Our KO of Tribe is a CRUM OF COM FO RT
Dubs ace relishing Championship format
CHRIS CRUMMEY says Dublin are revved up for knockout championship hurling after flooring Galway last year.
The Dubs get their Leinster bid u n d e r w a y a g a i n s t L a o i s o n Saturday in the first championship fixture of 2020.
“That Galway game last ye a r was e f f e c t i v e l y knockout, s o yeah ,” said Crummey, referencing the Leinster Championship victory l a s t y e a r t h a t s aw
Dublin progress and the
Tribe take the exit door.
But Laois then went on to beat the Blues and make the AllIreland quarter- finals.
Crummey stated: “We know that when we perform to the standards we set for ourselves that we can beat any team and we’ve proved that.
“But we also know that if we don’t perform, any team can beat anyone.
“It’s so tight between all the teams that, knockout or not, we have to perform to the highest standards or we’re going to get beaten.
“Lose and you’re out of the Leinster Championship, there’s no game next week. It’s all on the line against
Laois. Players thrive on that. They love the excitement coming into a game and are really looking forward to getting started on Saturday.”
What Crummey surmises is that this year there is more of a level playing field than ever.
He agreed: “Definitely, there’s a slightly different feel with the whole preparation and in terms of all the different protocols.
“There’s a real opportunity for every team in that it’s gone back to knockout and it’s all the line every day you go out.
“That makes it very exciting and exposes different teams having different preparations and club championships.
“You realise how lucky we are and how massive an opportunity it is to play Championship in the winter months. We’re very grateful for the GAA and public health authorities giving it the go- ahead.
“Every player is in a different situation with their family and work/ life. I can only speak highly of our management team.
“They’ve been very vigilant with all the protocols and Mattie Kenny’s ( i nset) been excellent i f anyone doesn’t feel comfortable or doesn’t want to play. He’s left the door open for lads to make up their own mind and he’s been fully supportive.”
No player wanted the lockdown but it worked out pretty well for Crummey, who broke his collarbone in a league game against Wexford at the end of February.
He went under the knife the following week and, given the timeframe of 10 weeks to return , he admits it would have been “very, very tight” in terms of him making the Kilkenny and Wexford games in the Leinster championship as it was structured then.
His recovery wasn’t held up by the restrictions around that time.
“It was a case of allowing the bone to heal,” the 27- year- old recalled . “You do your remote physioth erapy sessions on Zoom but for my injury it was just a matter of time.
“Luckily I wasn’t in a rush with the physio over lockdown. It’s hard to know whether I would have played or not but I ’d have been close.
“It was a blessing, though, in that I ’m fit and healthy and get an opportunity to play Leinster Championship this year, as I ’d have been touch- and- go back in May.”