'Boden hold no fear for Garrycastle - Cunningham
Wednesday November 18 2009
Dublin football champions may have gone on to All-Ireland success over the last two years but Garrycastle boss Anthony Cunningham believes his players can halt that run on Sunday.
Ballyboden St Enda's stand in the Athlone side's way, but former Galway hurling star Cunningham says his experienced players like Dessie Dolan are hungry for club success as they approach their 30s.
After an injury-blighted season for the county side, Dolan fired his club to success when he hit form in the Westmeath final win over St Lorman's.
And along with Gary Dolan, Doran Harte and David O'Shaughnessy, Cunningham thinks that the time has come for them to deliver at club level.
"They've a lot of experience with Westmeath, but they might see it that they mightn't be starting out on their careers anymore and they'd like to do something with their club," he said.
"They're definitely striving to win, a Leinster club championship would be top of their agenda.
"I think they've been definitely the team who has won most in Westmeath, but they've let a few slip through their hands and they were very determined get back and to work a bit harder this year.
"The winners of the Dublin championship title has gone around for the last few years, and the two previous winners have gone on to win the All-Ireland club series.
"We respect them, but we don't fear them. We're playing well, we'll definitely be going all out to win it. It's a great time to get into a Leinster final."
Twice an All-Ireland winner as a hurler, Cunningham is in his first year at Garrycastle after a successful stint as manager of St Brigid's, Roscommon. Victory over Clonguish in the quarter-finals has brought his side on further after a lengthy lay-off following their county final win.
And in comparison to Sunday's opponents, who claimed an impressive hurling and football double and contain a number of dual stars in their ranks, there is a feeling that the Lake County men will be the fresher team.
"We'd be hoping to be," Cunningham admitted.
"Games this time of the year mean everything. They might be tired but they'll also be sharp. We had extra-time the last day so that's as good as a month's training at this time of the year.
"We've had an easy enough run in that we had the semi-final and final of the championship and then we had a five-week break so it was good to get out the last day and we went well for large parts of the match.
Impressed
"We've been playing well, and definitely the team has improved with the players who've really given their all this year and you'd be very impressed with the guys. They've really applied themselves and been really willing to learn."
But the man who led Galway's U-21s to All-Ireland semi-final heartbreak against Clare earlier this year won't be underestimating Ballyboden.
"I saw them in the Dublin county final and of course we'd have seen a number of their players over the years -- some playing football and some playing hurling -- they're quite impressive.
"I suppose we'd have a lot of respect for Dublin football and that would permeate from these guys who've had great matches with them in the past. It's down to who applies themselves better on the day."
- Ruaidhri O'Connor
Irish Independent
