Hurlers to raise Fermoy's banner
Thursday March 04 2010
IT was hugely disappointing for Fermoy when the challenge game to mark the official switching on of the floodlights in Fitzgerald Park had to be cancelled due to fog last month.
The club suffered a sizeable financial loss because of it, but the match has been rescheduled for Saturday night, and club PRO Tommy O'Brien believes the meeting between the Cork and Clare hurlers will carry greater appeal now.
"After all the preparation, it was a bitter blow that the game didn't go ahead as planned initially, but there was nothing we could do about it, so we simply had to take it on the chin.
"We tried to get an alternative venue on the night seeing as Clare had made the journey down, but it was never an option really, and I suppose it was just as well in hindsight that we weren't successful in that regard. It would have defeated the whole purpose of the thing had the game been staged elsewhere, and we are delighted, and extremely grateful to Cork and Clare, that we are able to host it under the lights on Saturday night," O'Brien says.
It could well turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Fermoy that the original fixture had to be aborted, because it's expected that the two teams involved will be lining out close to full-strength now. That wouldn't have been the case a few weeks ago, because players from both teams were tied up in Third Level Colleges competitions.
As well as that, the Newtownshandrum players were preparing for an All Ireland club semi-final and weren't available for Cork at the time, but they are back now, and this is an ideal opportunity for the selectors to assess all their options ahead of the league game against Kilkenny the following weekend.
"Cork have already played two games in the league, but they weren't really tested by Offaly and Limerick, and they will surely benefit from another outing before they get down to the serious business against Kilkenny," according to Tommy O'Brien.
"It's an important game for Clare also, because they won't be getting enough games against quality opposition in Division 2, and they will appreciate the opportunity to see how they shape up against a team of Cork's calibre. It has the makings of a very competitive clash, and hopefully the weather will be fine, and we will get a good crowd."
The game has a 7.30pm throw-in.
- Noel Horgan
