Presentation Athenry helping to develop hurling talent in the west

By Cian O'Connell

These are exciting times for Presentation College, Athenry.

A third Masita All-Ireland Senior A Croke Cup final appearance in four years illustrates the significant work being carried out in the school and by clubs in the locality.

Players are being developed which augurs well for the future of hurling in Galway at all levels.

So, on the eve of another Croke Park appearance, Mike Finn, who forms a key part of the highly regarded management team with Ronan Badger and Gary Moroney, is heartened. "We've been consistently getting to finals," Finn says. "This is our fifth final in the last seven runnings of the competition.

"We've shown a good level of consistency, a good standard of player is coming into our school. We're putting in a good bit of work with them, while they're here, and we'd love to get one over the line now, if we can at all."

Several clubs will be represented on the Pres Athenry panel at GAA headquarters. "Our school is located in a strong hurling catchment area, they're all coming from a strong hurling background," Finn explains.

"That is where we're located, hurling and camogie are the main sports in our school.

"The clubs are all closely located so the players are all friendly coming in. If there is a challenge it might be that Galway is the only county in Connacht competing at A level, so getting competitive games, we've to pick up games along with the ones we get in the Connacht Championship.

"We try to play schools from other provinces throughout the year, and that is probably the biggest challenge we face through from first year to senior, to give as many competitive games as we can to lads when they come into the school."

In November, Pres Athenry lost a group fixture to St Raphael's, but responded with victories over Calasanctius Oranmore, Coláiste Bhaile Chláir and Gort Community School. Then Pres Athenry overcame Raphael's in the provincial decider and subsequently St Flannan's in an All-Ireland semi-final. "We've a strong group, we've 47 lads working hard and training hard," Finn explains.

"I can say over the course of the Championship, pretty much all of them have been used in games. We tried to give everyone opportunities in the group stages. When we got to the knockout stages, we'd some very tough competitive games in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final in Galway.

"That really stood to us, we came through the Connacht Championship. Those games against Claregalway, Gort Community School, and St Raphael's have really stood to us. They really put it up to us in every one of those games."

With Pres Athenry so relevant on the schools hurling stage, young players and students are being inspired. "Definitely, they get to see it up close and first hand - the level of training you've to do, to be able to compete at this level," Finn replies.

"It is a high standard. The thing about schools hurling, the standard every year is getting higher and higher. To stay competing at this level, it takes a lot of work from a lot of people in our school. People are willing to put the time in because they enjoy it.

"It is hard to believe it, the likes of Aaron Niland and Jason Rabbitte were getting ready to play an All-Ireland schools final. Now, they're featuring heavily for the Galway senior team in league games.

"It isn't as big a jump as some people might think from top level Post Primary Schools hurling to inter-county hurling. Those two lads have shown it isn't as big of a jump as some people might think."

Tuesday March 17

Masita All-Ireland PPS Croke Cup (Senior A Hurling) Final

St Kieran's, Kilkenny v Presentation College, Athenry, Croke Park, 1pm