Lispole waiting on Fitzgerald appeal
HAVING last played for Lispole less than 18 months ago when they won the Knockaderry Tournament in Limerick, Damien O’Sullivan wasn’t long switching his attentions to the sideline as a selector last year before taking charge as manager for 2018.
Having lost the Novice deciders of 2012, 2014 and 2015, the club did win the Hickey/ Quirke Cup in 2016 but it wasn’t the same competition, with the changes to the Club Championships in 2016 no longer meaning it was the fourth tier final. Overall this is a fifth club final in seven years for Lispole.
Now the club are back in the fourth tier decider, this time it is the Junior Championship that is such so Lispole have a fourth chance to make up for their three defeats beforehand.
“There has been a lot of heartache for the club when it comes to losses in these Club Finals but it’s a great sign of the resilience of the players that they keep coming back each year trying to make it right,” O’Sullivan said of the club’s recent Club Championship record.
Wins over Cordal and Cromane got them into the semi-final before they received a walkover from Kilgarvan in their final game and in general O’Sullivan is a fan of the new format.
“I like that there are good and constant games with it but the only issue I would have is that both Beale and ourselves had to play a County League game before the Final. I think the finalists should get two weeks to prepare for these Finals where possible,” he said. The West Kerry side have a lot of personnel issues ahead of Saturday’s trip to Austin Stack Park. Firstly they have to await the outcome of an appeal to the straight red card Mike Jim Fitzgerald picked up in the semi-final win over Castlegregory. Brian Rayel has departed for America while there are genuine concerns over Eoin Griffin, Tom Kavanagh and Aidan Fitzgerald on the injury front.
O’Sullivan feels that nothing less than the best will do for Lispole if they are to win on Saturday evening.
“Beale are a serious Championship side and we have to be on top of our game if we are to come through. It will be difficult with some of the problems we already have but the players will give it everything on Saturday evening when it gets going.”