Erin's Own respond to disaster

Lavey’s Cailean O’Boyle

LAVEY received the perfect tonic for a shock loss to Glen by sharing the spoils with fierce rivals Bellaghy last weekend.

Their loss midweek to lowly Glen had left the Lavey men with a major headache as the championship looms large on the horizon. But the character and resolve shown in their clash with their neighbours which earned them a 1-7 each draw, ensures that Lavey find themselves in a much more content place.

The game marked the first taste of competitive action for Cailean O’Boyle in over two months, the versatile young star having made his recovery from a double hamstring tear. He was sprung from the bench by Lavey boss Henry Downey, and showed no ill-effects of his lengthy lay-off as he helped himself to two points. For O’Boyle though, it was only the result that mattered.

“It was a game we could have won, but we could also easily have thrown it away. We started like a house on fire, because losing to Glen by ten points was a disaster. This could have been our last game before championship, and we needed a positive result.

“The fact that it was Bellaghy probably helped us because we knew we were in for a battle. It was a really good, physical game, and both sides probably went home happy enough with a draw.

“We knew going into the championship off the back of a positive result, and if it is to be the case that our next game is the championship, we’ll be happy enough. There’s a good buzz and belief back now.”

The full story is in the current issue of Gaelic Life, published on Thursday July 19. Buy your copy now in your local newsagent, or you can purchase the online version – for only 90p – by clicking here