The Tooreen senior hurlers celebrate with some of the club's underage stars after winning the 2022 Mayo SHC Final.
By John Harrington
One of 85 clubs in 15 counties to recently collected equipment packs as a reward for their participation in the Tain Óg and Cuchulainn Cups, Tooreen of Mayo certainly won’t have any problem making the most of the new gear.
Hurling is on a high in the club at the moment with great participation rates in all age-groups.
For example, at U-13 level, they have 31 players and entered two teams in the Mayo championship this year.
Richie Crinnigan is manager of that U-13 team and is hugely enthused by the playing opportunities now available to young hurlers in the club.
“At this moment in time, between the Mayo A and B championship, A and B League, and Roscommon League which we also compete in as well as the Táin Óg Cup, we'll be pushing on 30 games that these young lads will have played this year,” he told GAA.ie
“Compared to what we were a number of years ago when the current senior hurlers were playing at underage level, they were only getting six or seven games a year. I think it makes an awful difference. That's what we were crying out for years.
“Compared to big counties like Galway and KIlkenny we just didn't have enough meaningful matches to improve the standard.
“We get an awful lot out of the Táin Óg Cup and we have done for the last number of years. It's been a massive addition competition wise.
“We have a few more clubs in Mayo now than we did a few years ago but we're still coming from a small base and it's great to be able to play championship games against teams from Sligo, Roscommon, Longford, and other counties.
“Meaningful matches are what all clubs needs, especially meaningful matches at your own level which is what you get in the Táin Óg League because it's graded. It's been brilliant.”
Mayo GAA clubs pictured with the equipment packs they recieved as a reward for their commitment and participation in the Táin Óg Cup.
The club also found the inaugural year of the Cúchulainn Cup to be a very positive experience as they defeated Sligo club Easkey in the Division 1 Final after a great game of hurling.
That set them up nicely to retain their Mayo senior hurling championship, and now the club’s senior hurlers have their eyes on even more silverware as they prepare for a Connacht Intermediate Hurling Quarter-Final against Four Roads of Roscommon this Sunday. .
“There's a good buzz around the place because the senior team are flying it," says Crinnigan. "The ambition is to go on and win an All-Ireland Intermediate but you obviously have to go step by step.
“We're not afraid now of competing in Connacht now and I think that might not have been the case in past. For us, getting over Ballyhaunis in Mayo was the big one because you never know against them, there's very little between us.
“There was a great picture after the county final of the senior team with all the young lads in the club surrounding them after the win.
“There’s a seriously close bond between the senior players and the young lads in the club which is great to see.
“We owe an awful lot to the senior lads because any time they're asked they come and do a training session with the lads. There’s just a great atmosphere in the club all round at the moment.”
