PAUL GAHAN

DROPPING down to Intermediate for the proud club of Avondale was as far from an easy decision as anyone will ever know. Saving the beloved game of hurling was the most basic instinct that drove the move and judging by the recovery within the Rathdrum club this year under Emmet O’Sullivan, it was the correct decision.

Avondale captain Paul Gahan says that rebuilding the game of hurling in the club was always the driving force behind the move that took several weeks to be decided upon within the club.

‘It was a very difficult decision because it went further than the players. We wanted to have the management involved, and the committee, we couldn’t just take it on ourselves to drop down. So, we had a meeting with the management and the committee and it went on for a couple of weeks and finally we all got our heads together to make the decision that we all thought would be the best and would suit Avondale going forward because we had been struggling at Senior level just to fill the team even, we couldn’t get the players, players had returned, moved away, the youth wasn’t coming through to bridge that gap.

‘I suppose we decided that if we dropped down to Intermediate and try to rebuild, there was young players coming through and starting them at Senior level wouldn’t be the best option so we said we’d start from Intermediate and try to get numbers to training and that hopefully we could rebuild Avondale and get back up to Senior and even if we didn’t get back to Senior we’d have a basis and a team to work on. If we were to keep losing heavily that would drive lads away,’ he added.

Paul Gahan will agree that the decision to drop has worked out extremely well for Avondale. Numbers at training are up. Their winning run has brought a new zeal the hurling team. Ray Nolan is playing the best hurling for many a year. But Paul Gahan is refreshingly honest when he says that winning a championship was not the main goal.

‘It has (worked). We’ve increased numbers hugely. I suppose when you get into a winning way it’s hard for lads not to turn up (for training), obviously that’s the momentum we want to keep going with. Obviously, we’re hoping to get through the county final and make a break back on to Senor. But that wasn’t really our goal at the start of the year. Our goal was to build hurling in the club. If it kept going the way it was going hurling was going to die out, as simple as that. That would have been an absolute tragedy.

‘The talent has always been there. You have Ray Nolan, one of the best hurlers to ever play for Avondale, one of the best hurlers in the county. And there’s young lads coming now looking up to ray and that’s what you want. Gearoid Murphy is very talented, he’s involved with the county Minors (football) and we were very lucky that he was available to us, it’s such a great boost. We’ve a couple of young lads coming up from Minor from last year which is huge as well, competition for places,’ he said.

The Rocks are the enemy on Sunday. Ironically enough, the Rocks are their partners on Saturday when they go in search of Minor ‘A’ joy in their replay against Carnew.

‘It just goes to show what both clubs are trying to do. We’re doing our best to field teams in hurling, joining up, all we want to do is hurl, both ourselves and the Rocks,’ he said.

And what about the Rocks. The bookies have Avondale as roaring favourites. Paul Gahan dismisses that notion as if it were a contagious disease.

‘Absolutely expecting a tough game on Sunday. There’s no way they’re going to be giving anything easy. They haven’t been beaten, they’ve had a great run through championship. They know what to expect and we know what to expect from us, so we won’t be taking them for granted. We won’t be going in thinking that we’re favourites, regardless of what it says on paper. We won’t be thinking anything like that. We’ll be keeping our minds clear from that,’ he said.

It’s Emmet O’Sullivan’s third year in charge of the Avondale. The Carnew Emmets man is a perfect fit for the ’Dales and Paul Gahan says it’s his loyalty and resilience that has inspired the Avondale players.

‘He’s been inspirational to us. He came into us when we were struggling and there’s been numerous times when he could have thrown in the towel. When we couldn’t get numbers at training, struggling to field, couldn’t win games, he could have easily walked away.

‘But, I suppose, whether It’s a testament to the character that Emmet is or whether it’s the Carnew in him, I don’t know, but he has an undying passion for hurling and he just will not ever stop or ever give up.

‘That has transferred into the lads and from the end of last year when we met and had a discussion about where we wanted to go with hurling, he just stuck by us and we got our act together and here we are. He’s got us to a county final and hopefully we can get over the line,’ he said.

A win on Sunday: what would it mean?

‘It would mean the world to us. We’ve been hurling all our lives and to win a championship is everyone’s dream. To be nominated captain was a great experience and a great privilege to do it. And please God we’ll get over the line and push on for next year,’ he added.