Busy week in store for county teams
THE Sligo U- 17 hurlers will begin their second Celtic Challenge campaign next week, hoping to emulate their performances in the inaugural competition in 2016. Daithí Hand’s side take on Galway Tribesmen in their opening Group G game next Wednesday, with four other games to follow in a group that also contains Mayo, Donegal, Roscommon and Kildare Cadets. Sligo made a major impact in last year’s competition where they topped their group before losing to Down in the knockout stages. The innovative competition gives young hurlers across the country an opportunity to showcase their skills in a competitive environment, and Sligo boss Daithí Hand says his side are looking forward to the challenge. “We can’t wait to get started,” said Monaghan native, who takes the reins from Benny Kenny for 2017.“We are hoping to follow on from the work that Benny did last year. It was unfortunate with the way it was structured last year but there are different divisions and groups this year which is good.” The new boss is a teacher in the Mercy in Sligo and plies his trade locally with Calry/ St Joseph’s, and he is hopeful of another positive campaign for the Yeats’ County. “I was working with Benny [ Kenny] last year and I play with Calry/ St Joseph’s, and I was approached to take it on this year. “We’ve got some tough teams in our group, and in terms of senior rankings we’d probably be below all of them. But Sligo hurling is definitely on the way up and the work done last year is there to be built on. The structure should help us, and the hurling talent in Sligo is very good. We’ll be going in to win.” Their game against Galway Tribesmen throws- in at 7.30pm next Wednesday evening at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence in Ballyhaunis.
Last weekend Sligo hurlers travelled to Birmingham but came up short against a strong Warwickshire side on the winning 2- 20 – 2- 9 the two goals coming from former Warwickshire player Cormac Behan who is this year’s captain of the Sligo team.
The third round of the Lory Meagher Cup takes place next Saturday when Sligo travel to Cavan as they will be hoping to get back winning ways against home side.
All eyes are on Gaelic Park this Sunday as Sligo take on New York. Sligo will be fully aware of the challenge they will be facing on Sunday with three Sligo men on the panel Vinny Cadden, Eoin Flanagan and Colin Keane among the players involved with New York this year and had a great battle with Donegal in two recent challenge matches has meant Sligo will know what they are facing this time around against the New York.
Conor McGraynor will have good memories of playing against Sligo as his goal as teenager knockout Sligo of the Championship when he scored for his native Wicklow. Other key players to watch out for is Monaghan’s Daniel McKenna who real talent, Ross Whearity the Donegal man has plenty of experience of playing in big games and former Dublin hurler Danny Suttcliffe is pacey forward who is needed to be watched.