Geoffrey Og Laverty has been a revelation for Cloughmills this year

SLAUGHTNEIL paved the way before Christmas, and now it’s Cloughmills’ turn to take to the skies ahead of their All-Ireland IHC quarter-final against London side Robert Emmets.

Their assistant manager Alex Campbell says they have covered every jot and tittle in preparation for Saturday’s clash at Greenford – so much so that they are mirroring the Slaughtneil men’s travel diary, albeit their scorer-in-chief Liam Cassley is a major injury doubt.

But while the Slaughtneil footballers trounced Londoners St Kiernan’s by 2-11 to 0-5 in their senior quarter-final, Cloughmills are facing a Robert Emmets side with an admirable tradition capped off by an All-Ireland IHC title back in 2007.

Campbell said: “I think there’s a fair few going on the flight as the same day as the team. The village is right behind us and there’s a great buzz there. The boys are leaving from the primary school on Friday and the kids will be there. That’s great because Cloughmills needs hurling to keep ticking over.

“A lot of it has been trying to get all the arrangements right. We were grateful, Slaughtneil went over there before Christmas and we got their itinerary off them and we’ve kinda followed their model – sending the gear over a day early for example.

“Greenford is a new pitch and we won’t have much time to get ready but the boys will have to adapt to it so we’re looking forward to it.”

Read the full article, and more analysis of Cloughmills’s All-Ireland Club Championship in the current issue of Gaelic Life. Buy the online edition here.