Armagh lose two key hurlers

Armagh dual star Stephen Renaghan

ARMAGH minor hurlers need their three key players, Stevie Renaghan, Sean Colton and Mattie Lennon to be at the top of their game if they are to beat Derry in this weekend’s Ulster Minor Hurling Championship.

Long-term Orchard minor boss Eamon McKee is already without two of  his star players Davy McCreesh of Derrynoose and Keady’s Ryan Conway, hence the need for that trio to be on song.

McCreesh was due to play for the county’s minor footballers in last week’s Ulster MFC game against Tyrone, but he picked up an injury in a club match which ruled him out of that game.

“We don’t have 400 hurlers to pick from. When you get your best 15 you like to look after them. We don’t have 25 that you would call starting hurlers. You are lucky to have 8-9 starting hurlers, so when you lose boys like McCreesh it is a blow.”

On the upside, this year’s minor team has a lot of returnees from last year’s side, which means they will have more cohesion.

In 2010, Armagh got all the way to the Ulster final, beating Tyrone, Derry and Down on the way, before losing to Antrim in the decider. Last  year, after wins against Fermanagh and then Cavan, Armagh pitted themselves against Derry, but lost by six.

“We would have eight or nine of last year’s team, and they would each know each other and that helps because they are used to playing together.

“They [this year’s team] would be as good as last year’s team. We only missed out on the Ulster minor league final because of scoring difference.”

The full story is in the current issue of Gaelic Life, published on Thursday June 4. Buy your copy now in your local newsagent, or you can purchase the online version – for only 90p – by clicking here