Hurlers journey to Croke Park for Lory Meagher final
THIS Saturday Sligo hurlers are in action in Croke Park in the final of the Lory Meagher Cup when Darragh Cox/Daithí Hand’s men face Lancashire to see who becomes champions.
This is the Yeats county’s third final since 2015 and being runners up on both previous occasions, Saturday really is about making it third time lucky for Sligo.
Darragh Cox and Daithí Hand took over as joint managers at the start of the season along with selectors Morgan Fitzsimmons and Mark Burke and the Lory Meagher campaign has seen victories away to Lancashire in Manchester and at home to Fermanagh in Tourlestrane while the third round saw a defeat to Cavan in Markievicz Park with Sligo already through to Croke Park.
Former inter-county player Darragh Cox says everyone is really looking forward to the final on Saturday.
“We are all set and looking forward to it, we cannot wait.
“It’s been a long time since mid December when we started out and it was always our target to get here and we are here now.
“This is the third time Sligo have been in the Lory Meagher final we lost to Fermanagh and Cavan in 2015 and 2016 so hopefully it will be third time lucky for us,” Darragh said.
The Calry/St Joseph’s man admitted that Lancashire will be a strong outfit in the final.
“It is a great achievement to get there but it will be hard to take to lose it.
“We beat Lancashire over there but they beat us well in the League in Markievicz.
“They are a very strong side and have some very strong players with really good forwards.
“We didn’t play all that well when we played them in Markievicz so it is a game that could go 50/50 with two evenly matched teams,” Darragh said.
Sligo, captained by Keith Raymond, have plenty of experience on their side with a number of players there that featured in the historic Nicky Rackard win back in 2008.
Darragh explained: “There’s probably four or five on the team that were involved in the Nicky Rackard victory in 2008, Keith Raymond, Conor O’Mahony, Ronan Cox and Larry Cadden were all involved.
“So they have experience of winning and losing in Croke Park so have been on both sides of the coin.”
The Yeats men have introduced a number of new faces to the panel this year too and Darragh admitted they have brought fresh blood to the team and are a great addition.
“We have given inter-county debuts to 6 or 7 players throughout the year and this is their first time playing for Sligo. We have 3 lads doing the Leaving Cert the last couple of weeks and they have not missed a training session.
“Their level of commitment and hard work is huge and they have brilliant commitment.
“They really bring fresh blood to the squad,” the Calry/St Joseph’s man said.
Being a former player and now manager brings with it a big transition.
Darragh said: “It is a bit different that’s for sure. I think it is more nerve-wracking being on the sideline! Daithí and myself have a great backroom team there and Mark Burke and Morgan Fitzsimmons have come in this year too and are former players with huge experience which adds to the new management,” Darragh said.
With Sligo hurlers in Croke Park on Saturday at 12pm, the county’s footballers are also in action in Markievicz Park on the same day, when they take on Armagh in the Qualifiers.
Dual player Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch has been a huge player for both his county’s hurling and footballing sides and Darragh said it was unfortunate both games are on the same day but they are hoping to work around it.
“It is desperately unfortunate for Gerard. There are 7 lads playing football for Sligo that could make the hurling panel and there is a couple of others we would have loved to have been able to have but the commitment is too high.
“Gerard has managed to juggle both and I must say that Cathal Corey has been excellent.
“He has been really fair and reasonable with Gerard and ourselves.
“We are hoping that Gerard will play a part in both games and we are lucky that he has such high fitness levels and has tons of ability.
“We will be working closely with Cathal and the football panel and the player’s welfare is the priority.
“Gerard is a massive player to both so we will do our best. He wants to play both,” Darragh said.
Getting to play in Croke Park is not something that every player has on their CV and Darragh reflects that it is a huge honour.
“It is massive getting to play in Croke Park. For the young lads that are 17 or 18 years of age that are in the squad and preparing for a game there it is a big deal.
“I was lucky enough to be part of the 2008 team and at the time you’re not really thinking you might never get the chance again.
“Hopefully this won’t be a once-in-a-lifetime for these players and it is important that we take the opportunity,” Darragh added. The Lory Meagher Cup final in Croke Park begins at 12pm on Saturday.