TRYAN TIME TO PREPARE FOR A SEMI-FINAL TIE

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S captain Ryan Basquel has become the latest player to hit out at the new All-ireland club schedule.

After their smash-andgrab win over Eire Og in Sunday’s Leinster club football final, the Dublin champions are back in action against Kilcoo in the All-ireland semi-final on January 4.

Previously, semi-finals took place around mid-february ahead of the final on St Patrick’s Day but the GAA has moved away from that tradition with the competition set to be wrapped up in both codes by January 19.

Ballyhale Shamrocks and Kilkenny hurling star TJ Reid spoke out against the move following his club’s Leinster final win over St Mullin’s, calling it a “disgrace” as he feels it encroaches on players’ ability to enjoy the Christmas period.

And while Ballyboden manager Anthony Rainbow welcomes it, saying “it’s great to be training during the Christmas period,

Corofin (Galway) v

Nemo Rangers (Cork), Kilcoo (Down) v Ballyboden St Enda’s (Dublin)

Basquel (right) is more in agreement with Reid.

He said: “Just the way the fixtures are this year, it comes around so quickly.

We’ll enjoy this and then we’ll see what happens after that.

“Personally I think it’s much better when it’s February and March. It’s just way too cramped. I’d understand if it was all done before Christmas.

“But TJ Reid said it the last day. He’s a county player and I’m a club player and I don’t think it should the way it is. I don’t see the sense of it being played in January.

“But we’re just delighted to be there and whenever we have to play, we’ll play it.”

But for Basquel, they could well be out of the competition altogether as, after sub Warren Egan had drawn Ballyboden level in the final minute of normal time on Sunday, he kicked the lead point in injury time and they never looked back after that.

Minutes earlier he had pulled a difficult free wide in the awful weather conditions.

“I was going to get lynched if I didn’t score that one!” he smiled.

“Ah, we’ve done the work all year. You have to keep backing yourself and if it’s on, you take it on. Warren Egan came off the bench and he kicked an unbelievable score to level us.

“That confidence went through the team.”