Managers agree U-21 Championship is played at wrong time of year

DISAPPOINTING, but a lot gained in defeat for Crotta whose manager Brendan Mahony having already guided the club to successive Minor County final wins has now taken this group to the next level, and, certainly, his input, very much comparable to his distinguished playing career has provided the platform for what looks like being a sustained period of success for the club.

“We had a few chances in normal time, we didn’t just take them, but that’s Championship hurling, you have to take your chances when they come along. I think the bit of experience that Causeway had, to be honest about it, maybe, in extra-time, but they were probably the better team in extra time. We came out and pushed them all the way, I am very happy with our lads, they gave their all, they are a fantastic bunch of lads.

“I think every one of our players are under age next year so we will be back again next year. The lads are interested in hurling, and that’s what we want in Crotta, we want to keep building. Two minor finals and an under-21 county final, we won two out of three, we are going to keep driving on, that’s all we can do.

“It’s a bit late in the year for hurling but we cannot do anything about that. I don’t think playing a county under-21 hurling final in November is the proper way for hurling. I would like to see it played earlier in the year, if they could, but I can do nothing about that at the moment. I think it’s the wrong time of the year for hurling to be honest. A fine sporting game, we wish Causeway well, they are a good side.”

Causeway manager Stephen Goggin has had a quite eventful and ultimately rewarding year as manager of the Kingdom’s camogie team, as a Championship goal scorer with the club’s senior side, but this particular result has certainly been one of the high points of his season. One can debate and deliberate all day long about the impact of this particular success, but he summed it all up pretty accurately with just one word - massive!

“(We) could have (won it), they probably should have but the second half performance we were poor. I still felt we had a bit more left in the tank. We came out and played in extra tim, and I thought some of our performance in that extra-time we really died for the cause. I said to them we are after getting off the hook, and they responded for me, thank god.

“Evan (Murphy) a young fellow only eighteen, Billy Lyons, Jason Diggin, Joseph Diggin, Brandon (Barrett), even young Dan Goggin when he came on, excellent, Gary Carey, a lot of pressure on him taking frees, he didn’t fold or anything. Hurling wise you want to be playing in the middle of the summer, when the ball is zipping off the ground, no rain, they were hard conditions out there.

“It’s absolutely massive, we really needed that, so we did. Things have been going kind of pear shaped for the past couple of years, we have been underachieving and stuff, so we really needed that. We needed it more than what Crotta needed it, they have won their two minors, it’s just massive for us, we are delighted.

“We are going to enjoy it, let these fellows enjoy their moment, because you don’t often win Championships, and when you do you want to enjoy them as much as you can.”