Rathmore out to overcome seven week gap

ALL-IRELAND COLLEGES SFC ‘B’ SEMI-FINAL SP Sliabh Luachra Rathmore v Ashbourne Community School (Meath) Saturday March 23 Time & venue TBC

A SEVEN-week gap to their Munster success combined with only finding out who their All-Ireland semi-final opponents would be eight days beforehand maybe not be the ideal way to prepare for a shot at Croke Park but SPSL Rathmore have had a very promising campaign thus far in 2018/19.

The school reached the O’Sullivan Cup Final in Kerry prior to Christmas and very nearly caught out a tiring Pobalscoil Corcha Dhuibhne at Fitzgerald Stadium back in December before going on to defeat last year’s side to reach this stage, Inbhear Sceine Kenmare, in the Munster semi-final lead to a Munster Final with Mount St Michaels of Rosscarbery.

Rathmore came through a tricky encounter to put themselves within reach of GAA Headquarters but the long wait to here is something they have made to deal with since their February 2 victory.

“Challenge games have kept us occupied but they haven’t been easy, but the plyers have been very dedicated about this chance they are getting at going to Croke Park. They stayed at home for St Patrick’s weekend which I imagine can’t have been easy for them,” team mentor Pat Brosnan said ahead of Saturday’s semi-final for the East Kerry school.

Team trainer David McCarthy travelled up to see last Friday’s Leinster Final between Ashbourne Community School of Meath and Skerries Community College of Dublin in Abbotstown and Brosnan says that they had expected the Meath school to advance like they did by 6-7 to 4-8.

“They have put up some big scores in their matches, so we expect them to be a very tough outfit. This is a magnificent opportunity for us though to have a chance at Croke Park and we hope the hard work and effort that has been put in by the team will pay off.”

If Rathmore are to succeed where St Michaels Listowel (2016) and Inbhear Sceine Kenmare (last year) have failed in reaching the Paddy Drummond Final they need Owen Fitzgerald, Dan Murphy, Darragh Rahilly and Anthony Darmody amongst others to preform on Saturday.