Christy Ring Cup semi-final
Derry v Down (today, Owenbeg, 3.30pm)
MOST hurlers would be delighted to walk off a pitch with 1-9 to their name. Particularly if the scores fired your side into a Christy Ring semi-final against your Ulster rivals seven days later.
Then again, Gareth Johnson isn't your typical Down hurler. The six-foot five-inch Ballygalget man has been racking up tallies like that for the best part of a decade and his place in the hearts of the Down hurling faithful was cemented two years ago when his injury-time winner against Kerry secured the Ardsmen's first ever hurling Christy Ring Cip crown.
"Only 1-2 of that tally was from play and looking back over the last seven or eight years, I would rate 1-2 as just an average enough return," said Johnson.
"Seven of my scores were frees but I wouldn't ever count them as my points. They are other boys' scores after their hard work. I just had the balls to put them over the bar. I rate myself on what I do when the ball is in play and....
"Look, I am finding form but I would say I have a wee bit to go yet.
Johnson, however, has saved the praise for his team-mates after Mickey Johnston's men overturned an opening day defeat to Kerry to beat Wicklow and London and book their place in the semi-finals.
"As a team, are the lads all finding form at the right time and that's great but we thought we would have had that form throughout the League.
"The League but we just had to drag ourselves out of that. We got a few friendlies and we started playing the way we should have.
"Now, we are an hour away from Croke Park but I know Derry will be thinking the exact same."
This afternoon's last four clash at Owenbeg promises to be a positive advertisement for Ulster hurling and judging by the last year's meeting at the same venue, where Derry emerged 2-16 to 3-12 winners, a puck of the ball is likely to separate them again.
Interestingly, 'Magic' wasn't involved in that game and neither was Derry's in-form forward Paddy Henry - who shot 1-6 a fortnight ago against London, including a last-gasp injury-time '65' when the game was hanging in the balance.
The experienced full-forward believes Tom McLean's outfit will carry a serious threat again this afternoon.
"They showed at the start of the League - against Kerry and Westmeath - that they have big performances in them. With Dinny Cahill in working with them as well now, they are probably throwing the ball around a different way than they used to. This is their third home game in a row and we know what lies ahead.
"This game could be over in the first 15 or 20 minutes if you don't approach it in the right way. You have to be tuned in from the start. But look, we definitely don't fear anyone either."
Down's squad seems to be as strong as it was when the won the competition in 2013 but Derry have been making progress as well.
This is the first time the Oakleafers have reached the last four and their run of games at Owenbeg has contributed to their form.
Manager McLean, meanwhile, has named an unchanged team from the London game for the visit of the Ardsmen and the Dunloy man is delighted to have a full squad to pick from for the first time this season.
The Oakleaf management watched Down in action last week and if defenders Conor Quinn, Sean McCullough, Conor McSorley and Kevin Hinphey can curtail the dangerous Down attack, then Henry, Ruairi Convery and Paul McCloskey will be expected to wreak havoc at the other end.
Overall, it wouldn't be a huge surprise if extra-time is needed to separate these sides but reaching the final would be an historic achievement for Derry and that might just be the difference this afternoon.
Derry team to play Down (Christy Ring Cup semi-final): D McDermott; M Warnock, C Quinn, S McCullagh; A Rafferty, C McSorley, K Hinphey; S McGuigan, B Quigley; P McCloskey, P Cleary, P Henry; A Kelly, R Convery, A Grant
