SLAUGHTNEIL hurling manager Michael McShane says the best is yet to come from his team – and that their eyes are firmly set on winning an historic All-Ireland club title.
Speaking on a fascinating GAA webinar hosted by National Hurling Development Manager, Martin Fogarty, on Monday night, the Emmet’s boss spoke about the belief his players had taken from their All-Ireland semi-final with Ballyhale.
The back-to-back champions were given a huge fright in Newry before Colin Fennelly’s late goal squeezed them through, condemning Slaughtneil to a third All-Ireland semi-final loss in four years.
However, it contrasted greatly with their sobering first effort against Cuala in 2017, and McShane said that when the dust settled, the Derry side’s belief was imbued by their performance in Páirc Esler.
The Ballycastle native also feels the current crop can go on for “another five or six years”.
“If I was to tell you that the average age of the team that played Ballyhale Shamrocks in January was just under 24, you have to say there’s another five or six years, probably some of their best years ahead of them,” he told the webinar.
“From a hurling point of view, I can’t see any reason why they can’t continue to be successful and stay at the top as long as they maintain the hunger. I don’t see anything in the hunger stakes dwindling at the minute.
“Every time they get close, as they did in Newry in January, the hunger increases because they want to get back there and win more and do better.
“There’s no bones about it – we are now thinking we want to go the whole way to the top and win an All-Ireland.
“I don’t think anybody would doubt the ambition of these guys, that they could very well do it."
