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Christy Ring format is the way forward for hurling: Hinphey

Liam Hinphey has since given up his inter-county football career to concentrate on hurling
Liam Hinphey has since given up his inter-county football career to concentrate on hurling Liam Hinphey has since given up his inter-county football career to concentrate on hurling

MUCH to the chagrin of many members of the hurling fraternity, the Christy Ring Cup takes just 35 days to complete.

Tomorrow’s finalists Derry and Kerry opened their Christy Ring campaigns on May 2 with wins over Mayo and Down, respectively and will battle it out in Croke Park.

Although it looks like a competition that is shoehorned into the GAA calendar, Derry hurler Liam Hinphey wouldn’t have it any other way.

The 31-year-old Dungiven clubman believes the Christy Ring format should be the blueprint for every inter-county competition.

Speaking ahead of this evening’s clash with raging hot favourites Kerry, Hinphey said: “I agree that there should be a bit more publicity around the competition but I actually think that it should be the format for all Championships, particularly coming from club level.

“There is no real need for these mad three and four-week breaks between matches. Players train to get to play Championship, so when you get there, there is no real need to have these long breaks.

“I know players can get injured in these games but that’s what your panels are there for. I actually like the structure of the competition.

“We’ve managed to build up momentum and so have Kerry and we’re probably the two best teams in the competition.”

A shoulder injury sustained prior to Derry’s first Championship clash against Mayo has curtailed Hinphey’s involvement in the Christy Ring, and although he entered the fray in the 57th minute during last weekend’s semi-final win over Down, the St Canice’s clubman has to content himself with a place on the Oak Leaf bench today.

He’s played twice before at headquarters – a 2001 All-Ireland quarter-final against Galway and the 2006 Nicky Rackard Cup final.

For the first half of his inter-county career Hinphey tried to juggle football and hurling but it was during his studies in Belfast that one code had to go.

“Picking hurling was an easy decision,” he says now.

“I played the football for a couple of years and I tried to do both, but I ultimately took the decision to concentrate on hurling.

“I was studying in Belfast at the time and I was up and down the road both nights. I thought if I’m going to be doing such miles, I’d rather be doing something I really enjoy.

“No disrespect to the footballers, but there is a really good club atmosphere with the hurling boys. I really enjoy going out to train with them. I’ve no regrets about it at all. I suppose playing at Croke Park in an All-Ireland final vindicates my decision.”

Derry have it all to do at Croke Park this evening. Managed expertly by Eamonn Kelly, Kerry have already sealed a place in next season’s NHL Division 1B after beating Antrim in a relegation/promotion play-off.

They also avenged last year’s Christy Ring final defeat to Kildare by hammering the Lilywhites 6-27 to 0-9 in last weekend’s semi-final.

The Kingdom also lost the 2013 Ring decider to Down.

But Hinphey says Kerry hold no fears for them. The Oak Leafers drew with them [0-14 apiece] in Austin Stack Park in their opening Division 2A game of the season.

“We know all about Kerry. We played them last year and they gave us a bad beating in the Christy Ring. They’re a good side and they’ve been on the road together for the last two or three years.

“They know what they’re about. They’re in their fourth Christy Ring final in a row and they’ve lost the last two. “It’s a big task and we’re going in as underdogs. But we can’t wait to get at it. None of us will be sitting around thinking: ‘Ah, we’re going to lose by 30 points’.

“There’ll be nothing but a positive attitude, boys will be bursting out of their skins to get at it. We know it’s a big task but sure what else would you want than playing at Croke Park and having the opportunity to beat them?”

Hinphey has heaped praise on coaches Dinny Cahill and Kieran O’Connell ahead of today’s clash and believes that getting a rare run of home fixtures in the competition has helped them reach their first-ever Ring final.

“You could bet when the Christy Ring fixtures came out we’d be always be away. So it was a shock this year when we got a home fixture [against Mayo].

We always had the potential. We’ve started well in League campaigns and we’ve maybe fallen away during the break in the League and panels become disjointed and stuff. But this year we’ve stuck together and kept the core of the panel together.

“There has been really serious effort put into, not that there hasn’t been before, but things have clicked well.”

“Obviously, Dinny Cahill has come in and his training has been brilliant and Kieran O’Connell of Loughgiel has been training us. Both of them have been top class. The attitude of the players has been great as well.”