Ballyhale Shamrocks forward Colin Fennelly says they need to improve on their Semi-Final display ahead of the AIB GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Club Championship Final this weekend.
Should Shamrocks win it will be their third All-Ireland title in a row and a ninth overall.
Shamrocks squeezed through against Galway’s Saint Thomas’s with a wonder goal from TJ Reid and now face Waterford and Munster champions Ballygunner in the Final on Saturday at 3pm in Croke Park.
The two-time All-Star and four-time All-Ireland winner with Kilkenny has been looking ahead to their meeting with Waterford’s Ballygunner with Oisin Langan where he outlined where Shamrocks need to improve.
“What we didn’t do against St. Thomas was win the breaking ball, those 50/50 battles, that third quarter that everyone focuses on now. I was probably complaining that the ball was not coming in but we probably were not winning the ball out there for it to come in. It killed our game. “
“We need a heavy focus on that. That will and that energy that you have to bring, either you or your man winning the ball, that could be the difference this Saturday. “
Stern test
Fennelly says the stern test they got in the Semi-Final is a benefit to them going into this weekend’s Final.
Fennelly told us both sides have had ideal runs into this game.
“It is important to have a tough game. A tough game where you did not play your best. You have a lot to work on, it’s just hugely beneficial.”
“On the other side of that Ballygunnar had a huge test aswell against Slaughneil. A team we played a few years ago and that hugely benefited us at that time.”
“As much as we got a tough test so did Ballygunnar, so we are coming in even into this one.”
Excitement is high, so I went out to Ballyhale to talk to some young people about the big weekend in Croke Park.
You can hear that full interview between Colin Fennelly & Oisin Langan, as well as interviews with James O’Connor and more when our coverage starts tomorrow on Scoreline from 2, with the game throwing in at 3 with thanks to Gerry Comerford Drilling.
