A SEMI-FINAL win over Down is only job half done for Derry's Conor McSorley, who penned this inspirational memoir as they look ahead to a Christy Ring Cup decider against Kerry...
I remember the first time I lifted a hurling stick, out the back of the house, my father took me and the big bro, Dangerous Dave, sliother in hand, and started to preach.
He went on a bit as Notorious does, and the single thing I remember feeling at the start was scared.
Notorious picked up on this, and he took me aside to have a talk.
He said: "If you're in bother, you drop it low and let fly." I remember thinking, easy now Notorious, I'm only eight.
"But what if he gets annoyed at me and hits me back?" I asked, puny and fairly worried.
"You take it, and move on. Bide your time, there will be another chance, but always wait 'til the ball is there, and have no fear of anyone or anything."
It didn't make much sense, and nowadays the advice would be all about "good boy for taking part son." But that, in my opinion, is not how champions are made.
Training is, being 'cute' to the game is, learning the simple things and perfecting them is, and most of all, reading the game is.
So I trained, harder and harder, learned the moves, and lost fear as I went onwards.
I earned a couple of captain armbands along the way, played in an underage Feile or two, got some underage club championships.
Like any young cub, I had visions and dreams of gracing Croke Park, we went on holidays to Sligo, and even in our small games on the beach, I wanted to prove to all the Freestaters that watched that "Them Derry boys can Hurl."
The one thing that stood by me, my biggest quality, and I'm not afraid so say it, and don't really care about how I come across when saying it, my biggest quality is having no fear.
No fear of losing, no fear of getting hurt, no fear of any opposition player. No fear of anything.
When I lift that stick, I believe that there is nobody that can beat me. Nobody.
I know this isn't true, but I always believe it is, even to this day.
I love seeing the 'big names' coming at me. I have no fear.
There were ups and downs, as with any sport, but being fearless is what will bring me to Croke Park next weekend, in an All-Ireland Final.
Today I played with two fellas that played on that beach in Rosses Point every night, of every summer during my teenage years with me, and every time we scored, we obviously followed by a sliding celebration, a celebration that we would imagine the 'big boys' would do.
They don't, obviously, but let us be, we're only 12. Now I play in reality though, and in reality, you do your job, next ball.
I know we have won nothing yet, and Kerry are a great side, but try and tell me we aren't?
The tackling, the speed, the movement. The team was brilliant today, and there's more to come yet. I am certain of that.
A mammoth task lies ahead next weekend, but we can do it - it's a 50/50 game, and we'll give it a lash. I know this bunch of lads can do it.
So to any young lads out there starting out in the game, work hard and have no fear, your dreams are not out of reach, mine is still alive, and I will be going out to play without fear next weekend.
It all started out with a preaching match under the basketball net, and it won't end in Croker next Saturday evening.
Keep plugging away lads, you are the future, enjoy those summer days pucking about.
Listen and respect the men that take the time to coach you.
I remember those summers in Sligo, and if you ask Seán Sparky and Dean Flanagan, I'm sure they remember too.
