Leahy delight as Causway chase elusive two in-a-row
CAUSEWAY REACTION
KERRY'S hurling renaissance at underage level continued at Cloghaun on Saturday last when Causeway CS who are the All-Ireland U16 A champions, reached the final again with a richly deserved win over Kilkenny side Johnstown.
The Causeway coach Maurice Leahy was delighted afterwards and felt that the Kerry side played with the confidence of champions. "These are changed times in Kerry when we can take on Cork, Tipperary and Kilkenny teams, and reach an All-Ireland A Final and that is so important. I mean confidence is good and that is the confidence of champions.
"At half time I think that the lads were disappointed to be only four points up and I asked them to put in a big effort for the opening ten minutes of the second half, because I felt that would be crucial. I think the lads really turned it on and held Johnstown scoreless and it was a superb second half display.
"I think as the Kilkenny manager said there we have superb hurlers up the middle, but I maintain that we also have superb hurlers on the wings as well, who are we l l able to take their scores, who worked hard and moved fast. But it's our work ethic that is superb.
"You could see the hooking and the blocking that our fellows did today, that is what Kilkenny have traditionally done to Kerry sides. But we are doing to them now and its brilliant and I am very proud of them, particularly that second half display. They showed heart, guts, determination and the will to win. You saw Paudge Boyle with only one leg and he taking them on and planting a goal, unbelievable stuff."
How does Leahy rate his star attacker who was doubled teamed all afternoon and still managed 3-3? " As I said before about Padraig and I have been coaching him since he was seven, I don't think there is any player of his age in the country as good as him. I could not see a hurler or even a footballer as good as him, at that age. He is just a fantastic hurler and great attitude to the game – a typical Boyle attitude.
"All his brothers were the same, they never gave up and they would give you all they had. He is a serious hurler, but having said that if we only had Paudge Boyle we would not win the match. We have fifteen seriously good players and our defence was superb today." However, that was only the semi
final so how does Maurice rate Causeway's chances in the final? "We will be playing Loughrea and in Galway nearly all their senior hurlers come out of Loughrea, Gort and Athenry and you can be sure that they will have five or six players that will be top class, maybe Galway minors so we will be really up against it.
"But our heart and determination as All-Ireland champions will ensure that will not give up our crown easily. We have a Munster Football final next week so that's a problem so that
is a big worry."
