Loughinisland bid for Croker

Loughinisland bid for Croker

20 January 2016

LOUGHINISLAND’S stormtroopers are on the brink of creating club history at the weekend.

Jerome Johnston’s Down and Ulster champions bid to topple Connacht’s finest — Hollymount-Carramore from Mayo — in an All-Ireland Club IFC last four clash at Kingspan Breffni Park, Cavan, on Sunday.

The hotly anticipated game has a 2pm throw in and the stakes couldn’t The Blues were a class apart in their Down campaign before they swept all before them in Ulster, finishing off with a goal-packed win over Donegal’s Bundoran.

Loughinisland go into the game as the bookies’ favourites at 4/5, but their opponents are listed at 5/4 and a tight game is what every pundit expects.

The ‘Island side are a team playing with the upmost confidence and swagger with the inspirational Dan Gordon leading the charge.

The squad have been training hard over the past few months, as well as playing challenge games, to keep the match sharpness up.

A draw with St Mary’s University, Belfast, and a win over Down U-21s has proven that the side have lost none of their momentum.

Standing in their way are one of the newest clubs in Ireland. Hollymount-Carramore were only formed four years ago, but their rise has been emphatic.

They have had a solid year in the league in Mayo and they have journeyed through their county and provincial championship in some style.

Their place in Sunday’s semi-final was sealed with a 0-9 to 0-8 success over Galway’s Moycullen in the Connacht decider.

The team have plenty of fighting spirit and grit and they will need this in abundance against an equally determined Loughinisland.

Captain and full forward Darren Coen is their star man with centre half forward Ian Costello and corner forward Damien Kelly both prolific.

Stephen Coen was an underage prodigy in his home county and he will be a forceful presence at midfield.

A lot is at stake in this battle and the tension will be at boiling point.

Loughinisland have been ruthless in finding the net and unless the Mayo men go ultra defensive, then expect a few majors to come the Blues’ way.

Once again Gordon will be instrumental with his namesake Kieran in goal having a key role too. Rory Mason will need to be on his game with the frees while John McCarthy and Aaron McClements have to be on song for 60-plus minutes.

Their bench has been used to great effect in 2015 and expect some high impact subs arriving on the scene at various junctures.

Loughinisland haven’t disappointed so far and if they can build on their performances to date then a trip to Croke Park is in the offing.