Critics inspire response from champions

Kilmurry-Ibrickane wing-forward Evan Talty was particularly delighted that Darren and Shane Hickey had been part of a very solid full-back line in their side’s latest county championship win.
Kilmurry conceded three goals to Kilrush in their county semi-final replay, when high ball into Jim Young flummoxed the champions.
“They were absolutely castigated. All of a sudden we went from being the best defence in the county to the worst defence in the county over one game. Today, they showed that every high ball that went in they came out with it,” Talty commented.
Having only regained his place for the semi-final replay, Talty is delighted to be starting even if it is in the unfamiliar setting of wing-forward.
“I’m there just to do the donkey work and supply the ball into the full-forward line. I didn’t start for five or six games but I got back the old hunger. I know I’m not going to get many scores but if I can run at defences and maybe draw a few frees, that’s what I’m there for,” he explained.
Talty won four converted frees in the semi-final replay but says that they weren’t as plentiful last Sunday.
“It seemed a lot handier to get a free that day than today. You nearly had to have the head taken off you there today to get a free,” he laughed.
Kilmurry were aware that Declan O’Keeffe’s kick-outs were central to Doora-Barefield’s game plan.
“We watched them against Doonbeg. Declan O’Keeffe is a master at short kick-outs. Cratloe were the same way and we knew that if we could target that, we’d win a lot of ball around the middle.
“The other thing we needed to do was draw our half-forward line out and give the space to Noel Downes and Michael O’Dwyer and that worked today. We targeted a good start and we did that. We knew that if we got a fast start that Doora-Barefield would have doubts in their head. Whereas if we left them in the game, they’d get more confidence. But in fairness to Doora-Barefield they’re a coming team,” Talty said.
He was impressed by the display of one of Kilmurry’s veteran forwards, who lined out at centre forward for the hour.
“Johnny Daly was a bit like Andre Pirlo in the middle. He was pulling the strings left, right and centre. Myself and Michael O’Dwyer are there to work ourselves into the ground to try to supply the ball into the boys. Michael Hogan used to do it and Steven Moloney used to do it. You need that in the team. We also targeted turning over the back coming out,” he noted.
Hearing that Kilmurry weren’t as highly thought of as in previous years seems to have driven them on.
“It hurt us during the week that everybody was writing us off. That actually got us going. People were saying we hadn’t played well, that we were finished and that we were missing lads. I know we’re missing five or six lads but we’ve young lads coming through that have kept some of us out of the team all year and they’re driving everyone on,” Evan Talty concluded.