“It was probably the same in the semi-final with Ballinhassig before it. We drew with Valleys (Rovers), it’s a competitive grade and to come out winners at the end of it, it was fantastic.

“What it did for the parish, going back to the community centre that night we won it, to see all the kids, the hall jam-packed.

“They are the memories that will last with you forever.”

As mentioned, Ryan and Inniscarra aren't looking beyond the Killeagh challenge.

Start as you mean to go on, sort of thing.

"It’s (all about) the first game. We haven’t played this grade before, so you have to have the head down from the first game against Killeagh.

"That’s what we’re training for, that’s what we’re looking at. Hopefully, it’ll be a good game and we come out with the right result, and that could progress our year further then."

Ryan continued: “It was kind of the same last year, (the aim) at the start of the year wasn’t to win the championship. It was ‘take the first game first’ and see where it goes. We'll take it game-by-game and hope to get out of the group.”

While Inniscarra's opening-round fixture in Group A pits them against Killeagh, the Muskerry club will also have the company of Bride Rovers - semi-finalists in 2022 - and Na Piarsaigh, a club just relegated from Cork hurling's top-tier.

No easy bouts then, but as 'Scarra defender Ryan notes, you can't control the cards you're dealt.

“Look, it’s a very competitive group, it’s a very competitive grade too. At the start of the year, you have to look at the team you are playing. You can’t do anything about the draw, as I said, it’s going to be a very competitive group, but I think (the other teams) will be looking at us coming up too."