Ulster Senior Hurling Shield final: Derry v Tyrone (tomorrow, 1pm, Carrickmore)
VICTORY and a return to the Ulster Championship proper would provide a nice topping on an already very special weekend for Ruairi Convery.
The affable Derry man was in celebratory form when he answered the phone in Galway yesterday afternoon, having popped the question to his now-fiancée, Whitecross native Sarah Reavey, on Thursday night.
The ‘yes’ he got back was the first positive result of a weekend that really ought to bring another from the Oak Leafers’ meeting with Tyrone tomorrow afternoon.
Carrickmore will play host to the sides in their Ulster shield final, with the winners promoted back to the Championship proper in place of Donegal, who opted not to field for their playoff with Down.
That exact move, not fielding in the playoff 10 months ago, was what left the Oak Leafers in the shield competition in the first place and Convery admits it’s something that will need to be looked at.
“There’d need to be some sort of way that the top four and bottom four would play off against each other on a regular basis rather than one up, one down, if it’s going to lead to somebody not fielding every year.”
A facile 6-28 to 0-9 win over Monaghan allowed them a first-gear semi-final but things have been ratcheted up in the Derry camp over the last couple of weeks.
They’ve received the major influx of Slaughtneil players ahead of their Nicky Rackard Cup campaign, not least county footballers Chrissy McKaigue and Brendan Rogers.
They will also have Gerald Bradley, Cormac O’Doherty (injury permitting), Sean and Éanna Cassidy available among a dozen from the Ulster club champions that have joined up with the squad.
Most of them will not be in Carrickmore tomorrow, while Naoise Waldron (holiday), Paddy Henry, Gavin McCormick, and Ciaran Steele are all out injured after picking up knocks in club games.
Patrick Turner will also miss out after he suffered a bang in a challenge game with Dunloy. His Swatragh clubmate Convery admits it’s frustrating to be stuck in both this shield and the Nicky Rackard for the summer.
“You look at last week’s result, Monaghan are in the Nicky Rackard as well and no disrespect to them but I think we should be playing Christy Ring.
“But we got ourselves in this situation and the only people can rectify it is ourselves. We know we’ll have tougher games along the way.”
Tyrone will be without forward Ryan McKernan, who is on holiday, while Dermot Begley and Sean Óg Grogan are both doubtful through injury.
Grogan missed their 4-18 to 0-10 semi-final win over Fermanagh but should be available to play some part from the bench, though Begley’s inclusion is less certain.
Red Hands boss Mattie Lennon feels that the decision to “squash” the competition into the window between the end of the National League and the start of the counties’ primary Championship is wrong.
“If we’re serious about improving the standard of hurling, we need to be playing more games in the summer. The Lory Meagher, Nicky Rackard and Christy Ring are over by the first weekend of June.
“We’ve played a game every weekend from February until now. I know you could say you’re getting games and that’s what you want, but you need some time to prepare for these competitions too.
“All we’re playing is winter hurling. It’s a different game in the summer, a faster ball, better pitches.”
This game was originally scheduled for the Athletic Grounds but was moved last week to Carrickmore and although it hands Tyrone home advantage, Lennon feels a trick was missed in terms of attracting a crowd.
“The two games should have been a double header, either at Owenbeg or the Athletic Grounds.
“You wonder whether the people making these decisions have ever played the game. It’s as if they look at it and a see a gap of three or four weeks and say ‘let’s get it done with’.
“None of the counties in the Liam McCarthy would be asked to play every weekend, so why are we any different?”
Damian Casey will provide the biggest barrier to Derry's hopes but it won't be enough to stop them winning promotion.
