McGrattan
says fear is not the game
Friday,
February 10, 2006
Ballygalget star
Johnny McGrattan insists his club
won’t have a chance of beating
Newtownshandrum in this Sunday’s
All-Ireland senior club hurling
semi-final unless they go into the
game without fear.
The Down and Ulster champions take on
their Cork and Munster rivals at
Portlaoise this weekend and McGrattan
accepts that the Mourne County side
will have to be at their most
confident to put it up to their
opponents.
"We have a lot of experience, good
hurlers thorughout the team and we’ve
got to go out and prove that in
Portlaoise," McGrattan claimed.
"We have plenty of players capable of
taking scores and we don’t fear
Newtownshandrum.
"We’re ready and we know we have to
take every chance that comes our way.
"Long range scoring is going to be
very important, just like against
Cushendall, while in close, there’s no
better goal getter than Martin
Coulter."
Ballygalget will give Gabriel Clarke
every chance to prove his fitness for
Sunday's AIB All-Ireland Club Hurling
semi-final against Newtownshandrum.
Clarke is rated as
a major doubt for the game in
Portlaoise after suffering an elbow
injury in a recent challenge game
against Meath.
Ballygalget manager
Gerard Monan may not reveal his
line-up until the morning of the game.
If Clarke is ruled
out, experienced Michael Pucci could
come into the team.
Pucci has extensive
intercounty experience with Down and
his presence shouldn't unduly weaken
the Ballygalget line-up.
The Ulster
champions are massive underdogs for
the clash against the 2004 All-Ireland
club champions.
However, club PRO
Gavin Watson says the players are
quietly confident about their
prospects.
"There's no doubt
we are big underdogs but we have a lot
of experience in our team," says
Watson.
"All of our team
bar corner-back Seamus Roddy have
played county hurling for Down and
Seamus has been asked to get involved
with the county set-up on umpteen
occasions."
Those Down county
players includes star Ballygalget
forwards Gareth Johnson and Johnny
McGrattan, who was man-of-the-match in
the Ulster club final win over
Cushendall.
Newtown are
expected to be without defender Ger
O'Mahony, who faces surgery for a back
problem.
However, John
O'Connor is likely to be fit to play
after recovering from a hand injury
but the key Newtownshandrum players
are likely to be the O'Connor brothers
Ben and Jerry.
