Jerry happy with the Pace-Makers

Famous Faughs swinging sweetly to Tymon tune

JERRY Hearne follows the Blues. He'll be hoping for The Deise to strike Munster gold in Thurles.

His father, John, won Championships with Ballygunner. And Faughs too.

"I have always had a big interest in Waterford hurling," explains Jerry.

He's up in his favourite garden, Tymon North. A bag of hurls over his back.

He hurled for years with Faughs. And managed many of their teams.

He's the Bainisteoir of the Junior B Championship side. They sit top of the table. They'll welcome Raheny tonight.

Jerry commends the commitment of the players, and his managerial cohorts.

One of whom is Tony Spellman, a fabled Faughs legend.

"Tony has so many medals that you wouldn't get a biscuit tin big enough to hold all of them!" smiles Jerry. Shane Brew and Trevor Donohue are also on board.

The clubhouse walls tell of a glorious past. The juvenile structure points the way to the future.

"The juveniles are going very well. There's some terrific talent. They are all well coached by Tommy O'Mahony. Tommy, of course, won Championships himself."

Jerry played with many top

names. Among them MJ Ryan.

No hurler had a bigger heart. He wore the jerseys of Dublin and Kilkenny. And he wore the love of the craft on his sleeve.

The Junior B's are playing in MJ's image. "They are working hard. We struggled in the Championship last year.

"But a few fellas have come back. There's good experience there now, and we have a lot of young players coming through. There's a nice blend there.

"The Junior B Championship is a fine standard. There's excellent teams there. You have to work for everything you get."

Faughs have the accomplished John Small in goal. And there's quality in all areas of the pitch.

Paul Donohue plays in attack. His father, PJ, led Faughs to the Senior Championship quarter-final in 2014.

"The club have a rich and deep tradition in Dublin hurling," reflects Jerry.

"We are building back towards that. And hopefully in a couple of years, we'll be able to compete at the top table again."

In the meantime, Jerry is hoping that on Sunday the Suir will turn Blue.