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Our hurling writer, Mike O’Halloran, previews the opening match in the Garveys Supervalu Senior Hurling Championship, which gets underway this weekend…
Friday
Lixnaw v Ballyheigue, Tom Healy Park, Abbeydorney, 7pm
Abbeydorney is one of the five North Kerry venues to be selected to host the hurling championship games during the revamp of Austin Stacks Park.
There has been much discussion in the hurling heartland of North Kerry over the last number of years that the preliminary rounds of the hurling championship should be held in North Kerry.
Continued below…
Apart from the five selected venues, almost all the hurling pitches are more than capable of hosting these games.
The surface and facilities in Tom Healy Park Abbeydorney are second to none in the country never mind the county.
The pitch in Kilmoyley is as smooth as a cricket crease, Causeway has had a lot of work done on its grounds over the years and has hosted county championship matches previously.
Ballyduff has two fine pitches and modern changing rooms with a newly fenced pitch and a comfortable stand. Lixnaw has a pristine parking area and a lovely pith with a well appointed stand.
The pitch in Crotta has undergone major work in the past few years. Ballyheigue has a pitch that has hosted an inter-county national hurling league Div 1 game (Kerry V Clare) and was the original “all-weather pitch” with its natural drainage.
The pitch in Ardfert which is the home ground of St Brendans is a great pitch for hurling but it lacks a stand which seems to be a prerequisite to host big games (I thought it catered pretty well with substantial crowd for the Austin Stacks V Ardfert football game earlier this year).
Expect to see a large increase in the attendances at games over the weekend with “the locals” turning out in force to support their own team and their neighbours.
Lixnaw, the reigning champions, will attempt to overcome the youthful challenge of Ballyheigue.
Ballyheigue have worked very hard this season to attempt to blend the young with the experienced in order to regain the Neilus Flynn Cup.
Ballyheigue have been doing relatively well in County League and North Kerry competitions – they defeated Causeway by five points in the quarter final of the North Kerry Championship scoring 1-18, they were defeated by Kilmoyley in the semi-final but only by a goal after extra time. They scored 1-17. Their main man must be county man Philip Lucid.
Lixnaw have been inconsistent in their games so far this season, but they did manage 24 points in a loss to Ballyduff.
Each year Lixnaw are mentioned as being potential champions – this is usually based in their great battling qualities – but this year as well as their great never-say-die attitude, they can base their challenge on the success of their underage teams.
Lixnaw will also call on the great John Griffin and one of the best goalkeepers in Kerry Martin Stackpoole as well as the young guns of Darragh Shanahan and Johnny Buckley.
Lixnaw to win this one and take the short way to attempt to win back to back championships.
Tomorrow, Mike previews Sunday’s triple bill of action in the championship
