Teenagers challenge Campbell for his place

Loughgiel Shamrocks captain Johnny Campbell with last year’s Ulster Championship trophy

Loughgiel’s Johnny Campbell says that such is the competition for places on their senior hurling team, there are still young players on the club gunning for his spot.

Ahead of this weekend’s Ulster Championship final against Portaferry, Campbell told Gaelic Life that the North Antrim club can only get stronger if the young talent is encouraged properly.

“We are not successful because we have boys sitting back. Every single one of the panel is pushing hard at the minute. If you have the same team week in, week out who are comfortable, you are never going to get pushed or achieve anything,” he said.

“There are a lot of boys gunning for a place. I even had an under  16 last year, someone was joking with him, and I heard him say that ‘I am going to take Johnny’s place’, so when you hear that coming through it keeps you on your toes.”

If Loughgiel win on Sunday then they will become only the second club to win three Ulster Club hurling titles in a row.

Campbell is this week’s In Focus candidate in Gaelic Life. In the interview he talk about the dark days of the six final defeats in a row that Loughgiel suffered in the noughties, as well as the glory that he enjoyed after they broke through in 2010.

To read the full interview with Johnny Campbell, buy the upcoming issue of Gaelic Life which will be published on Thursday October 25. Or you could make sure you don’t miss it by subscribing by clicking here